# How often do you fall once you past the newbie stage?



## fayewolf (Jan 3, 2011)

I'm just wondering, sometimes I read threads here, people say, OMG, I fell 4 times that day. Umm... that's still "normal" for me...in fact, that's really good if i only fall 4 times during the day. I feel kinda stupid. I'm not even talking about park, just all mountain.

I'm finally past the stage where I'm constantly falling, I was learning it quite slowly, falling a few times going down the bunny slope, it took me at least 5 mountain days to get the hang of it. 

With all the help here, I'm finally cruising down blues linking turns, but I still eat shit! Not as much of course, but I still fall at least 2-3 times going down from top to bottom (takes me about 20 minutes), I'm trying to carve more, skid less, or varying my turn radius, riding cat tracks, and stuff.


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## NickCap (Feb 21, 2011)

fayewolf said:


> I'm just wondering, sometimes I read threads here, people say, OMG, I fell 4 times that day. Umm... that's still "normal" for me...in fact, that's really good if i only fall 4 times during the day. I feel kinda stupid. I'm not even talking about park, just all mountain.
> 
> I'm finally past the stage where I'm constantly falling, I was learning it quite slowly, falling a few times going down the bunny slope, it took me at least 5 mountain days to get the hang of it.
> 
> With all the help here, I'm finally cruising down blues linking turns, but I still eat shit! Not as much of course, but I still fall at least 2-3 times going down from top to bottom (takes me about 20 minutes), I'm trying to carve more, skid less, or varying my turn radius, riding cat tracks, and stuff.


i fall once in a while... especially if i think im a beast and im cruising... next thing my edge catches in the shitty granular and im sliding 20 feet down the mountain and i get up and try to play it off ... haha!! little exaggeration there :cheeky4:


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## fattrav (Feb 21, 2009)

Don't worry, you get to a stage where falling over isn't an issue anymore.


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## Music Moves (Jan 23, 2009)

If you continue to ride somewhat frequently, you'll soon progress to a situation in which riding in general is second-nature. I fall a bit while riding natural terrain but I treat the natural like it is a park so it is to be expected. 

The best answer really lies in how much you push yourself. If you are trying to progress, you should be falling because you are going outside of your comfort range... but this is necessary in order to progress.


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## david_z (Dec 14, 2009)

Music Moves said:


> If you continue to ride somewhat frequently, you'll soon progress to a situation in which riding in general is second-nature. I fall a bit while riding natural terrain but I treat the natural like it is a park so it is to be expected.
> 
> The best answer really lies in how much you push yourself. If you are trying to progress, you should be falling because you are going outside of your comfort range... but this is necessary in order to progress.



Agreed! If you're not falling, you're not learning & you're not getting better. I'm disappointed if I don't fall at least a few times because it means that I didn't really try to push myself.

That said, the better you get the more board control you will have so your falls are generally not going to be of the "catch-an-edge-and-break-your-wrist-and-face-plant" variety, and in a lot of instances they're not going to be very hard falls anyways because you will be able to control your bails a little better.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

Season 8, age 53, 25 days/yr...I fall quite regularly; maybe average 8-12x/day mainly while doing the off-piste 3-4 black diamond natural stuff...but you try to choose wisely where you might bail. And of course falling in poo is better than bouncing on ice. Occasionally, I'll catch an edge and slam 2-4x/year. In the good stuff, its fun to really press your limits and when you bail, try to pop right back up and make it look like you are a frickin pro ridin it out. Btw pros eat shit...its unfortunate that they don't leave a few of those scenes in the show, cause it gives newbs an unrealistic view.


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

Yeah, as others have said, your number of falls isn't an indication of how good you are. I fall more towards the end of the day when I'm more tired. I fall more when I'm hitting stuff that's outside my comfort zone. I fall less on ice days because I don't take any chances. And so on.


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## LuckyRVA (Jan 18, 2011)

wrathfuldeity said:


> And of course falling in *poo* is better than bouncing on ice.



