| Ranked Posts: 7 |
| West Sussex |
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 #1 Newbie.....2 days tuition....next steps? 28/06/2009 @ 18:13:49 |
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Hi there guys and girls, totally new to the world of snowboarding and forums....so take it gentle on me 
After years of thinking about it, I decided that this was the year that I'd get into snowboarding. My mate has given me a board and bindings ... so thought I better get learning.
I took the trip up to the Milton Keynes dome and completed their levels 1-4 over a 2 week period. Level 1 & 2 were a breeze, but I did struggle with linking my turns. After 30 mins or so I did get it, but still struggled on the steeper top section. I'm pretty sure that its all in the mind, as I was carrying a little more speed in the steeper section and conscious that the slope is fairly narrow (for a beginner) and busy, so ended up bottling the turn and stacking it.
Problem is, the instructor was happy enough with my turns to sign off level 3 and 4 which now means that I can only use the main slopes which are longer, steeper and full of experienced riders. 
I was using my own board, as I want to get used to it asap as I have booked my boarding stag do next March. I have been told by the instructor that the school boards are generally more flexible and therefore easier to turn. Would you guys recommend that I go back, stop being a big girl and just take it easy on the main slope with a school board when the slopes are quiet......or pay to redo level 4 (linking turns) and get my confidence levels/experience up?
If I were on a nice gentle and wide slope I'm 100% sure that i'd have it licked quickly and would be ready to move on....I'm just the kind of guy who needs to take small steps and build my confidence before moving to pulling 720s ....ok,maybe not
Really appreciate any tips that you can give or hearing your similar experiences.
Cheers, Mike |
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| #2 Re: Newbie.....2 days tuition....next steps? 28/06/2009 @ 19:27:38 |
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| In reply to post #1 ... |
Hey,
Im a strong believer of jump into the deep end but thats just me...to be honest its all about practise makes perfect and make you S's as you wide as you can so that you dont carry to much pace at the start then as you get more and more confident tighten up your turns. I felt also if you are reg or goofy foot it helps putting your arms out like a telegraph pole and follow your hand left or right hand in where your wanting to go its all i the hips and slowly getting into the turns at the start.
Dunno if this all makes sense but i dont belive they teach in this way in the snowdomes but they do in france and thats where i learnt and it works so well, i taught my friend and he picked it up in 4 hours teaching...  |
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| #3 Re: Newbie.....2 days tuition....next steps? 28/06/2009 @ 20:18:32 |
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| In reply to post #1 ... |
If you’re signed off level 4, it doesn’t mean you won’t still benefit from further instruction, but it does mean you’re at a stage where what you need is mainly practice time, rather than intense teaching. You should try practising yourself a bit first and only if it really isn’t working, think about doing level 4 again.
If you find it intimidating on the main slope, just get off the lift at a level you feel happy with – you don’t have to go to the top. Work your way up as you get more confident. And if you are able to go when it’s not so busy that helps a lot. |
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| Ranked Posts: 3942 |
| London |
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| #4 Re: Newbie.....2 days tuition....next steps? 28/06/2009 @ 21:27:05 |
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| just go and practice, dont get too hung up on the details of whats board or what slope, just ride as often as you can and everything will fall into place. |
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www.dalikfodda.com
girls, feck, arse |
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| #5 Re: Newbie.....2 days tuition....next steps? 28/06/2009 @ 22:02:18 |
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Practise--doesn't really matter which board.
Two things to remember. (1) In your lesson, you weren't linking turns from the top straight away. So there's no reason to think you should be next time you rock up to the slope. It can be quite demoralising trying to pick up where you left off and failing. Be sure to structure your session like a lesson ie start out with nice, easy traversing on one edge. Then the other edge. Get more aggressive on the next runs--sitting on the fall line for longer before returning to the edge. Then move on to slow, easy turns, maybe from half way down. Then from the top. Then pick up the pace and start linking your turns. You get the idea. (2) Look at the snow further down the slope rather than the stuff right in front of you. If you do this, you'll realise you're really not going that fast. Removing/minimising this fear factor helped me out no end.
