# Learned Snowboarding Without Lessons?



## Snowjoe

How long was the lesson? Turning isn't just something you can do right away theres some base skills first. You could be in for a rough day if you try on your own thats for sure.

Plus you'll pick up bad habits that you'll have to break further down the line to progress to a higher level.


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## Guest

The only thing I learned without a lesson was how to fall without breaking my wrists. Other than that, I couldn't turn, slow down, or avoid anything. I figured out how to stop too, but that's about it. Then, I took a series of 6 hour lessons and now I can tackle nearly any slope. Lessons work, so give it another shot.


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## milner_7

I have never taken a lesson. My first time out was a great success. Second time out broke my wrist in 2 places. Thank god the basic learning is over and I can progress on the mountain. It can never hurt to get expert training.


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## cjsoccer223

I've never taken lessons, and my first day out on the slopes was pretty successful. It came naturally to me but I did have trouble with my toeside turns. Then I taught myself as I went on


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## SnowProRick

When I learned lessons didn't exist.

-rick


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## Tmoney

Never took lessons. I just watched Snowwolf's vids on this site and got after it. Took me maybe a couple hours and I was able to start linking turns. Getting toeside down was the toughest part for me.


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## jlm1976

Did you complain about your lesson to the desk? You probably would have gotten a free lesson out of it if you did. At my mountain in western MA, if people complain enough they end up grabbing a very solid instructor to give the dissatisfied customer a lesson. 
Now, are lessons required to learn to snowboard? Definitely not...I did not get any kind of training until, ironically enough, I started teaching. But, I will say that they will speed up the learning curve and save you alot of pain. Contrary to what some people believe, spending the first few days of snowboarding getting battered and bruised is no longer required
I would go back to the mountain, buy a lesson and when you go to line up tell the supervisor that you had a bad experience your last lesson and was never even told how to turn. Depending on how busy it is, he/she should be able to hook you up with a good instructor.


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## Guest

no lessons here either, but they probably would've helped. I could carve down the greens by the end of first day, still catching an edge every now and then, but man did my tailbone hurt for days.


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## Gustaf S

No lessons here, never struggled with it. But then again, I started at age 11 and when your that age your cocky as hell and can do anything


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## Sam I Am

I learned by watching others. Best way to learn...in my point-of-view.


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## Guest

No lessons but lots of preparation: lots of reading about technique and watching snowwolf's and other videos.


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## ComicStix

Snowjoe said:


> How long was the lesson? Turning isn't just something you can do right away theres some base skills first. You could be in for a rough day if you try on your own thats for sure.
> 
> Plus you'll pick up bad habits that you'll have to break further down the line to progress to a higher level.


An hour of nothingness.


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## Cr0_Reps_Smit

i didnt take lessons when i first went out but it prob would've helped out a lot but now i'm a snowboard coach and learned many things i otherwise wouldn't know if it wasn't for the training from other fellow instructors and exams so i would say its a good idea but then again your lesson is only as good as your instructor. if you ever find your self at mt snow i wouldn't mind giving you a tip or two.


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## Milo303

I never personally took lessens, but I highly recommend someone being around to educate... Takes a person with patients and experience.

Being stubborn like I am, it took me a second but I got it on my own.

Knowing what I know now and if I had to do it again, I would take some lessons probably.

The most helpful thing for me was to watch educational videos..... I don't really consider that lessons, but I did educate myself that way.


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## SPAZ

Sam I Am said:


> I learned by watching others. Best way to learn...in my point-of-view.


yup, i learned some that way too. my first two years i went like 5 times total, and i could do everything but go heelside so instead i would do a falling leaf to go right (im goofy). then one night i drempt myself linking turns (the "epiphany" :laugh. the next morning on my first run, i carved all the way down :dunno:. peoples brains are just wired differently. do you usually learn things? if you can do it by observing, you may not need 'em that bad... 
good luck!


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## Snowjoe

ComicStix said:


> An hour of nothingness.


Ok to give you an idea, at our ski school if it's a group lesson we would be turning probably by the end of 4 hours. A full day lesson and hour just isn't enough time like Snowolf said.

I recognise you from another forum tooo...


