# hey there!



## davidj (May 30, 2011)

ADS0608 said:


> Hey every one!!
> 
> Just thought id introduce myself, im adam and live in the uk i'm not actually a boarder yet but i'm doing a learn to board in a day course friday 31st for my 30th birthday!! I CANT WAIT I'M LIKE A KID AT CHRISTMAS!!!!
> 
> ...


Hey Adam, welcome to the forum.

Warning: Snowboarding can be addictive and harmful to your wallet (or chequebook, perhaps).

Now that you've been warned... 

... make your learning less painful/discouraging, consider buying impact shorts (with tailbone protection, a must) and a decent helmet. Safety first, I sez . Beyond that, I'll leave it to your fellow locals to clue you in.

You going to a Snozone/Xscape? Where?


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## ADS0608 (May 23, 2013)

Yeah i'm off to snozone in castleford which is only bout 30mins from where i live so i shoulod be able to go pretty often once i get started!

and as for the harmfull to health/wallet i've already been pre warned by my mate who boards (hes just buying his first board/boots/bindings) and i think the mrs is fed up of me talking about and looking at snowboard gear lol. 

I'm seriousley thinking i will buy some impact shorts befor i go as well as i dont want to be put off by been hurt too much but tbh i dont think i will as i'm so desparate to get to a mountain after loads of my buddys posted there boarding pics from trips this year on facebook!!


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## Epic (Apr 13, 2013)

Welcome to the addiction!

+1 on the impact shorts. After many bruises while I was learning I bought some and they improved my confidence so much.


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## davidj (May 30, 2011)

ADS0608 said:


> Yeah i'm off to snozone in castleford which is only bout 30mins from where i live so i shoulod be able to go pretty often once i get started!
> 
> ...


Castleford, huh? I may get a chance to hit that slope sometime later this year. Update us on how your first day goes. :thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

:welcome:



ADS0608 said:


> and as for the harmfull to health/wallet i've already been pre warned by my mate who boards (hes just buying his first board/boots/bindings) and i think *the mrs is fed up* of me talking about and looking at snowboard gear lol.


Get her on a board too 

As for protection I'd recommend to get gloves with wrist protection. You'll crash on your hands many times... Got a friend who broke her wrist the first day snowboarding... (she went back to skis immediately)


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## stan_darsh (Mar 10, 2013)

i learned with no lessons, and no protective gear... as a skateboarder of 16+ years, i felt pretty confident... but i see now that i should have taken advantage of both of those things.

i thought my tailbone was broken for like a week after the first couple days on the mountain, hahahahhahaha...


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## AntipodeanSam (Apr 19, 2013)

I concur, some impact shorts and wrist guards are a good invetsment. If you buy any of your own gear find a nice friend in the US who will bring it home for you or ship it. 

Finally be patient, the learn in a day course is pretty intense and tiring, make sure you go back for me however much you aren't sure to begin with, its a steep learning curve but well worth it once you get the basics down!!


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## koi (May 16, 2013)

another +1 on the impact shorts & helmet. 

as for the helmet you should know besides protecting your head thing, it will be warmer than any bean (just another plus to convince you). be smart don't be like most of us and learn to get a helmet through trial and error.

also a big thing for beginners is patients, generally your first couple days is your worst; you get sore, bruised, and you fall a ton. but once you get the basic concept and balance down you may/should get hooked like the rest of us.


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## ADS0608 (May 23, 2013)

I agree with you on the helmet and have asked the Mrs to get me one for my bday nothing expensive but if and when I get hooked I will upgrade at a later date! I do think helmets are provided where I'm learning fit beginners anyway!


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

Whenever I whatch at 1st dayers on the bunny hill, I see the same pattern. I would like to scram at them "bend your knees!". They want to try a turn but have completely stretched stiff legs, lean back and try to run as slow as possible, fearfully waiting for the next fall. It's very hard to turn a board if you go walking pace! Unpossible with stiff legs and weight on back leg, so it's a must that the turn won't work.

So for the first day I'd say the most important things to remember are: 
Try to be relaxed and to have slightly bent knees. 
Don't lean back too much (you will, it's natural, but try to remember that you avoid this)
Don't go fast, but also not too slow (walking pace is too slow, jogging pace will make turns so much easier).


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## Deacon (Mar 2, 2013)

I don't know what you all are doing when you're falling so painfully. A helmet is a great idea, because nobody's neck is strong enough to support their head when landing. If you're fallin that hard on your tailbone (without jumping), you're definitely stiff-legged. Even as you start to fall, get low to the ground. When you're falling forward, do NOT, under any circumstances, try to break your fall with your palms. Make a fist, keep your wrist straight and "punch" the snow. Also, as you get back up do not splay your fingers... Push off on your knuckles. Few things hurts more than your palm breaking through the snow when your fingers don't.

Edit: I forgot to add, GOOD LUCK AND HAVE FUN!! Welcome to the forum!


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## Krato (Apr 29, 2013)




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## SnowDragon (Apr 23, 2012)

Krato said:


>


You're aware that he's taking snowboard lessons right?
I don't understand inserting a ski lesson image here.:icon_scratch:


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## AntipodeanSam (Apr 19, 2013)

ADS0608 said:


> I agree with you on the helmet and have asked the Mrs to get me one for my bday nothing expensive but if and when I get hooked I will upgrade at a later date! I do think helmets are provided where I'm learning fit beginners anyway!


