Am I the worst at Snowboarding

[Keepoffmyartichokes]

We are having a family holiday in half term snowboarding which none of us have done before. We had a couple of hours lesson at Snozone so we could just have a bit of knowledge of clipping in to the board and standing on one. We have Snowboard school booked when we are away. Typically my son and husband who are always good at anything they try, just got it. I did not! I didn't even pass the level 😧 I struggle with confidence in myself and this shows in most things I try. I am still looking forward to the holiday and will throw myself into it, I'll probably spend all week on the nursery slopes but I'm fine with that. Has anyone else struggled and then just got it? Am I the only person to not even be able to pass level 1? This is slightly light-hearted 🤣

I did it when I was younger get and loved it. Recently tried another lesson and had some heavy falls. Honestly, I gave it up as a bad job and went skiing instead and had a fantastic time. Could that be an option if you’re still not getting it after your next lesson?

Nah, my friend picked up his kit on the afternoon we arrived and put it on to check the fit etc and immediately fell over backwards and broke his thumb. Hadn't even collected his lift pass 😂

My next lesson is when we are away. DS has always wanted to give it a go and I will have a good crack at it. Our resort has other activities like sledging etc so we are doing those as well. If I come out of the holiday having just stayed a beginner with a bruised bum then so be it 😂

😂that's awful. I do know someone who fell in their room on the first night at a ski resort and broke their arm.

Can you try skiing instead? I haven’t skied for decades but I was pretty good at it. I tried snowboarding a couple of times- hated it and was really shit at it! You might find skiing much easier.

You don’t have to snowboard, just ski. The slopes are the same.

I spent 10 years on and off trying to learn how to snowboard, I could never master the lifts and I hated it in the end. Switched to skiing and have never looked back.

As an experienced snowboarder (10+ years) - nobody should be venturing further than the nursery slope having had just a couple of lessons. You’ll be right where you need to be.

You need to be able to control speed and direction, emergency stop and link your turns (basic, C turns will suffice) before going any further - unless you’re with a fully qualified instructor. This goes for your Husband and Son too!

It’s going to come more easily to some than others, but I’ve seen so many people become overconfident without having nailed the basic technique, correct stance, etc., putting themselves and others in danger. Just because they can “sort of do it” and they think they are properly snowboarding but they are not. I’ve seen this time and time again.

I personally didn’t set foot on a mountain for the best part of a year - learning at the dryslope each weekend - and then at the snow centre for a couple of sessions. I paid for many lessons over my time until I was signed off for open practice as it didn’t come naturally to me at first either. In fact, I really struggled. And my partner at the time was an instructor.

Hopefully - where you say snowboard school - you mean you’re all having lessons from your first day. I can tell you, you want to be relaxed (as much as possible) to avoid tensing up but really focus on that technique. You have to be like a sponge and take in everything the instructor tells you and keep it in mind - you can’t switch off. It might be worth watching some videos on YouTube - Sideslipping heel and toe and basic snowboard stance. Also falling leaf.

Whether you continue with the snowboarding or try skiing, make sure you get those lessons until you’re signed off to go out without an instructor. Good on you to try something new.

Stay safe and hope you have fun ❄️

Someone once told me skiing is easier to learn but harder to master, whereas boarding is harder to learn but easier to master. I think that’s probably true. Tbh, I’d be tempted to give skiing a go instead ( but then I love skiing and boarding has never appealed - seen too many people with broken wrists over the years from boarding). Is there any reason you all need to do the same activity? You can still all be out on the slopes together as you progress.

Good advice from several of the previous posters!

OP, has it always been your dream to learn how to snowboard? In that case, just keep on practising, and you will improve. Take more lessons.

If you just want to be able to go down the slopes together with your family, I agree with those who suggest you try skiing instead. Many people find that easier. I am not very athletic, but I have been downhill skiing succesfully in both Europe and the USA.

My friend once went on a trip to the Alps, and she really wanted to learn how to snowboard. It never worked out for her, and she switched to skis after half the week, and she found that to be easier.

Whether you decide to keep on with the snowboard, or try skiing instead, it's important that you take lessons! It can be in a group or with a private instructor, but lessons are really important.

And, whether with snowboard or skis, it's completely fine to stay on the gentler slopes for beginners. Those slopes can be so much fun! My favourite ski slope in the world is one that is not very steep, but very long.

Good luck, stay safe, and have fun!

I’ve done both in my 20-40s and gone back to skiing as I’ve got older as falling hurts too much on a board. Definitely get some wrist protectors if your boarding and if you can wearing a soft backpack with a jumper in it helps when you fall to absorb the bump. I loved boarding but I’m safer skiing now in my 50s. It’s easier to board I found on a slightly steeper slope once you can link turns than skiing but the flat bits on a board are a killer on the thighs. Some resorts are definitely more board friendly slopes & linkages to lifts avoid the “road” slopes and have fun as it’s great.

Started as a skier as a tween. Switched to snowboarding in my 20s and now that’s what I do. I am good at it and have been doing it for yonks.

