Tips for First Time Snowboarders

As a professional snowboard instructor, I'm often out on the beginner slope teaching first time and beginner snowboarders. I've taught children how to snowboard, men, women, mothers, fathers, grandmothers, and grandfathers. No matter the gender or age, there are some common tips that will help people learn to snowboard in a more pain-free and safe manner.

These are the tips I use everyday in my classes:

Take lessons from a Certified Snowboard Instructor
There are a number of organizations that certify instructors around the world. In the USA, the American Association of Snowboarder Instructors (AASI) is the certifying body. There are three levels of certification with Level 3 being the most highly skilled instructor.

To become a certified snowboard instructor from AASI, one must train at ones own ski resort and then take three days of written and on-snow certification examinations. The examinations cover - the instructors riding ability, the instructor's quality of instruction, and the ability to perform movement analysis on snowboarders. The instructor must also have a minimum number of hours teaching at a level before becoming certified at that level.

A certified snowboard instructor will know how to coach in a positive manner, have the ability to clearly demonstrate beginning snowboarding techniques, and have the ability to use movement analysis to determine the prescription for change for snowboarders. As the instructor becomes more seasoned, the better their ability to help beginning and experienced snowboarders.

Dress appropriately
You'll be spending time rolling around on the snow as a first time snowboarder. Be sure to wear loose-fitting waterproof clothing. Please don't wear blue jeans. They absorb water and will leave you chilled on a cold day. Dress in layers on cold days and wear one lightweight layer on a warm day. Please don't wear a heavy backpack to your lesson. It will hurt to fall on and it will throw your balance off when learning to snowboard.

Wear a helmet
Until you are skilled at balancing on your snowboard edges, you are at risk of falling. Beginner snowboarders often catch the downhill heel-side edge while trying to use the toe-side edge of the snowboard. This can result in a very nasty crash ending with the back of the snowboarders head slamming against the slopes. The result can be a concussion. Please wear a helmet.

Tie your snowboard bootlaces properly
Snowboard boots are much more comfortable than ski boots. You'll still need to tie them properly so they'll provide the support they were designed to do. Put only your foot with one pair of socks on inside the snowboard boot. Do not stuff pants inside the snowboard boot. Pull the laces of the inner boot liner tightly and tie them off. Tuck the tongue of the boot inside the outer boot sides. Now lace the outer boot laces completely up. The laces should be very snug. If you can get a finger under your outer boot laces, they are too loose.

Snowboarding is real exercise
"This is harder than it looks" is a phrase often heard in first time snowboarding lessons. A snowboard instructor will use methods known to make snowboarding easier and less painful to learn but the bottom line is that snowboarding is real exercise. Your calves and thigh muscles will get a workout the first time you snowboard. If possible, use leg strengthening and balance exercises before taking your first lesson. Some great balances boards that will help your snowboarding are made by Vew-Do and Indo Board.

Stay hydrated
Whether the weather is warm or cold during your first snowboard lesson, you will be perspiring and breathing out precious body moisture. To prevent nausea, heat exhaustion, dizziness, feeling tired, dehydration, and lactic acid buildup in your leg muscles, drink plenty of water. Drink water before your lesson, during your lesson, and after your lesson. If the weather is really warm, stop often for water breaks.

Keep your arms and hands down
First time snowboarders almost instinctively want to paddle and flap their arms and hands to control their balance or steer the snowboard. In reality, all this does is make the snowboard an unstable platform. The flapping and paddling causes the snowboard to rotate from the upper body. In snowboarding, more precise and stable steering occurs when done from the waist down. A snowboard instructor can coach first time snowboarders on how to use their hips, knees, and ankles to steer their snowboard.

Have the proper stance
Having the proper stance over the snowboard is one of the keys to success for first time snowboarders. It seems like it's safer to hunch over and try to touch the snow to many beginning snowboarders while on the toe-side edge. In fact, hunching over causes your body weight to not be over the toe-side edge and it won't engage in the snow. In snowboarding, we want to have our ankles, knees, and hips flexed, with equal weight on both feet, and the body weight over the edge that's trying to be engaged. A properly trained snowboard instructor can perform movement analysis and spot where the snowboarders weight and body are out of alignment.

Get your weight on the uphill edge
Getting the body weight over the uphill edge is a challenge to many first time snowboarders. Trying to balance on one edge is definitely a learning experience but is required in order to control the snowboard. You'll need the proper body angles and body movements in order for this to happen. One way to practice this at home is to try balancing on the toes of both feet at the same time. Next, try balancing on both heels at the same time. For better practice, purchase a balance board that provides 360 degrees of unstable platform like the Vew-Do The Zone Balance Pro or the Indo Original FLO GF.

Follow the Safety Code
The Responsibility Code is the law in many states. Following The Code keeps you and those around you safe. Learn the rules and be safe. Collisions are never acceptable as well as blocking off ski runs.

This is the Responsibility Code as published on the National Ski Areas Association website:
1. Always stay in control.
2. People ahead of you have the right of way.
3. Stop in a safe place for you and others.
4. Whenever starting downhill or merging, look uphill and yield.
5. Use devices to help prevent runaway equipment.
6. Observe signs and warnings, and keep off closed trails.
7. Know how to use the lifts safely.

Tip your snowboard instructor
In the USA, tipping is standard practice. If you learned something in your lesson, the instructor gave you decent individual feedback, and you enjoyed your experience, please tip. Tipping tells the instructor that those years of gaining teaching experience and paying for expensive examinations has resulted in a satisfied client. If you received what you consider a bad lesson, don't tip and go to the Customer Service Desk.

More beginner snowboarding tips:
The Best Tips for Beginner Snowboarders
How to Tie Snowboard Boots
Complete Beginners Guide to Snowboarding