# Progressing from intermediate to Advanced



## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

There are a lot of older riders on this forum, and a lot of late starters. No offence, but 46 is not particularly notable (although good on you for still being willing to try new stuff.)

It sounds like you're trying to get good at tricks and such without having nailed the basics. In nine months, to have gone from noob to advanced, you'd have to be a super-athlete, or have gone up essentially every day. Or both.

My suggestion would be to take a lesson. Preferably a private if you can afford it, but even a group lesson is better than nothing. Self-taught riders almost always have bad habits that have to be unlearned. You're probably ruddering, bad weight distribution, incorrect body positioning, probably a lot of other things. And I speak from experience. I started at 51, went two years before I took a lesson, and was unpleasantly surprised by how many things I was doing wrong. Now I make a point of taking a lesson every year to make sure I'm not picking up new bad habits.

Once you get the shit under control, it is truly amazing how many things just click into place.

And welcome to the addiction.


----------



## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

Addendum: Coincidentally, we have another new member who started at 46, in another thread.


----------



## BoardieK (Dec 21, 2015)

I started at 53, or was it 52? This is what happens when you get old!


----------



## freshy (Nov 18, 2009)

BoardieK said:


> I started at 53, or was it 52? This is what happens when you get old!


This is true, was I 13 or 12 in 1988 when I started.


----------



## drblast (Feb 28, 2017)

Learn to ride switch before you get too good at riding regular or you'll never want to do it because it's like starting over.

If I could have done one thing differently when learning it would have been to learn on a twin and ride both ways from the beginning.

If you want to do freestyle stuff well then switch riding at an advanced level is a prerequisite.


----------



## bazman (Jan 15, 2017)

Just keep riding is the answer - and as mentioned get lessons before you end up with bad habits that are hard to shake. 

I'm 48 now and have been riding freestyle for 2 years so started that the same time as you. Difference is I was snowboarding for long time before that but just freeride only so did have the riding skills already but just in single direction and had to learn all over again to ride switch

I noticed you didn't mention powder in your post. If you haven't ridden any yet you're in for treat when that happens. Make sure you get a board that's good in powder - it's the favourite part of riding for most snowboarders. But be safe and learn about avalanche safety - in Europe the off-piste is not always made safe within resort boundaries and it's your own responsibility


----------



## Steven Railton (Aug 30, 2019)

Thanks for the replies everyone, much appreciated.

Good shout on the lessons. I have done a weeks group training in the park but i haven't taken a piste lesson since the week I started, which obviously was focussed on edge control. Will be interesting to see what bad habits i have picked up. Im fairly sure i'm not ruddering, but would be good to get some comment on my weight distribution. 

I should have mentioned I have been riding switch fairly often when im with my daughter who is just starting out, means we can ride together. I can just about make it to the bottom of a blue run (European) but am prone to catching an edge every now and then. Im far from advanced at switch so will give that some focus, thanks.

I think a lesson at the start of my next holiday followed by lots of switch riding and exploring as many features as possible on the mountain Sounds like the way to go?
@bazman - Ive only had the pleasure of powder for about 3 days, but they were my favourite so far. That first ever feeling of float was incredible. Would love to get some more pow action this season. Ive just bought a Salomon Huck Knife after using a burton amplifier, but I think the amplifier might be best in powder.... flat base with slight rocker at the tip and tail? 

Cheers, Steve.


----------



## bazman (Jan 15, 2017)

Steven Railton said:


> Ive just bought a Salomon Huck Knife after using a burton amplifier, but I think the amplifier might be best in powder.... flat base with slight rocker at the tip and tail?


Yeah flat board will be better than the camber Huck knife, as long as it's big enough for your weight. Fitting bindings at the rear most mounting holes will help too


----------



## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

Welcome, just make several more post and post or link up your vid...we love being armchair coaches. Just ride more, and I'd recommend that you wait a few days before taking a lesson, just to get you back into the flow. Btw started at 44 and will be 61 this winter....and still learning.


----------



## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

Also, remember that moguls are the dead, buried bodies of forty-something men who took up snowboarding.
>


----------