Yeah it will be provided, its law for the indoor slopes I believe. I'd save your cash for now, ones there will do the trick. Just work out if you are regular or goofy, what angle you want your bindings at and off you go, it will be quality, great way to learn the basics quickly I found.


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## ADS0608 (May 23, 2013)

well about half way thorough the day and I'm doing ok linking toe side to heel side turns pretty well and I ain't hurting too much yet lol


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## lj79615 (Dec 5, 2012)

ADS0608 said:


> I agree with you on the helmet and have asked the Mrs to get me one for my bday nothing expensive but if and when I get hooked I will upgrade at a later date! I do think helmets are provided where I'm learning fit beginners anyway!


go ahead and pony up for a good helmet off the bat, imo a cheap helmet is heavier and less comfortable which will probably make you not want to wear it, at least that is what happened for me
dont need to spend crazy $ but 80-100$ is usually enough for a pretty good brain bucket


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## lj79615 (Dec 5, 2012)

AntipodeanSam said:


> Yeah it will be provided, its law for the indoor slopes I believe. I'd save your cash for now, ones there will do the trick. Just work out if you are regular or goofy, what angle you want your bindings at and off you go, it will be quality, great way to learn the basics quickly I found.


just saw this, nevermind


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## davidj (May 30, 2011)

ADS0608 said:


> well about half way thorough the day and I'm doing ok linking toe side to heel side turns pretty well and I ain't hurting too much yet lol


Man, that's great! Keep up the good work. :eusa_clap:


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## ADS0608 (May 23, 2013)

ok days over and I was the only one who got to the top and passed what thEY say is lvl4 meaning I can go on the slope unaided still catching edges and wiping out but I can control my speed and stop when I need to!


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

ADS0608 said:


> ok days over and I was the only one who got to the top and passed what thEY say is lvl4 meaning I can go on the slope unaided still catching edges and wiping out but I can control my speed and stop when I need to!


:eusa_clap: We've got another addict :thumbsup:


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## AntipodeanSam (Apr 19, 2013)

Great work, thats a hell of an effort for a one day course, you will be flying down the mountains in no time, welcome to the addiction, just an insight of what you are in for:


Night after night, weekend after weekend, going to the snowdome burning serious cash hour after hour.

I then went on 5 school ski trips as a teacher which left meusing my only holidays with 28 hour coach journeys with coaches full of teenage kids under my responsibility 24 hours a day for a seven day week. Exhausted isn't the word.

Expensive personal boarding trips to Europe whenever you can get a holiday when there is snow

Leave the country, friends and family to be nearer mountains, move to NZ and go every weekend and holiday

Get some second hand gear that you love because it is yours and wreck it

Buy some quality gear instead of paying mortgage

Take sick days off work to snowboard

Join a forum so you can talk to people about snowboarding when you aren't doing it

Learn to surf because its kind of like snowboarding for the summer

Seriously consider using your savings to go on an off season holiday in US or Japan when the 2013 season ends instead of much needed home renovations.....

AHHHH, it will change your life...... so worth it


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## ADS0608 (May 23, 2013)

AntipodeanSam said:


> Great work, thats a hell of an effort for a one day course, you will be flying down the mountains in no time, welcome to the addiction, just an insight of what you are in for:
> 
> 
> Night after night, weekend after weekend, going to the snowdome burning serious cash hour after hour.
> ...



Nice I look forward to it lol


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## koi (May 16, 2013)

AntipodeanSam said:


> Great work, thats a hell of an effort for a one day course, you will be flying down the mountains in no time, welcome to the addiction, just an insight of what you are in for:
> 
> 
> Night after night, weekend after weekend, going to the snowdome burning serious cash hour after hour.
> ...


Exactly...

I shredded two pants, one jacket, and one pair of mittens this season. Besides needing to replace those I bought two new boards this off season (Burton Barracuda & Antler), and while it's not broken I want to replace my helmet this season as I think I have had enough crashes and concussions to warrant a replacement...Buying all this has been higher on my priority list than saving up for a house down payment. 

I worked a job where our boss knew if I called in sick my buddy would call in within 30 mins. Nice thing both our parents were military so we could go riding, go to the ER "sick," and our boss could do nothing about it because we had doctor's notes (fucked up but I didn't care).

Craving a Japan, AK, or NZ trip...all three are on my bucket list. Hope to do one 2014/2015, Tahoe trip is the next season.

As for surfing, I will be buying my first iSUP before the end of the summer.


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## Kevin137 (May 5, 2013)

ADS0608 said:


> Nice I look forward to it lol


Join SCUK and start getting savings on your slope time, every little helps that is for sure...

Snowboard Discounts - Snow Factor, Snozone, Snow Centre, Snow Factor, Snowdome, Chillfactore Slopes :: Snowboard Club UK (SCUK) :: Join for exclusive discounts, promo codes, vouchers and other special benefits

And welcome to the world of snow addiction...


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## ADS0608 (May 23, 2013)

I'm making myself a member at Castleford get 50% off slope time in off season and 25% peak plus cafe discounts etc

plus a couple of hours free slope time and if I refer a mate I get extra time free its good value for £110


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