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## Cros1489

i didnt take any lessons. i just knew alot of people that were pretty good at it and they kinda showed me some stuff, then pretty much just told me to keep up. probably not the best way to learn, or not the way you should learn, but it worked for me!


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## AWNOW

I had a friend that showed me how to ghetto edge/falling leaf thing. Then I just went on my own from there. Couple scorpions, almost blew out my knee several times, no broken bones. If I had to do it again I would take a lesson.


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## ComicStix

Snowolf said:


> Okay here is the deal from an instructors perspective:
> 
> An hour is not long enough to "teach you to snowboard" It just simply is`nt going to be. Add to that if it is a group lesson and you have a few people who can`t even get up while strapped in, you are not going to get a lot covered. In your first lesson (ours are 2 hours) the average with a large group is:
> 
> Equipment orientation
> skating
> one footed glides with turns both directions
> stopping
> loading/unloading chairlift
> Getting up while strapped in
> side slipping heel side and toe side
> Linked Traverses (falling leaf) heel side and toe side
> 
> Now, if it is a good group with no stragglers I can usually get Garlands both heel and toe side in and introduce the linked turn. Some students will be naturals enough to link a couple of turns in this first lesson, most will not. The indicator of a decent instructor is the ability to teach what we call a "split lesson" where the instructor recognizes those students who have more natural ability and those who struggle a lot and then there is the average group. In any group lesson, I am usually teaching 3 different groups.
> 
> I will asign tasks, demonstrate the task and send the group on their way, while I observe. They will usually go up the chair and ride back down to where I am working with the group who is struggling. At that time I can give feedback and make corrections. So in these groups lessons, some people will get a lot out of it up to linking turns, while others still can`t sideslip. So much is dependent upon the student.
> 
> Yes, there are shitty instructors out there who don`t care and are only doing it for the free pass. It is also true that good instructors get the blame for a student not learning what the student unrealistically expects. There are a lot of people who show up who really have no business even trying to snowboard. This is due to a complete lack of any physical ability. People who are so out of shape that walking from the car to the lodge about gives them a heart attack. They are customers though and it is our job to do the best we can.
> 
> Now, if you are a new rider who is athletic and dedicated to learning this sport, look around at the people in your group. If you are with a bunch of couch potatoes who you know just are`nt going to be able to do this, you know you are not going to get what you should out of the lesson. Discretely talk to the instructor about your concerns. In most cases, more than one lesson is going out and you can get into a group with people who are a better physical match for you. Even if there is`nt, most ski school departments have the budget to make another, smaller group and put another Instructor to work.
> 
> Just letting you know that you are the customer and you have the right to get what you pay for. Don`t always blame it on a shitty instructor though, sometimes we have to work with impossible situations.


Ok that made a lot of sense coming from an instructor. I shouldn't blame him. Maybe the lessons were too short but again we only had three people . I should take more lessons. And none were over 18 and in we were in good athletic ability. Maybe I could try to learn on my own and if something is troublesome I could try to take a lesson again. Would it be a good idea talking to the ski lesson instructor like someone in this thread said and try to ask if I could get a more experienced instructor?


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## Reede

Anyone that starts out without taking any lessons is basically sabotaging their own chances of ever enjoying this sport. About 1/100 people pick it up from the get go. The other 99 are downright terrible from the beginning and a few lessons speeds up that frustrating learning curve immensely.


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## laz167

Snowolf said:


> What I always advocate to people is to take a group lesson as your "never ever" first time lesson. From there, you should practice awhile until you can identify specific issues you are having like not being able to do toe side turns. At this point, a private lesson is ideal to address those specific issues.
> 
> In your situation as you described, I would guess (since I was not there to see, I have to make guesses) that the main problem is the short length of the lesson. An hour is just too short to get everything needed covered. The instructor was very likely trying to cram too much into this short lesson and as a result, very little got accomplished.
> 
> A more experienced instructor would have likely been better at prioritizing lesson tasks and while you would not have gotten farther, what was covered would have stuck with you better. Sometimes less is more.
> 
> Certainly, I would express your concerns with the ski school and relate your experience. They will likely be able to work with you on a lesson arrangement that will benefit you the most.


