How to Do the Basic Snowboarding Stance
Snowboarding is a fun and relaxing sport. For beginners, though, it can be difficult and frustrating. Try to relax and allow yourself to pick it up at your own pace. Here are some ideas to get you up and standing on your board for the first time.
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Instructions
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How to Do the Basic Snowboarding Stance
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First you'll need to decide which foot you want to put forward. The regular stance involves putting your left foot forward. This usually is comfortable for right handed people and is a more common stance. The other option is to ride goofy stance, in which the right foot is forward. The goofy stance may be more comfortable for you. Try both stances and see which you like best.
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Now, adjust the width of the stance. Stand with your feet a little more than shoulder-width apart. You should feel balanced and comfortable. You should adjust your bindings to match this width. Try strapping in to your bindings and make sure this is the proper width for you. If you're not sure, try a few different widths and settle on the right one.
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Now, you'll need to set your stance angle. This is the angle that the binding is mounted to the board. You may chose to have your binding completely perpendicular to the snowboard, which is an angle of zero. Another option is to have your toes pointing towards the nose of the snowboard, which is a positive angle. You may also prefer a negative angle, which faces your toes towards the tail of the board. Forward stance is the most common choice. Both your bindings will have positive stance angles. A common stance for all-mountain riding is: +21° on the front and +6° on the rear. Try this for now and experiment as you get more comfortable.
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Once you've figured out which foot is first, the width of your stance, and the angle, now you can get on your board. Secure your boots into the bindings and push yourself upright. You will want to stand with your knees slightly bent, your weight placed over the center of your body, and your shoulders centered over the nose of the board. Get comfortable in this stance. Practice getting up and shifting your weight from side to side in lace.
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In order to begin riding, simply turn your body to one side and allow the tip of your board to go diagonally down the slope. You may not be on much of an incline, but try doing this to get the the hang of it. As a beginner, you want to practice the "falling leaf." You will chose one foot as your forward foot and then try to slide slowly down the mountain with the tip of your board diagonal to the hill. Start out by angling your board a bit to the right, then slowly shift your weight so that the tip of your board is a little to the left. Keep shifting until you are slowly zig-zagging down the hill.
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