# Advice on lessons



## Punkulf (Dec 11, 2012)

Hi ,

i'm a complete newbie at this sport. Went snowboarding before (2 times) but more than 10 years ago, and broke bones early in the day each time.

I want to go back because I remember enjoying it despite the pain. What made me wanna go back after 10 years? Got a board that was given to me, Capita Extreme Stairmaster 2008 with burton bindings. The board is a little bit beaten but the edges are nice. There is a kind of little crack under it, about 10 inches long, going lenghtwise on the board, center right, not touching the edges at all. I tought at first it was a scratch but it has a kind of staircase pattern to it. Anyone has an opinion? I will send it to my nearest board shop for complete tune-up and see what they think of it... I would really like it to be okay cuz i'll be saving on rentals...

I will be taking lessons. Now my question is about that. I really wanna leave with a positive experience out of it. That's why i'll get a private instructor. I am 34 and don't wanna be in a group with 8 years olds... How many hours shall I book? Money is not an issue as I think lessons is the best investment for a beginner. I don't wanna do crazy tricks, just leave with a positive experience. I live really close to the mountains in Quebec so I could also do multi-days lessons, or should I do them all in one day?

any advice?

tanx!


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## IdahoFreshies (Jul 9, 2011)

I would suggest to do a 2 hour lesson in the morning your first day, take what the instructor taught you, have him/her give you things to work on then spend the rest of the day really getting comfortable with all of the things you learned. As much as one on one time is nice you do need time to practice practice practice. Hopefully be the end of the first lesson, seeing how you are a grown adult and will be one on one you will be linking skidded turns and you can work on that the rest of the day. Then go back the next day, presuming it is a weekend, take another 2 hour lesson in the morning and you will hopefully be introducing and refining those skidded turns to steeper terrain. Good luck!


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## onefutui2e (Jan 25, 2011)

not sure how much time you'll have, but after taking lessons myself over the past two years that were free with some packages, i can say that once you get your fundamentals down and solid (to your instructor's standards, not your own), you should probably take a freestyle clinic. 

even if you don't care much for "park" or "tricks", IMO you can benefit from many of the principles involved in freestyle riding. in addition to pressing, jumps, etc., you also learn a lot about how to dynamically control your board (as opposed to the heel-toe philosophy a lot of newbies learn, which is okay). it will really make your riding much more interesting and fun, while also making it sharper.

again, this is AFTER your fundamentals are solid, and i don't know what your schedule of lessons look like. i had about 5 days worth of lessons and they spent the first 1.5 making sure i knew what i was doing before getting into any freestyle, and this was after i had already boarded for 20-30 days for 3 years.

otherwise, IdahoFreshies is on the money.


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## stealthyc (Oct 27, 2011)

I agree with Idaho about 2 hrs in the morning 2 days in a row. You should be able to cover a good amount in that time. I needed several lessons when I started (at age 36) and my experience was 1 hour isn't enough and group lessons are a waste of time. You have the right idea...invest in some private lessons early on and it will make the learning curve much more manageable. Have fun!


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

first....go to a mma club and get lessons on how to fall


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## Howlingsonnets (Nov 26, 2012)

Punkulf said:


> Hi ,
> 
> i'm a complete newbie at this sport. Went snowboarding before (2 times) but more than 10 years ago, and broke bones early in the day each time.
> 
> ...


Private lessons tho slightly more expensive id suggest...but thats just me...i still meet up with an instructor to make sure my old habits have worked their way in...they will start to hook you up hopefully...at least they did w me....


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## Texan (Jan 6, 2013)

*My two cents?*

I started learning how to snowboard was at 35. I understand your situation very well. I took carpet lessons (as I live north of Dallas) the week before I left to go to the snow. I scheduled a full day private lesson with an instructor at Eldora. The girl spent three hours with my working my turns and stops (OK, because I kept falling into the mountain working toe side). After lunch, we rode greens and easy blues. I didn't go very fast, but I spent the next three days working and moving down the hill. I had a blast.

The worst falls I had happened after I learned to ride, when my brain told me I could do things my skill level wasn't ready for...


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