Snowboarding Basics

The Essentials

Snowboarding can be an fun and enjoyable sport, but there are special techniques that should be learned and followed in order to snowboard correctly and to prevent injury. Before snowboarding, it is important to find out which foot will be the leading foot. Generally, if you are right-handed, you should lead with the left foot. If you are left-handed, you will lead the snowboard with your right foot, but the foot you inherently put forward when riding will tell you which is the right foot. However, the most important thing is to ride and guide the snowboard whichever way is easiest for you. You will develop your style as you get used to riding.

Checking the Snowboard

Before snowboarding, check your snowboard to make sure that it is set up accurately. The bindings on the snowboard should be about a shoulder width apart. This will help you to have the proper stance. Circle a lead chain near your lead binding, then attach the chain to the lace on your lead boot so that you won't lose your board. This is important for those who have step-in bindings, which can disengage much more easily than strap bindings. Therefore, if you have a toe-cap strap, you must be sure to place it over the center of the toe part of your boots. You must also be certain that the binding on your leading foot is at a 15 plus degree angle. If not, you could end up with an injury like a sprained ankle if you were to fall. For beginners, the back bindings must be placed slightly on the positive side.

The Snowboarding Slopes

To get to the practice hill, you must first get on the ski lift. Once you get off of the ski lift, you will make your way to the practice hill. The slope will provide you with a speed of about 5 miles per hour. You should sit down and put your boot into the binding making sure that it is secure. You should not be able to move your foot or lift your heel up. Once you have secured the bindings, stand up and apply some force with your lead foot. You should bend your knees while keeping your back straight. This will help you to maintain balance. Do not lean your body forward. You can slow down your ride by changing to your toe edge or your heel edge. The snowboard will follow your body. You can rotate your torso to face downhill and put pressure on your rear leg in order to change to your heel edge from your usual lead foot forward. For example, if your lead foot is your left foot, you would place pressure on your right leg as your distribute your body weight while rotating your torso area. Changing to the toe edge is a little different. You will rotate your torso uphill while putting pressure to your rear leg and put weight on your toes while slightly leaning forward. Leaning backward will help you to stop the snowboard. The more the rider leans backward, the quicker the snowboard will stop. However if you lean backward too much, you will fall backwards. You can turn and control the snowboard by putting pressure on your legs while you turn your torso. The pressure on the legs must remain steady and balanced on whichever side you are turning.