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 🤣

@redboxer321 @massistar thank you so much for you advice and kind words, I shall purchase some padding 🤣 I am really looking forward to the experience

OP I know that skiing doesn't interest you but not being able to do something and not enjoying your holiday should interest you less!

I have been skiing my whole life. Black runs are easy for me. I tried snowboarding and absolutely couldn’t grasp it. Tried and tried. Hated it. Went back to skiing and love it.

I think maybe a change of mindset is needed.

I would have a trial ski lesson and learn to ski instead. My dd learned to ski as a three year old and tried snowboarding recently at uni and has found it so much effort after skiing. I think boarding is fun for teens who like doing the jumps in the snow park etc. I think skiing is a much more enjoyable means of getting round the mountain. I feel as though snow boarding would put one’s hips under strain but not having done it I can’t be sure. It also looks such a faff for lifts and flat stretches of piste

Nobody is worse than me. I'm utterly shite at all 'sliding' activities - except skidding over wooden floors in socks 😂 I preferred my snowboarding lessons to the skiing ones, as I could actually get down a beginner slope though still had to crash to stop! Skiing just tangled me up and I fucking hated it. Never been able to skate; surfing and windsurfing the same. I'd rather fall into a warm sea than on packed snow, ice or concrete but there's limited appeal to climbing on a board just to fall off it again. I've given up all such nonsense.

My only advice is to make sure there are no gaps in your clothing. You'll take your jacket off when you get hot, and any snow that gets in during your many falls will melt and trickle around nastily for the rest of your lesson.

Even if you end up following my strategy of avoiding the slopes altogether, do have fun!

I don't know that I won't enjoy it, I am someone who will give it a good go and if after a week I'm not loving it I just won't do it again.

I wouldn't totally write off transitioning to skiing if you don't get on with boarding. Ultimately a lot of the experience is the same in terms of enjoying the sensations of sliding down the mountain but some people just find one easier or more enjoyable.

DS is a boarder (had super skinny legs as a kid and couldn't stop his skis crossing so switched and hasn't looked back). The rest of us ski (DD used to board and then switched back to skiing). There are pros and cons of both but the main cons of boarding are

• resorts and lifts are designed for skiers so getting on and off lifts is harder as a novice- even now DS tries to get a "spare chair" between him and the next person as the board goes sideways but if busy, not possible
• having to do your bindings after every lift is annoying- if the hire shop has step on bindings, ask for those. Way better.
• Skiers can get across flats/ v shallow slopes more easily as they can do the cross country thing or use their poles- boarders have to unbind and push along.
• Skiers can easily sidestep back uphill if they get "too low" to navigate a tricky bit of slope. Boarders can't .
• Skiers have a bit more flexibility off piste in terms of where they can go without getting stuck.
• Boarders have more contact with the ground so your butt and hands get colder.
• You're not as fast as a skier of the same level.

Tbh a lot of these are not going to be issues that will bother you in week 1.

There are also pro's of boarding like you can't lose a pole/ ski if you fall in deep snow and you can't cross your skis. You don't have to be as good a boarder as a skier to do tricks. Can just sit down if you get in trouble. You experience the slopes slightly differently, kind of like surfing, so it's more enjoyable at a lower speed (at least this is how DS/DD explain it). Boarding is generally a bit more chill. The boots are WAY more comfortable, warmer and easy to walk in and board easier to carry around.

I tried the skiing and snowboarding thing and it was not really for me. I now go and do my own thing. Read, watch the world go by (there is always lots going on) carry the bags and the kit, whizz up and down the resort in the mountain lifts. One resort had a lovely outdoor pool. Give it a try, but there is other stuff you can do if it doesn't work out.

Do you skate? Or surf? Most boarder I know are already used to boarder in the wet or on dry land so used to controlling with rails or toes etc.

You can get in some practice with skateboard in the interim.

Well they have just said the oldest athlete at the Winter Olympics is a 53yr female snowboarder so hope for us all 🤣

I was trying to keep that low key @RainingDucksInPuddles. My secret is out! 🤣

I'm late 40s and been snowboarding over 20 years.

If you want to learn and have it booked then do it. Yes maybe switching to skis might make you able to get down slopes better initially. But you'll never be as good a skier as the snowboarder you could be.

It's a steep learning curve and very exhausting first few full days but you will get it. Being physically fit will give you a good advantage. You can't compare to any snowdome lessons in the UK.

I remember after my first few days snowboarding I went to bed before everyone else had even gone for dinner I was that shattered. But I stuck at it and quickly got hooked.

Thank you so much.