How Hard Is Snowboarding? 5 Ways To Make It Much Easier!

You might feel a little daunted at the thought of picking up a snowboard. After all, it looks pretty difficult! But how hard is snowboarding?

Snowboarding, like every sport, can be challenging for a rookie. However, with the proper training and practice, you should be able to get consistently better. Like all sports, it will also become much easier with time. 

Still interested in learning to snowboard? Keep reading to make the learning curve a little easier! 

How Hard Is Snowboarding To Learn?

It’s a little tricky to explain exactly how hard snowboarding is.

For some, snowboarding will be relatively straightforward (especially experienced surfers).

If you’ve ever surfed or skated before, you’ll pick up snowboarding much more quickly than the average person. The terrain may be different, but the mechanics are the same.

What you should know though is that the learning carve is one of the most fun parts of snowboarding! 

Even if you find it difficult, you’re sure to have an amazing time. 

How Long Does It Take to Learn Snowboarding?

An even trickier question! One that deserves its very own post. 

Take a look at how long does it take to learn to snowboard? 

5 Ways To Make Snowboarding Easier

Without further ado, let’s talk about how to make snowboarding easier.

The following are essential before you even strap on a snowboard!

• Build up your fitness level and stamina.
• Purchase the correct gear.
• Perfect your snowboarding stance.
• Enroll in professional lessons.
• Be patient.

Let’s consider them in detail. 

1. Build Up Your Fitness Level and Stamina

You may be tempted to think that snowboarding is simply sliding down the mountain. You’d be mistaken.

Snowboarding involves maneuvering and control, which puts a lot of strain on your muscles. Therefore, you’ll need a lot of strength and endurance.

As a beginner, snowboarding will be easier if you already participate in physical activity or are a gym member. Otherwise, now is the time to begin working out!

2. Purchase the Correct Gear for Your Snowboarding Needs

Safety and comfort are important aspects of sport and recreation. You can’t enjoy snowboarding if you’re not comfortable. You also don’t want to incur any injuries after a snowboarding adventure.

Wearing the correct gear and clothing will help you maintain control while riding and keep you comfy in an icy cold environment. 

Here’s a list of snowboarding essentials:

• Well-fitting boots: Your snowboarding boots must be your exact size. They shouldn’t be so tight that they make your toes curl or too loose so that there’s room at the end. If your boots don’t fit, you’ll have trouble maintaining control. In addition, you’ll also make yourself more vulnerable to injuries.
• Waterproof clothing (jackets and pants): Cotton absorbs water and is therefore unsuitable for snowboarding. You’ll become drenched and cold. Therefore, waterproof jackets and pants will suffice. For added warmth, I advise wearing thicker clothing or a snowboarding hoodie. 
• Thick socks and gloves: Keeping warm while snowboarding is key to enjoying the sport. It’s pretty easy to catch a cold through your hands and feet. So, even in extreme temperatures, preventing access to these sites can help keep you warm. Thick socks and gloves should suffice.
• Protective gear: Everything fun in snowboarding involves an element of danger. Hence, wearing protective gear is non-negotiable. Helmets, knee braces, and wrist gear protect you from injury when you fall. And as a beginner, expect to fall several times until you become efficient.

3. Perfect Your Snowboarding Stance

Snowboarding is about movement and control.

As I mentioned earlier, you’ll have to be comfortable to maneuver correctly and maintain control.

Apart from keeping warm and comfy, your snowboarding stance also determines how you set up your board.

There are two types of snowboarding stance – regular and goofy. Regular stance means your right foot is at the back and is your dominant foot. Goofy stance is the opposite.

Practice being comfortable in this stance, shoulder width apart, with a little bend at the knee.

4. Enroll in Professional Lessons

You need training to show you the ropes! 

Snowboarding is much hard if you’re trying to go it alone. 

Although the internet has a wealth of snowboarding information, nothing beats hands-on professional training. You’ll learn faster and gain more experience.

You’ll miss out on a lot if you don’t get adequate training. Good training should cover the basics, techniques, and how to avoid injuries.

You can lean more about snowboarding lessons in this article. 

5. Be Patient

Finally, it will take some time to master snowboarding.

Don’t be in a hurry to show off your abilities right away.

You’ll tumble a few times and hit a few bumps along the way, but you’ll grow better with practice. Don’t try to rush to the end. You can’t become a professional snowboarder overnight. Have patience with yourself… and your trainer.

Snowboarding Techniques for Beginners

Every sport has its peculiar techniques, and snowboarding isn’t an exception. You’ll need to master specific skills to become proficient at snowboarding:

• Master the falling leaf early on!
• Focus on your path. Your body follows your gaze. So keep your gaze fixed on your objective. If you’re continuously staring down, you’ll eventually fall.
• Move with slightly bent knees. You’ll maneuver better when your knees are slightly bent. It also helps you become more flexible and absorb the bumps. In addition, you’ll be less vulnerable to injuries. Snowboarding with a straight posture will make you rigid and unable to negotiate obstacles on the way.

Final Thoughts

Snowboarding, like every sport, will be challenging for any beginner. However, it becomes much easier with consistent practice.

Age and fitness will impact how quickly you can pick it up. Also, previous experience with surfing or skating will give you an edge.

Keep the above tips in mind before beginning your snowboarding adventure, and you should be just fine!

You should also definitely head over to our learning to snowboard section for more detail. Do it now!