Snowboard tip by Steve Frink
Goal: Zero wipeouts before both feet are strapped in. I try to get people in a directional sideslip on their own before their butt ever hits the ground. This keeps their confidence and their spirits high. Wiping out before you are “really snowboarding” makes the rest of the lesson appear pretty daunting.
Tip: Go slow and avoid hill creep. When students are getting their first sliding and doing the fade turn they should be going slow enough to easily step off the board and stop. We want to show students they can change direction using their feet. If they get on an edge and the board turns they are successful, move on. Later you can do a fade turn that more accurately imitates what they will experience unloading the lift and work on some ‘combat’ offloading skills. By then they’ve had more practice and their skills are ready.
Avoid Hill Creep: Hill creep is when students keep moving further and further up the hill as they wait for their turn to slide. Then they come down the hill with way too much speed and wipe out.This requires constant vigilance and good demos. Demo at the speed you want to see and start where you want them to start.
[connections_list id=46 template_name=”div_staff_bio”]