 This is exactly what I did. My first lesson was to get my feet wet and learn the basics. watched alot of videos and others on the hill. Iv'e taken 2 other lessons so that the instructor can catch any bad form or habits I might have learned. So far so good my last lesson was just riding around with the instructor playing follow the leader. This will be my 4th full season,which I plan on taking another lesson to learn to ride park.


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## Vlaze

ComicStix said:


> Has anyone here learned snowboarding without a lot of lessons?.


Yes, none.

Took a season of face/head plants and a lot of sore muscles. Being persistent and stubborn does tends to help.


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## Breckenridge

I never took a lesson, but I would base part of my decision on how many days i could get on the mountain. If you can go every day, maybe take one. If you're only getting out 10 days or so a year, the lesson will speed your progression up and make the most of your limited time.


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## AirConditioning

If you can, get a friend to teach you. That's how I did it. Lessons may help, but if you can pick it up from someone who's already taken lessons, that can be good too.


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## Guest

I took a lesson and the snowboard instructor was so busy hitting on me and my friend the whole time I didnt learn a damn thing. I didnt complain though just cause my attention craving whore of a friend paid for it and she didnt want me to complain....asshole.

Anyway, I had my BF teach me after that (just for the record me and him were not together at the time of the hitting on me instructor thing lol) and he taught me in literally an hour. A few things that stuck out in my mind was him asking me was "would u rather turn going 5 mph on a motorcycle or 50 mph on a motorcycle?" (we used to ride also). So the obvious answer was the 50 mph one, cause at 5 you would eat shit. Point of the story- You have more control with your board when you are going at a medium pace, not a super slow one. 

Also, dont ever point the edge of your board to the bottom of the mountain. Then you will catch it..and ouch.

Just a few little pointers that helped me out! Good luck and dont give up!!!


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## Patrollerer

I learnt from wacthing people in snowboarding vids, also being an avid skiier having all the gear and the base to start up from. Easiest sport to pick up so far.


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## BUTTERZ

I learnt to snowboard on a 153 technine poo board (im 6ft 4) with boots to big for me and like 2 inches of toe hang.


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## wrathfuldeity

I wish I'd taken lessons...maybe next time...want to try a 50 footer this year so will definitely find a consultant.


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## DC5R

No lessons here, but I used to skateboard a lot, which i think really helped. Face planted a lot during the first couple hours but after that, I was partially linking turns and could plow to a stop.


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## Guest

I never took lessons.. I just went out and started to snowboard, yet the first run was tourcherous but I picked up easily.


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## alex is w0rd

never took lessons, been riding for 3 years, and last year i learned to stomp 7s like nobodys buisness. 
been skating all my life though.


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## j.gnar

i never took lessons, i went with some buddies who new how to ride and just picked it up from them. this will be my second full season


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## Ruskiski

My lesson was my friend taking me to the top of a blue run, saying "watch how I do it," and taking off...
But I'll probably take a lesson this year to see if I'm doing something wrong.


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## Guest

I did not take any lessons last year... but I wish I had.... I think you can get down the mountain a few times without lessons, but it is always good to have an expert watch you and recommend changes or offer explanations as to why you keep catching an edge, etc, etc... I'll be taking a few re-fresher lessons this winter...


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## Guest

jlm1976 said:


> Did you complain about your lesson to the desk? You probably would have gotten a free lesson out of it if you did. At my mountain in western MA, if people complain enough they end up grabbing a very solid instructor to give the dissatisfied customer a lesson.
> Now, are lessons required to learn to snowboard? Definitely not...I did not get any kind of training until, ironically enough, I started teaching. But, I will say that they will speed up the learning curve and save you alot of pain. Contrary to what some people believe, spending the first few days of snowboarding getting battered and bruised is no longer required
> I would go back to the mountain, buy a lesson and when you go to line up tell the supervisor that you had a bad experience your last lesson and was never even told how to turn. Depending on how busy it is, he/she should be able to hook you up with a good instructor.


which place is this you speak of? I'm a beginner snowboarder looking to get into some lessons. I'm from RI


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## The[ak]

Ruskiski said:


> My lesson was my friend taking me to the top of a blue run, saying "watch how I do it," and taking off...
> But I'll probably take a lesson this year to see if I'm doing something wrong.


haha that is how my lesson was..except it was my step-dad...and I ended up with a concussion :laugh: But I think I still have a lot to learn so I might take one or a few in the near future


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## jordan2734

i stepped on a snowboard for the first time and took lessons at breck when I was 10, then did not get the oppurtunity to go again untill I was 15, and by that time I had obviously forgotten everything from the lesson five years earlier so i basically tought myself, but I think the lesson did help even with the large gap inbetween.


