# Starting Fresh.. Help needed!



## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

Here is a link to a whole bunch of learn to ride vids to start you off. 

Free Learn to Snowboard Videos | SnowProfessor

You mentioned having a bad teacher. What you didn't mention, was that a paid lesson from a certified instructor? Or are we talking learning with mom/dad or the BF?

If the latter, Get some good paid lessons. If it was with an instructor,..

Get a different instructor! :thumbsup: Hang in there!


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## wintergreen (Oct 1, 2013)

Thanks! And it was with a paid instructor. I wouldn't have as much of a problem if it was someone I wasn't paying, but oh well. Also, it was a group so imagine me, my friend who is the same age and five 8 year olds. They learned very quickly. Anyways, thanks for the advice, it was much needed & appreciated!


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## Mystery2many (Aug 14, 2013)

It will be hard to give you specific advise because I/we can't see your mistakes and work with you first hand. But don't worry you are not alone. Don't give up, it's worth all the pain and frustration. 

Question. Are you afraid or uncomfortable in you're toe edge? Most of the people with your similar problem that I have helped could heel edge all the way down the hill but would avoided using they're toe edge due to a couple fears. Fears I recall where. Back facing down the mountain and not being able to see. Catching a heel side edge taking a hard fall. When in toes edge they were not confident about being able to maintain edge control or keep the heel from dropping which causes a hard fall. 

So before I allowed them to try J turns on they're toe edge I would make them as followed: start on your knees pushing yourself up into your toe edge, then staying in your toe edge the entire time getting familiar with edge control keeping the heel edge up, knees bent, good posture, pivoting your hips makeing the board go right then slide with control pivot hips back left with control while in your toe edge allllllllllllll the way down. You are not allowed to move past this step and must keep doing it till feel just as confident as your heel edge does. Almost everyone by the 3rd or 4th run of nothing but toe edge they became toe edge masters. And then move forward to J turns then wide links.


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## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

wintergreen said:


> Thanks! And it was with a paid instructor. I wouldn't have as much of a problem if it was someone I wasn't paying, but oh well. Also, it was a group so imagine me, my friend who is the same age and five 8 year olds....


Yup!! That is likely a big part of the problem! If you can, first thing this season. Try and get yourself into a private lesson or two. It will be much more to your benefit to have someone focused solely on your issues and not splitting their attention between you & half dozen others over the course of an hour!

My first lesson @ 50, was a group lesson! Picture a big, dumb, clumsy, grey haired dude, in a group of eight or nine 10 & 12 year olds! lol! It really didn't accomplish much more than show me I wasn't completely hopeless at snowboarding. It sparked my obsession, but it wasn't until I took a private lesson a month or two later that I was able to really get comfortable with my learning and progressing! 



Mystery2many said:


> It will be hard to give you specific advise because I/we can't see your mistakes and work with you....


^This^ That is the main reason I had for linking you to the LTR vids first. Until you have a fair idea of what your specific problems are, it is going to be difficult if not impossible to give you truly helpful, problem specific advice! 

For now, watch the vids over & over before the start of the season and as soon as you can, get that private lesson! Once you have had some personal instruction and get a better idea of what you actually can do, and what still gives you fits. The people here will be able to give more helpful suggestions! :thumbsup:


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## SnowOwl (Jun 11, 2012)

For starters this thread is in the wrong section lol

But to answer your question;

You can try this without your boots on:

When going heelside imagine curling / flexing your toes upwards. Your weight will naturally distribute on to your heels. Now imagine going toe side by lifting your heels and your weight will naturally distribute onto your toes. 

Now try it with boots and bindings on. The boots and bindings will prevent you from doing the forementioned but it well definitely give you the mental layout you need to engage these turns


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## poutanen (Dec 22, 2011)

wintergreen said:


> Hey! I'm a 14 year old girl, and I started snowboarding last season. Basically I love it. Except I had a pretty terrible teacher and sadly, learned nothing but heelside all season. I can't link my turns at all and ended the season with frustration and the mindset of giving up and never snowboarding again. :icon_scratch: The season is coming up soon, and I have the intent and determination to learn my heel side and link turns well. The problem is, I cannot shift my weight. I really would like some help and tips, it would be much appreciated. Thanks :thumbsup:


Are you scared of falling or getting hurt? That can limit some people, and if you're worried, then armor can help with that. My fiancee started with wrist guards and a helmet. I wear pretty much full armor except for wrist guards...

There are some good videos out there on how to complete your turns, but a private instructor will likely having you turning in 2 hours instead of 2 days. If you can get a private lesson or two, with a GOOD instructor, my guess is you'll be off to the races. Then I'd say it's worth a lesson every 10-15 days on the snow until you're very confident.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

Get a private lesson with a seasoned instructor and they will be able to get you progressed beyond your entire first year in a lesson or two. Be open, ask lots of ?, be fearless and learn how to fall. I'm a ski bus chaperone for middle and high school kids. Occasionally a kid will ask for help and I'll spend a couple hours and they will be lapping the bunny hill. The next week, if they want I'll take them to a black run and show them abit of the rest of the hill...and that usually does it; also show them/point out from the chair, folks to watch that have good form vs bad form.


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## KansasNoob (Feb 24, 2013)

wrathfuldeity said:


> Get a private lesson with a seasoned instructor and they will be able to get you progressed beyond your entire first year in a lesson or two. Be open, ask lots of ?, be fearless and learn how to fall. I'm a ski bus chaperone for middle and high school kids. Occasionally a kid will ask for help and I'll spend a couple hours and they will be lapping the bunny hill. The next week, if they want I'll take them to a black run and show them abit of the rest of the hill...and that usually does it; also show them/point out from the chair, folks to watch that have good form vs bad form.


I can't really say much, since for me toeside was easier. But you're probably having trouble committing to point downhill and turn, you need someone to show you and of course practice. This will be my third season, and once you learn the basics, all you need is confidence and practice to get better. And I'm always watching people, looking at what to do and not to do. And some people watch me, which is awesome. Like 2 people.  It gets more fun the more you go!!!


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## Drkangell (Jul 31, 2013)

*It depends on how you learn*

For me, my first time was in February, and I had a friend of mine teaching me. Except it was a similar situation to you, he didn't explain things too well, which can happen with people who have been doing something for years as they just automatically do things without consciously thinking about them.

So I wasn't making much progress til he said get off the green runs and go on some blues, you need more speed and more room to really get the hang of things.

And it worked. Beautifully. But, I learn by doing, not by theory, watching, or listening. I can grasp the basic idea of things through those, but until I fall on my butt about 10 times, I don't really know it.

So, my advice for you before you shell out cash for private lessons, would be to watch some videos first. Get the idea of what you need to do. Then go to some blues and just do it. There is no substitute for practice.

So long as you have that heel edge, which you do, you can slow yourself down, stop, go at your own pace. Whereas unless you have an awesome smaller ski resort, it is doubtful the instructor is going to go out and board with you, much less for more than an hour or so.

Anyway, my two cents


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