Monday, November 16, 2009

How Can A Skier Become A Snowboarder

By Kevin Gillett

If you are a skier and want to learn snowboarding, then you must first of all understand the difference between the two sports. The basic difference is that skiing is done on two skis while snowboarding is done on a single snowboard. You already know how it feels to slide across the snow with both your feet bound to an equipment, all you need to do is to get used to a single board instead of two skis.

In skiing, the weight of your body is spread across your feet which stand apart with a distance, but in snowboarding, you have to learn how to keep your balance while you are standing on a single snowboard with your body weight emphasized on the board's edge. Because there are no poles to hold onto in snowboarding, you may find a little difficulty in the beginning but with time, you will get used to it. To cope up with this, first of all you need to learn how to fall. When we are learning snowboarding, we may fall many times on the snow and get several injuries, but you can only learn snowboarding if you learn from your own falls and get to know how we can fall safely so that we do not get any injuries or bruises.

The bindings of snowboarding are also different from those of skiing. Ski bindings are standardized but snowboard bindings are of two common kinds: first are used with soft boots which are simple strap bindings ratcheting over the boots' top and the second are step-in bindings which are more suitable for high performance snowboarding and are available with quick release lever. If you are going to use step-in bindings, then usually you will need to purchase step-in boots also from the same manufacturer.

If you want to snowboard, then you will also need to make adjustments in the stance too. The major difference is that snowboarders stand with their feet sideways on the board in the position of surfing. It is also a fact that there is no standard stance for a snowboarder. You are the one who has to choose the distance between both your feet on the snowboard and the angle's degree of both your feet.

A skier may be very fast at learning snowboarding because there are only a few adjustments that he will have to make. You can take some snowboarding lessons also through which you will quickly gain confidence for riding on the snowboard and you will soon be shredding through the mountain trails without tumbling.

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