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## lupine

I never took a lesson and developed some bad habits that I'm trying to break.

I would never have thought about taking lessons again if it weren't for my wife who is just learning, she took several private lessons last season with a very good instructor and is going back for more this season. I rode with them for a while when she was learning her heels and he gave me several tips that helped me out a bit. Some more quality time with an instructor would probably help me iron out the remaining issues.


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## Loves2ride

No lessons, just lots of hard falls trying to keep up in the beginning. I've been skateboarding for as long as I can remember and Learned to ski at age 14. I think that both of these helped me learn how to ride pretty quickly.


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## arsenic0

Snowolf said:


> Sometimes the most important part of our job is just being a cheerleader. As we all know, the first few days on a snowboard are frustrating and humbling. Often, just being there to encourage and stoke the new rider is the difference between a new rider going home, never to try again and becoming a kick ass snowboarder.


Aha..so your the reason my lift lines are so long.:cheeky4:


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## Guest

Afew summers ago, I got Amped for the old xbox. That really helped. 
Lessons do help.. i learned how to stand up. it was very exciting.


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## CaptT

I worked at the golf course at the bottom of the mtn. when the season ended all my buddies worked at the ski resort....I followed suit...got a job before I even knew how to strap on a board. So that first year I went out 5 days a week weather or not I really wanted to, because I had to it was my job. Lots of friends spent a ton of time waiting on me but after that first year I could ride pretty much anything........that was 10yrs ago. 

It just takes dedication and time....if you need to commit to a lesson to be able to spend the time then that is what you need to do. Your friends will tell you to get your ass up or they are leaving and you know they are serious....instructors are quite a bit nicer. It all depends on what motivates you I guess.....

my advice is if someone really wants to learn and they are young and can afford to be paid jack shit....go work at a resort, awesome memories are made and you are out there in the good and the bad....you don't get to leave when conditions aren't ideal.


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## ComicStix

DCsnowboarding said:


> which place is this you speak of? I'm a beginner snowboarder looking to get into some lessons. I'm from RI


Blue Hills in Canton, Massachusetts. (Crappy mountain but good for learning!)


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## Tindelsurf

I learned by taking 3 classes. After my third class I got a free season pass. I loved it... I had surfed for 5 years prior to learning to board, and that helped. It came pretty naturally to me, that's not to say I haven't ate it hard though either.


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## Guest

*No lessons, just lots of videos, books and patient husband...*

My husband introduced me to snowboarding about 5 years ago. I learned by trial and error with his help. I am a visual learner so it was lots of help watching others on video and on the slopes.

I thought about taking lessons to learn to jump and do tricks, but I am still working on being confident on the steeper lines...

Good music that relaxes me helps a ton! My husband was amazed how much better I rode when I first started listening to music while I ride.

We only get to snowboard in Loveland about 4 days each year since I first started learning, so my progress is not as fast as I would like it to be. I think the trick is to practice over and over on the basics till you don't really think about it and it become a second nature to you and then start trying more advanced moves.

Good luck!

Jacq
J2Davis’ Nomadic Journey


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## tsaokie

Personally i taught myself. At the end of the first day i was ready to quit cause i had spent most of the day falling and i got tired of seeing 5 years olds jump on a board for the first time and just cruise. It's not impossible to learn by yourself though and in the end you always have that great feeling that you have accomplished something.:laugh:


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## Kanilas

Never took a lesson, I was able to jump on, and faceplant my way through the first day, and got better quickly after that. However, that being said, I signed my sister up for a lesson when she was learning, because she was having more trouble getting it down, and the instructor was a far better teacher of techniques than I was. Different styles for different people, some need lessons, others don't. 

Protip: If you get in the lift line behind someone who looks like they're pretty good, dont be afraid to ask them a technique question, they're usually very willing to help.


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## Guest

Never took a lesson, just kept going. It's not something you're going to pick up if you go once or twice a year, you really need to commit yourself to practice if you intend on learning w/o lessons. I went 6-7 times in my first year of learning, and after my 3rd or 4th trip I was able to get the basics.