That's a tough call lol 


Yesterday was the last day of my first season of riding. I fell 4 or 5 times which is way less than I've fallen the rest of my times out. Felt pretty good about that.


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## sook (Oct 25, 2009)

Ending season 10 here, I still fall quite a bit trying to push myself to not suck so much. I even occasionally fall on groomers for no other reason than I'm tired or my mind wanders from the repetitiveness of cruising all day. Once your body is more conditioned to snowboarding and the movements become second nature and you're relaxed enough to deal with sketchy terrain, you can probably go the whole day without falling. Take your time and go out each morning with a plan of what you want to work on. Best way to progress IMO.


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## Leo (Nov 24, 2009)

I actually fall more now than ever. But as others have stated, it's because of progression and my need to learn new things.

For general cruiser runs, I fall rarely. However, I found that my rare falls are more significant than the ones I took while learning. It's a matter of letting my guards down I believe. You know, when you get good at something, you get really comfortable so you have less concerns. Well, that's a recipe for a gnarly edge catch.


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## tj_ras (Feb 13, 2011)

Leo said:


> I actually fall more now than ever. But as others have stated, it's because of progression and my need to learn new things.
> 
> For general cruiser runs, I fall rarely. However, I found that my rare falls are more significant than the ones I took while learning. It's a matter of letting my guards down I believe. You know, when you get good at something, you get really comfortable so you have less concerns. Well, that's a recipe for a gnarly edge catch.


haha had that happen to me the other day, im just cruisin down a groomer, all comfy oozin steeze and BAM! heel side carve sends me hurling down the mountain on my back, i wasnt even mad i just laughed at how much of a fool i must have looked.


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## AcroPhile (Dec 3, 2010)

wrathfuldeity said:


> Season 8, age 53, 25 days/yr...I fall quite regularly; maybe average 8-12x/day mainly while doing the off-piste 3-4 black diamond natural stuff...but you try to choose wisely where you might bail. And of course falling in poo is better than bouncing on ice. Occasionally, I'll catch an edge and slam 2-4x/year. In the good stuff, its fun to really press your limits and when you bail, try to pop right back up and make it look like you are a frickin pro ridin it out. Btw pros eat shit...its unfortunate that they don't leave a few of those scenes in the show, cause it gives newbs an unrealistic view.


Where do you find these 4 black diamond runs at? The only two places that I even know of that have triple black diamonds are Mt. Bohemia in MIchigan and, I think, some place in Vermont.


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## threej21 (Jan 2, 2011)

if your not falling, your not trying hard enough to get better PERIOD


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## jyuen (Dec 16, 2007)

i fall just about every run... 
The mentality that I ride with is that if i'm not falling it means I can learn something new. For me, snowboarding would be pretty fucking boring if i'm just going up and down the hill over and over again.


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## zeeden (Sep 29, 2008)

NickCap said:


> i fall once in a while... especially if i think im a beast and im cruising... next thing my edge catches in the shitty granular and im sliding 20 feet down the mountain and i get up and try to play it off ... haha!! little exaggeration there :cheeky4:


Haha sounds like me. I lose my edge and start sliding down the mountain. 

Or sometimes I'll be look back at my buddies and next thing you know I take a flip.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

AcroPhile said:


> Where do you find these 4 black diamond runs at? The only two places that I even know of that have triple black diamonds are Mt. Bohemia in MIchigan and, I think, some place in Vermont.


Wut, ur trying to trick me into giving up the goods...I know your wiley ways....Really no such thing...they're not on the map.


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## Toecutter (Oct 11, 2009)

I fall maybe half a dozen times per outing, but they're not the "catch-an-edge-and-die" variety. Mostly it happens when I'm working it in the trees in powder, and it's more of a tuck-and-roll-then-shake-the-snow-out-of-my-jacket type. I don't fall on groomers much any more.