However at my age (48) I very much wish I was a skier as the up down of clipping in and out is very annoying. I have step in bindings now. But I would not advise snowboarding.

ski all day long. Much easier to learn and be ok at for holiday purposes.

Yes we have lessons booked everyday from the first day in the morning then free time in the afternoon. I appreciate everyone's advice to switch to skiing but it doesn't really interest me and I'm not the type of person to give up something because it's hard. I'll dig in and give it a good go and have fun trying and falling 🤣

Another one who switched to skiiing after a long gap off the slopes - it was much harder and more effort to get up on the board in my 40s compared with my 20s!

I had it fixed in my head that I was a boarder so persisted for a while, but it was honestly way more pleasurable once I'd switched to skis.

I've done the Beginners ski lessons (all day for a week) 4 times on ski trips.

I now look after the bags. I was declared unteachable.

But... you've had one lesson. Kids/teena pick it up quicker anyway. Of you are in group lessons, they usually end up mixing up as some people learn quickly and others don't.

Admittedly I’ve never tried snowboarding, but I have been skiing for over 60 years and it seems much more intuitive to me, especially with modern skis. Looking at snowboarders, it also appears to require a lot more strength.

So I’m another one who’d vote for skiing.

Agree with everyone saying skiing. So much easier to master the basics, you’ll fall less and I don’t get how it can not interest you when snowboarding does. It’s all snow sports on the same piste!
But also despite being typically raved about on her I really don’t rate those indoor snow centre lessons. The instructors typically have the lowest level of qualification (i.e. wouldn’t legally be able to teach in France) and after booking a block for DS where he failed to learn to turn 3 times in a row then got it in under an hour in resort I’d personally consider them a waste of money. So whatever you go for, skiing or snowboarding, don’t lose hope!

I switched to snowboarding having learned to ski. You stand up, you fall down, stand up fall down and this will go on for maybe 3 days and you will feel like you have been beaten up. After about day 3 you hopefully will get it. Snowboarding is much easier to learn than skiing. Although anything other than a gondola for uplift is much more challenging.

I much prefer snowboarding to skiing but now approaching 60 find my core is no longer up to it. So back to skiing even though I find it tame.

now approaching 60 find my core is no longer up to it. So back to skiing even though I find it tame.

I KIND of get what you’re saying. I think snowboarding is a young person’s game.

But I don’t think skiing needs to be tame. A few years ago I got myself a pair of fairly advanced skis and it has upped my skiing skills in more ways than I can describe. Steep Alpine slopes and icy moguls hold no fear - it has been a total game changer.

I couldn’t see myself snowboarding at my advanced age but I’m still skiing like a youngster and totally plan to continue for many years to come ⛷️

The first couple of days of snowboarding can be brutal - you fall a lot, everything hurts.

But once you get over the initial bit it’s easier to get better than skiing. I agree with the experienced snowboarder above that it’s better to be able to link turns properly (not just go down on your back edge) on the easy slopes before you go down things that are harder. Even for people who take to it easily.

Thanks everyone for the advise and your experience. I'm only 45 so not old and am very fit, regularly strength train and a runner. I had heard the lessons here are crap compared to in resort so I'll give it a go for the week, if it's not for me then so be it. I don't give up easily 🤣
We are in a lovely resort with other snowy activities so it will be a great week regardless of how good I end up being.

ooh @Enrichetta , please tell me
more! I can do reds no problem,
go fast etc. but find this quite dull
on skis compared to a snowbird but it all goes to sh!t on blacks and moguls
Just better skis? Or lessons as well?

Just better skis? Or lessons as well?

Lessons can never do any harm and sometimes I wonder whether to take a couple of advanced private lessons. However, I was already an excellent and very experienced skier when I acquired my Völkl Kenjas. A fairly stiff ski can be very rewarding if you have the legs/strength and the skills for it.

It's about weight distribution. Think about being centred and as light as you can on the board. You can use you weight to help dig in to stop. Don't know if that makes sense or not.
Other things I recommend are padded pants, knee pads (thin ones) and wrist supports - you're going to fall so best to make it as painless as possible.

And think about getting a balance board before you go. A board and roller type thing. I see you are fit already so you should be able to pick it up quite easily especially if you have core strength.

The nursery slopes are great fun though. I haven't been for years but would love to go again. Hope you enjoy it.

I’ve been snowboarding for nearly 30 years. You’ll spend the first couple of days black and blue with falling but hopefully it’ll then click. I tried skiing for the first time a couple of years ago as it was getting harder and harder to get up from the ground. Especially, ahem, post lunch. I absolutely hated it. Couldn’t stand the feeling in my knees. I know so many skiers with ruptured ACLs or dodgy knees who switched to snowboarding. Got myself some top notch step in bindings and never looked back. Stick with it!

In saying that my kids started on skis, learnt to board and then switched back to skis. Disagree that modern skis are tame as you can pretty much do anything on skis these days that you used to only be able to do on a board with freestyle and parks etc.

Skis or board it’s the lushest holiday ever and I hope you have a wonderful time!!