I've seen lessons help for some people, sometimes it depends on the instructor. Try getting lessons on a day that's not so busy (weekdays or sundays), and maybe you'll luck out w/ a one on one lesson.


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## Mountainmenace

i never took a lesson . took the first 3 days of a$$ planting but got the hang of it . never looked back just keep getting better 

THE JIB CRIB - THE WORLD'S BEST INDOOR SNOWBOARD RACK - Home


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## Tuan209

No lessons here either. I mainly watched snowwolf's video and the videos on snowprofessor. Those help me out tremendously!


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## VietOne

I spent a good month looking at videos online before going snowboarding. My first day was funny. My friends decided that since it was my first time up and they were experienced snowboarders, my very first run was on a double blue. Having never been on a lift or knowing anything about dismounting a lift besides "Hey, so uhhh, you just get off the chair and put your foot on the stomp pad and cruise down the slope." Suffice to say, I didn't do so well.

Then onto the first run. I have a great fear of heights and being on a steeper double blue run (at the time it was steep to me) didn't help my confidence at all. After 1 hour of struggling I finally made it back down to the chair lift and got the hang of the falling leaf while the rest of my buddies went up and down who knows how many times and made sure to snowboard as close as they could so I would keep falling as they flew by me.

Lets say I went one time that year and one time only.

The next year they finally convinced me to snowboard again. This time with a the little bit of knowledge and practice, I went online again, watched videos again, and went to the mountains again. This time was much better, I got the falling leaf heel and toe down within 30 minutes and by the 2nd hour, I was linking turns and carving thanks to all the videos.

By the end of the day I was joining my buddies on the more difficult blue runs. Unfortunately that was the one time I went that year cause I didn't have the money to spend renting gear and buying lift tickets.

Later that year I started working at MS, had the extra money and bought a $200 board, binding and boots setup and a seasons pass to Stevens. When the season started I went practically every weekend, both days and I improved considerably. By mid season I was on the same level as my buddies and was going down the double black runs through the moguls without too much difficulty. A bit after that I bought a much better setup that allowed me to push even harder.

Would a lesson have helped in that first year? Most likely. It's it required? Not really. Is it worth it? It's up to you. I have always liked to do as much as I can myself and the videos on the internet really helped. Since then, I have learned a lot from my failures and ended up getting my nephews into snowboarding. Having knowledge of my mistakes allowed me to teach them to snowboard and by the end of the first day, they were doing double blue runs along with me, just not as quickly. Now, if only I had friends that would have taught me like I taught my nephews.

Think of it this way, everyone has a different style of learning. Some people like myself don't like having people instruct me unless I ask for it and I always like to try before I ask in most things I do. Some people rely on other people who have first hand knowledge. Then some people are just naturally gifted.


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## Guest

I learned without lessons....

It didnt' pose a problem for me and I had lots of fun and enjoyment. Went into snowboard parks, Powder, through trees, jummps, rails...pretty much everything except jumping off a helicopter and doing non resort snowboarding. 

However, Now i regret it, as you can read in my 1st post.
Now I want to teach people how to ride, but I have no actual basis of how to do things properly. 
How you shift your weight, turn, fall, etc.
I can't explain it to anybody, even myself.....all because I learned "naturally".
I know how to do it, but i really don't know how .....ya know what i mean?:laugh:


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## Jay29

No lessons for me and the girlfriend.

I think lessons would have help me and the girlfriend progress faster.
the second time out the girlfriend got a concussion.

If i was to do it all over again I would take them.
We do have a lot of ice around hear.


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## jlm1976

I have a question for those that have used videos on the internet instead of lessons to help get started. You all say that you like the satisfaction of doing things on your own and feel a better sense of accomplishment from learning on your own. But, you had videos tell you how to get started and help point you in the right direction. Other than the cost(and occasionally the quality of the info), how is that any different that doing the beginner package at the mountain? 

BTW, I was completely self taught(well, me and my dad figured it out together) until I started teaching and going to clinics and riding with other instructors.