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## earl_je (Oct 20, 2009)

I fall fairly frequently whenever I'm mastering a new trick/line/combo at the park.. of course, the better you get, the harder you try and get better, the herder your falls will be. I dont fall as much bombing down diamond runs but once in a great while, I can immediately tell when I'm about to slam and just ragdoll it so it hurts less. It's easier to recover the better you get though.


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## ChrisMB (Nov 17, 2010)

Like as other people have already stated I fall often. My falls now aren't total wipeouts like when I started; when you get more experience you learn how to fall. Although sometime I have one of those oh shit moments right before a big wipeout, but thats usually when I'm trying new things.


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## Listheeb21 (Jan 20, 2011)

As stated here, you will fall less as your riding progresses. I don't fall on groomers anymore, but still occasionally bite it on something really technical and steep. Deep powder, as much as I love it, still gives me fits every so often as well. Mostly when I fall, though, it's onto my ass because I dig the heel edge in too much while trying to stop, and just end up sitting down.

You will also discover that as you get better, your orientation to the mountain will improve and when you fall you will be less likely to get injured. Don't get me wrong...anyone can bust their wrist or blow a knee, but part of advancing your skill is learning how to fall. Just think what you're going through now as practice for falling to prevent injury!


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## KahWhyC (Nov 10, 2010)

There will be a point where you won't fall from regular runs
but then your snowboard will throw you against the snow when it knows you're getting too cocky


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## jello24 (Apr 10, 2010)

i'm past the noob stage heading into blue/black territory and find myself falling at an average of once every couple of runs. i've accepted that at some point you forget about the stigma of falling and just let it happen. pick yourself up and just keep riding. try to find out why you fell and don't do it again.

my hardest falls came when i would drop my heelside edge while turning toeside, causing me to backflip and hitting my helmet on the snow. at some point i decided that every time i turn, ill keep that opposite edge up no matter what, and voila, practically avoiding that type of fall now. it still happens once in a while when i slack off, but it rarely happens when i focus.


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## Toecutter (Oct 11, 2009)

jello24 said:


> my hardest falls came when i would drop my heelside edge while turning toeside, causing me to backflip and hitting my helmet on the snow. at some point i decided that every time i turn, ill keep that opposite edge up no matter what, and voila, practically avoiding that type of fall now. it still happens once in a while when i slack off, but it rarely happens when i focus.


I think a part of this is the tendency to do more side-slipping when you're a noob, and therefore you're more likely to catch that edge. More advanced riders side-slip less.


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## arsenic0 (Nov 11, 2008)

I fall pretty rarely now, mostly on purpose sitting on my ass if my legs are burning from some deep snow carving...
I do however get stuck sometimes


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## Nefarious (Dec 26, 2010)

My 1st season, I only fall when I push myself. Last few times out I've been working on switch. No bails yet tryin it, but some very close calls. 

I know bails in general are the theme but what type of board cut are you riding? The switch to r/c did amazing things for my confidence. Expect falls, but try and plan for washouts over wrist snappers. My last day of my vacation I washed out on a landing and bruised my tailbone. Most painful 2 weeks ever. Even had to sleep on my stomach.


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## fayewolf (Jan 3, 2011)

I don't fall nearly as much as the beginning, and I do give credit to my rocker board (gnu b-street), there are a few times where I felt like it's about to catch and it saved my ass.

I only have about one or two "BAM, ouch my tailbone hurts" fall , and it's always in the icy green or flat cat track.

I learned that if I do the torsional flex thing with my board, i rarely catch an edge, only when i'm not really paying attention or when I think I'm the bomb and my mind wandered elsewhere!


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## john doe (Nov 6, 2009)

I wnet all of this past season with out an edge catch during normal cruising. I'll average a few washouts from ice or what ever a day riding. I also spend alot of time in the park so any of those falls don't compair. Like the backside 90 to my heel edge I did my last day this season. Gouged out ramp fucked my 360 roataion.


