How To Have Successful Snowboard Lessons

By following some simple tips you can improve the success of your snowboard lessons and have an awesome time with your instructor on the mountain. These guidelines will set the tone for having a fun and positive learning experience. They will make the instructor's job easy and ensure you walk away with some new knowledge and skills!

Tips For Successful Snowboard lessons

Before your snowboard lesson:

• Stretch in the morning with some yoga or use dynamic movements like lunges/squats to get your blood pumping and body ready for exercise.
• Do at least one warm-up lap to get your legs moving and brain in gear.
• Have a humble attitude and be ready to learn.
• Make a decision between private and group - Group usually 2 hours, a half day private is 3 hours, full day is 6.

Strong introduction with your snowboard instructor:

• Think before what you want to improve. Is it Riding bumps more smoothly? Controlling speed better?
• Discuss what you want to focus on with your instructor and have a goal in mind for the lesson.
• Tell your instructor any feedback from previous lessons.
• Be honest about your ability / make the instructor aware of any injuries or pre-existing conditions.
• Remember there is always a progression to get to your goal, you might not achieve it in one lesson.

During the snowboard lesson:

• Ask for feedback if you are not getting any.
• Questions are excellent. Never be afraid to ask a question! If you don’t understand the demo or explanation, ask for another version.
• Use time on the chairs to talk so you can ride more on the runs.
• If you are getting an overload of information, ask the instructor to slow down. Focus on one thing at a time so it can be fully integrated into your riding.
• Try to pay attention to the things that you are succeeding at, so you don't get bogged down in feedback.

Wrap-up / extra tips for your snowboard lessons:

• Practice in between your lessons with any movements the instructor gave you.
• Morning lessons can be better than late as you are fresh and your concentration is on point.
• Take a lesson in the morning, practice what you learned in the afternoon, then take a lesson the next day.
• Refined movements can take longer to integrate into your riding and become unconscious, so may take more time to develop.
• Trying new things before one skill is solidified, means you may forget to do it.
• Ask your instructor if there's anything else you can do to practice.
• When is enough? This will vary for everyone. Some people will want snowboard lessons every day of their holiday. Others will want them every couple of days. Some may just want one full day as a refresher every season.