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## avenged1985

i learned without lessons. Me and a friend started the same day. We just watched how other people were doing it and just did what they did. It worked well, and its better than watching videos. Maybe get someone who wants to learn to go out with you, then work on it togetherhaha


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## VietOne

jlm1976 said:


> I have a question for those that have used videos on the internet instead of lessons to help get started. You all say that you like the satisfaction of doing things on your own and feel a better sense of accomplishment from learning on your own. But, you had videos tell you how to get started and help point you in the right direction. Other than the cost(and occasionally the quality of the info), how is that any different that doing the beginner package at the mountain?
> 
> BTW, I was completely self taught(well, me and my dad figured it out together) until I started teaching and going to clinics and riding with other instructors.


Because a video is entirely different than an instructor.

A video gives you no more than a reference to look at, its like going up to a resort and watching others. A proper instructor will look at your form and tell you whats wrong and how to improve. With a proper instructor, almost anyone can get to linked turns at the end of a day. I have taught my sister, cousins and friends how to start off because if you watch them, you can see the mistakes they make that were similar to yours and assist them in improving the same way you did.

Teaching personally allows the instructor to use past experiences and apply them when necessary. An internet video doesn't isn't going to have that.


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## iKimshi

My friend taught me the basics and I just watched some videos/tutorials on how to snowboard. From there it was just trial and error for me.


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## Guest

I took 1 lesson and learned how to heelside/toeside. Only one hour. Practiced. Then I went online and looked on snowboarding tips. By end of day I could falling leaf and a bit of turn. My mistake was being too scared and stayed on bunny hill all the time. But next time I go up I have no idea if I should take another lesson xD. Since I watched and read tons of tips online. Been an year... 
I think people can manage, but people like me who is chicken should take a lesson or else you'll never get down the mountain. And the first time I went up they made us get on the lift without teaching us. I fell D :.


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## roremc

I never had a lesson. Taught the basics by a friend and then trial and error from then on. Having said that my tail bone was a mess the first few days!


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## Tarzanman

Been out snowboarding once (on trip, 4 days). No lessons, but I did skateboard for a couple of years, so sliding sideways wasn't new to me.

There weren't any experienced boarders on the trip, so what little info I was given came from bloody plank-wankers!

First time on slope was a blue run and chock full of falling down. My first tasks were figuring out how to stop, turn, and get back up after falling down. My skier 'friends' I went with put me on a black run that first day (night, actually) after they saw I knew how to hold an edge.

Me going down a black on my first time completely consisted of me slowly scraping down the side of the slope with the board in 'braking' position the entire way (perpendicular to the slope). Never have my calves and thighs burned so bad for so long.

I'll say this though... you learn fast when you have to... but how well you learn is debatable.

I would not advise the method I used unless you have some good safety gear on, and are accustomed to falling a lot!


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## dharmashred

Probably a day late and a dollar short to jump in on this one...but...here goes. Took a lesson on my first day, instructor blew as well. My dude was teaching me all the wrong shit, so I turned the this forum and Snowolf's videos. There are TONS of reputable vets that post here with valid info that is super helpful. The best thing you can do for yourself is research, watch and rewatch the vids and read as many posts in this tips forum _all the way through_, then you will be able to know when someone is teaching you incorrectly. Do take a lesson again, but take it with the knowledge and tools to know the proper technique. Ask what the instructors rating and qualification is and research that as well.


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## alecdude88

well i didn't get lessons tell i knew how to ride.
i joined a team.

also this helped A LOT!

i usually snowboard alone so having people their to push me and show me what to do really helped.

I would have never learned 180's if it wasn't for that team


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## Joel

I had one lesson for my 7th Birthday which was hell. I didnt ride until Gr. 6 after that and just sneakily followed intsructors to help with my Carving but other than that no lessons. But Lessons definitly would have sped up the process, so I recommend lessons even though you might want to stray off and do something else


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## Guest

never took lessons... im just athletic and good at anything physical. I watched lots of vids and read things to do and not to do.


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## Nugggster

I learned howto ride without a lesson. The first time pissed me off & I was pretty sore. The second time was a blast & I was hooked from there on.


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## Guest

Started at 8 and never had a lesson. It's been 13 years now and I couldn't be happier. Different strokes for different folks man. If you have a knack for picking things up, then go for. If you feel more comfortable having some guidance, do that. No shame in either one.


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