Learning How To Snowboard

Snowboarding is a winter sport that has seen a remarkable increase in popularity over the years. Learning to snowboard can seem difficult to the novice, but with a little motivation and patience, one will soon discover the fun and excitement of snowboarding down a hill.

If you are a first time snowboarder, you need to be aware of the equipment and clothing required for snowboarding. Equipment you will need include a snowboard, snowboard boots, goggles or sunglasses, helmet, comfortable clothing, gloves, winter hat, sunscreen, and lip balm. You can even purchase snowboard pants and a jacket. Long underwear underneath relaxing pants is preferred choice. A turtleneck or sweatshirt is a good choice. You should also have a cloth to wipe goggles.

Before you purchase a snowboard and boots, rent the equipment to make sure that it is a sport you will be participating in often. When you are walking on the slope, watch out for other people or objects that you might hit with your snowboard.

How well you snowboard depends on how well you learn and use the various snowboard stances. Stances consist of a mix of footing, width of a stance, centering, angles, and the offset.

The following are general basic tips for a snowboard stance:

Positioning: Choose the foot that you will place in the front. This will be the foot that is the easiest to control.

Width of your Stance: The 'Stance Width' is the distance between the center of your front and back binding. The width of the stance usually depends on your height. As well, the most comfortable width is typically equal to the width of the snowboard rider's shoulders.

To help you get the best stance, the following is a height guide for setting one's width stance:

Height (feet) Width (inch)

Less than 5'1": 17-18 5'2" - 5'4": 18-19 5'5" - 5'8": 19-20 5'9" - 6'0": 20-21 Greater than 6': 22-23

Set your Binding Angles: For the novice, a 'forward stance' is recommended as the easiest stance. Angles for this type of stance are +20 degrees / +6 degrees. Binding stance angles are the angles that the bindings are mounted in relation to the snowboard.

Set your Stance Offset: 'Stance Offset' is the distance between the middle of the bindings and the middle of the snowboard. One has to select their stance offset such as in the middle or set back towards the tail of the snowboard.

Stance Centering: 'Centering the Stance' is when the feet are centered across the width of the snowboard. This is achieved by shifting the binding disks.

The above snowboarding tips are met as an introduction to snowboarding. If you are new to the sport, you should enlist the services of a qualified snowboard instructor. A snowboard instructor will teach you such snowboarding techniques as Switching Edges, Gliding, Moving up the Slope, Sideslipping (Heelside), Sideslipping (Toeside), Traversing (Heelside), Traversing (Toeside), Falling Leaf, and Garlands.

With an understanding of the snowboarding basics, it won't be long before you are soaring down the slopes.

Spend some time relaxing up north at one of the beautiful Blue Mountain chalets. Try to book Blue Mountain rentals early because fill up quickly.