Snowboarding Not Just a Bad Boy’s Sport

September 5, 2008

by Bill Costas

You might have seen the Nagano Olympics snowboarding competitions and have an interest in the sport. Its popularity has grown by leaps and bounds since then and in spite of the fact that snowboarding great, Terje Haakonsen, turned his “ethical” nose up at the Olympics. He said that he felt that the judging was questionable and the “team” look was too rigid. Snowboarding inclusion in the Nagano Olympics has served to clean up a well-deserved snowboard up-yours reputation. Either way, snowboarding is here to stay. If you are a first timer and want to learn how to snowboard read on.

To get started in snowboarding I strongly suggest you consider safety first. Ask yourself are you able to take the rigorous demands that this sometimes dangerous sport will ask of you? You might already know that snowboarding tops the list in outdoor recreational injuries. Like any other sport, if not approached with the right attitude can be very dangerous. Learn all you can and get a certified snowboard instructor. Their experience is invaluable.

Secondly, consider your budget for equipment. Spend a goodly part of your budget on the safety equipment. Boards can cost upwards $600 so don’t blow your wad there and not leave money for a helmet and set of pads. You will always look at new boards but you will depend on a good helmet and set of hip and knee pads to lessen the abuse on your body. You will need a leash for your board as well. And, I cannot stress this enough, a large bottle of ibuprofen and I am sure I do not have to tell you what that is for. If you don’t know then you shouldn’t attempt learning this extreme sport

Home turf is a consideration as well. Can you get to a snowboarding area easily? Excess travel time will just cut into your practice time and budget. Learning snowboarding tricks requires lots of time and effort. Why waste the little time you have getting to and from the slopes? You might consider sand boarding.

Snowboarding offers different methods and it would behoove you to pick one and stick with it until you excel then move on. Maybe you choose freecarve or freeride at first then move on to freestyle

Your buddies can video tape your snowboarding antics. They are sure to be very funny while you are learning and taking snowboard lessons. You could up load them to myspace or youtube for fun. Your family will get a kick out of them as well. Your parents can see the blackhole their money is going into.

Consider going to a snowboard camp for snowboard lessons. Many are offered in ?Future Snowboarding? magazine and are promoted all over the country and in other sports mags. You can learn a lot from a variety of instructors as well as other participants.

Well get on the slopes. Give freestyle snowboarding a chance. Tear them up. Don’t get hurt. It is a great sport that is here to stay.

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