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## david_z (Dec 14, 2009)

john doe said:


> I wnet all of this past season with out an edge catch during normal cruising. I'll average a few washouts from ice or what ever a day riding. I also spend alot of time in the park so any of those falls don't compair. Like the backside 90 to my heel edge I did my last day this season. Gouged out ramp fucked my 360 roataion.


there's nothing quite as exhilarating as a bs 270 to scorpion. try it someday?


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

david_z said:


> there's nothing quite as exhilarating as a bs 270 to scorpion. try it someday?


Or the ever-popular frontside faceslide to cab snow-angel


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## NickCap (Feb 21, 2011)

zeeden said:


> Haha sounds like me. I lose my edge and start sliding down the mountain.
> 
> Or sometimes I'll be look back at my buddies and next thing you know I take a flip.


haha all it takes is one "look back" and then you eat shit... lol


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## twin89 (Jan 21, 2009)

pretty much never fall... ever, ima beast.

JK, i haven't fallen on a groomer this season, but since i ride mainly park, i fall pretty much every day, maybe twice on a chill day, but if i'm trying to learn something new i will eat it multiple times each run haha. Learning back 3s is kinda painful, toe edge catch from an air= epic scorpions.

there is no shame in falling, fall all you want!


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## Willy36 (Dec 29, 2008)

I'm terrible at park, so I won't even go there, but I can ride double blacks/trees, etc pretty much no problem most of the time, but sometimes the trees play pinball with me or my board gets out from under me...It happens :dunno:


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## Lifprasir (Jan 11, 2011)

Always, because the phase of learning never ends.


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## HoboMaster (May 16, 2010)

I never fall on groomers, and my falls in powder (which is mostly what I ride) really depend on the day. Yesterday was an epic creamcheese-powder day, that 5-8 inch layer of semi-thick powder you just butter on. I was actually pushing myself yesterday and bombing through tight trees and launching off winddrifts, and only ate shit once due to the front of my board sticking into some chunder. The more tired I get, the sloppier I get, resulting in mistakes leading to cartwheels. When I'm nice and fresh, and have fresh lines, I seem to be able to power through whatever mistakes or weird situations. By the end of the day however, I'm usually doing epic ninja cartwheel tumbles.

Everyone falls, and if you never fall your probably not pushing yourself. As you get better, you take way less falls doing the mundane and more falls with regards to terrain beyond your expertise.


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## Toecutter (Oct 11, 2009)

HoboMaster said:


> The more tired I get, the sloppier I get...


Ain't that the truth? I recently found myself 5' up in the air sailing upside down off-piste while seeking "one last run."


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## Leo (Nov 24, 2009)

Listheeb21 said:


> You will also discover that as you get better, your orientation to the mountain will improve and when you fall you will be less likely to get injured. Don't get me wrong...anyone can bust their wrist or blow a knee, but part of advancing your skill is learning how to fall. Just think what you're going through now as practice for falling to prevent injury!


You do have to consciously train your reflexes when you take spills though. The toughest one being the "ZOMG, don't try to catch the ground with my hands" variety.

I've learned to let my elbow and forearm take the brunt of backwards falls, but every once in a while my initial instinct of putting my hands out sneaks in.

I have the over the nose roll thing down pact though. Tuck and roll baby! Tuck and roll.


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## Toecutter (Oct 11, 2009)

Leo said:


> I have the over the nose roll thing down pact though. Tuck and roll baby! Tuck and roll.


I love when I can pull those off with style. Tuck-roll-pop back up and ride off into the sunset!


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## Leo (Nov 24, 2009)

Toecutter said:


> I love when I can pull those off with style. Tuck-roll-pop back up and ride off into the sunset!


I have yet to master it that artfully 

It's usually... Tuck, Roll, SPLAT!


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## Krug (Mar 27, 2010)

Personally, I've always felt once you get to the intermediate and advanced stages, if you aren't falling once in awhile, I would question whether or not you are pushing yourself hard enough trying new things and progressing.

I would consider myself more of an advanced rider and still fall when I am trying new things or taking a risk. I ride with a guy that skis and he thinks he is a good skier b/c he never falls...but he skis very conservatively and has really stopped progressing.

