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Basic how to guide and fundamentals of Snowboarding

Snowboarding is a winter sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow while standing on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet. The snow board is attached using a special boot set into a mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in the United States in the 1960s and became a Winter Olympic Sport in 1998.

If you are just getting into the sport the process of determining what equipment is "right" for you is probably the most subjective purchasing procedure you will experience. For most riders, the purchase of a Snowboard is an emotional experience that fulfills not only a physical need, but also reflects the user personality.

First of all make sure that your Snowboard is right for you. Not too long, not too short, not too wide or narrow. It is also important to have the right boots, being comfortable is very nice, especially after Snowboarding all day. Any one of those above will make Snowboarding more difficult then it has to be.

Practice the three basic positions:

1.) Heelside like sitting onto a stool
2.) Toeside Pushing your weight forward, driving knees downward
3.) Flat just standing up tall on the board

Here is the percentage you should be on the positions:

1) Heelside 49.5%
2) Toeside 49.5%
3) Flat 1%

The only time you should be in the flat position is when transitioning, or moving from heelside to toeside.

Stay relaxed.When you tense up you lose control and can hurt your self. If you fall down but stay loose you can not only recover the fall but not get hurt or pull anything. An easy way to stay loose is to keep your knees slightly bent. Absorb the bumps that are in the snow, kind of like shock absorbers. Stretching your leg muscles and back at least 5 minutes before you start is really good and will also prevent injuries.

Start off by playing around with your board on your front foot. Once you are comfortable doing that, strap your other foot in.

Remember to use your front foot to steer your board. Putting your hand that is facing up hill behind you, helps you keep you nose pionting down hill. To make a toe-side turn lift your heel up, press your toe down and move your knee over top of your foot.

Your back foot will follow, you don't have to worry about it. A toe-side turn is the same as walking forward.

So that means that a heel-side turn will be follow the same movements you make when you walk backwards. You will lift your toe up, press your heel down and roll your hips backward.

Now stop yourself. To do this all you have to do is turn more and more.If you turn yourself so that you are heading up the hill you aren't going to get far and will stop. As you get better you can kick out you back foot, a little at a time. Doing this slows down a little at a time.There is a lot more to Snowboarding, and it's a good idea to take a lesson your first time out, and you may want to continue taking lessons as your instructor can teach you a lot.

TAKING IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL
See how there are so many degrees of toeside and so many degrees of heel side? Feel how the edge doesn’t fully engage into the carpet (or snow) it just gives pressure on one side or the other? That is finesse riding. You are ready to move to this next level, it will just take some practice. Be ready for the trail when you get there. Practice the finesse moves on the carpet first. Try toeside with more tail pressure. Now with equal pressure.

Do It with Responsibility & Respect

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