Just my $.02

AK


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## Leo (Nov 24, 2009)

Krug said:


> Personally, I've always felt once you get to the intermediate and advanced stages, if you aren't falling once in awhile, I would question whether or not you are pushing yourself hard enough trying new things and progressing.
> 
> I would consider myself more of an advanced rider and still fall when I am trying new things or taking a risk. I ride with a guy that skis and he thinks he is a good skier b/c he never falls...but he skis very conservatively and has really stopped progressing.
> 
> ...


Very true. If all I did was concentrate on cruising, I probably wouldn't ever fall all foreign variables excluded like a kid crashing into me lol.


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

Toecutter said:


> Ain't that the truth? I recently found myself 5' up in the air sailing upside down off-piste while seeking "one last run."


The trick is to stop one run before that....basically when you foind yourself bouncing off every feature because you're tired and riding stiff...safety meeting time and relax. Or do a warmm down run...super easy and mellow.


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## myschims (Jan 11, 2010)

on the topic of falling on the last run of the day or something, i tell myself something like, okay, one more good run and then ill call it. like i want to have a smooth run and land all my stuff then call it for the day, less pressure and i leave feelin stoked off the last run


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## Qball (Jun 22, 2010)

I fall a ton now that I've really started to push my freestyle riding, it's just a fact of life with snowboarding.


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## Kauila (Jan 7, 2011)

Toecutter said:


> I love when I can pull those off with style. Tuck-roll-pop back up and ride off into the sunset!


I call that the "I meant to do that!"



Leo said:


> It's usually... Tuck, Roll, SPLAT!


I call that the "I meant to do that too!"



Krug said:


> I ride with a guy that skis and he thinks he is a good skier b/c he never falls...but he skis very conservatively and has really stopped progressing.


At least when you fall on a snowboard, everything stays intact. Falling on skis--yard sales aren't pretty.


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## Toecutter (Oct 11, 2009)

pawlo said:


> The trick is to stop one run before that....basically when you foind yourself bouncing off every feature because you're tired and riding stiff...safety meeting time and relax. Or do a warmm down run...super easy and mellow.


In other words, go until you crash then back up in time one run!

That's like a joke in which one man asks another man riding the bus, "How do I get to Broad Street?" 
The other guy replies,"Watch for when I get off then you get off one stop before that."


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## Toecutter (Oct 11, 2009)

Kauila said:


> I call that the "I meant to do that!"


Like the recent viral video of the Austrian skier dude who just fell off that mountain and stood up unscathed. "Who saw me?"


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## Sincraft (Sep 6, 2010)

The 'if you're not falling, your not learning' statements can get you killed. Honestly, I think if you are still within your first couple years, then you should be trying more and more to perfect your riding skill, and that includes going a bit past your comfort zone to learn.

Going past the comfort zone should NEVER be near objects that can injury or kill you. This includes people, trees, snowmaking equip etc ...

you get the point. 

I've gone out several days this year and didn't feel like falling, and just road carefully within my limits.

Other days, where the 'snow' isn't a block of ice covered in ice grains, I pushed it a bit more.

The other day I said, to heck with it and went WAY too far up the halfpipe (never been on one) and came down backwards after catching an edge and landed on my face. 

Neck made a cracking noise, shoulder looks like someone hit it with a baseball bat. I was a bit more cautious then 

I'm older though so, you youngins can get away with pushing it a bit more... just remember not to push it near trees and other 'objects'.


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## HoboMaster (May 16, 2010)

Sincraft said:


> The 'if you're not falling, your not learning' statements can get you killed. Honestly, I think if you are still within your first couple years, then you should be trying more and more to perfect your riding skill, and that includes going a bit past your comfort zone to learn.
> 
> Going past the comfort zone should NEVER be near objects that can injury or kill you. This includes people, trees, snowmaking equip etc ...
> 
> ...


Trees really aren't that scary, you just simply have to avoid hitting them :cheeky4:


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