I find Hemel a nicer slope to learn/practise on. It's nice and wide, there are no pillars in the middle of the slope and the snow is better (less sugary, no ice).
Have fun. |
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| Ranked Posts: 7 |
| West Sussex |
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| #6 Re: Newbie.....2 days tuition....next steps? 28/06/2009 @ 22:10:03 |
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| In reply to post #5 ... |
cheers peeps, really appreciate your feedback...plenty to think about
I think it all boils down to moving onto the main slope where everyone else is an expert. Reality is there are probably a whole load of people who are just starting out too. So....I'm just gonna get out there, take it easy, practice and build up my experience. Everyone has to start somewhere eh 
I'll defo check out Hemel at some point soon as its slightly closer to me...although not by much. When is someone gonna build a friggin dome south of London
thanks again...can't wait to get out there again |
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| Ranked Posts: 3942 |
| London |
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| #7 Re: Newbie.....2 days tuition....next steps? 29/06/2009 @ 09:17:53 |
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| In reply to post #6 ... |
| Wooo half the people you seen riding the main slope are anything but expert, im amazed some of them dont get asked to leave. If you've done you're lessons and the instructors said you were ok then dont worry about other people, you're good to go. |
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www.dalikfodda.com
girls, feck, arse |
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| Ranked Posts: 490 |
| Madagascar |
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| #8 Re: Newbie.....2 days tuition....next steps? 29/06/2009 @ 09:49:38 |
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| In reply to post #6 ... |
know the feeling bud, I live in the same area!
I went up to hemel on friday and it was a good night out, snow is definitely much better than MK!
Nick is right about the "experts" on the main slope, I fell down a lot, and I wasn't the worst! I just had ideas above my station... trying to do manuals...
Where abouts in sunny sussex you from? |
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--- Adam - Cinquepunto Photograpy --- FACEBOOK ME! ---
TK Maxx Snowboard Freestyle Team : representin' UK |
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| Ranked Posts: 35 |
| UK - England |
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| #9 Re: Newbie.....2 days tuition....next steps? 29/06/2009 @ 10:04:36 |
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I struggle to get onto toe edge still as im a newbie too, so i kinda fumble my way thru link turns. But I guess as long as you can control your speed and arnt crashing into stuff then i dont think they mind how good your turns are. Could be wrong but thats my take on it.
The best time i had at MK was two weeks after i got back from my first boarding holiday. My confidence was really high, but ive slipped back into a bit of a lull now, but i guess its just about practising as much as u can. |
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| Ranked Posts: 69 |
| West Midlands |
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| #10 Re: Newbie.....2 days tuition....next steps? 29/06/2009 @ 10:45:57 |
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| In reply to post #1 ... |
I had the same concern about getting in the way of the experts on the slope - I soon realised that those kind of people weren't there on the normal sessions and only went along to the ramp & freestyle nights and that everyone on the slope was in a similar boat to me.
I've just swapped from hire board to my own board & did find it harder, it was like a big set back but I think worth it once you get used to the board. |
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| Ranked Posts: 7 |
| West Sussex |
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| #11 Re: Newbie.....2 days tuition....next steps? 29/06/2009 @ 12:55:57 |
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| In reply to post #10 ... |
Wow, thanks for all your replies. You are actually making me feel a lot more positive now....so gonna plan another trip shortly for a Monday evening as apparently that is normally a quiet time.
cinquepunto: I live in Chichester, love being by the sea...but not very handy for snow domes. There was talk about building a dome in Portsmouth but that has gone very quiet now.
Cheers !! Mike |
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| Ranked Posts: 490 |
| Madagascar |
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| #12 Re: Newbie.....2 days tuition....next steps? 29/06/2009 @ 13:19:47 |
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| In reply to post #11 ... |
Ah ok, I'm from Horsham. Probably going down Chi on wednesday to the cinema, not completely sure at the moment...
At the end of the day, everyone has to start somewhere, even these so-called "experts" and most snowboarders appreciate this. Skiers are a different breed though... |
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--- Adam - Cinquepunto Photograpy --- FACEBOOK ME! ---
TK Maxx Snowboard Freestyle Team : representin' UK |
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| Ranked Posts: 3942 |
| London |
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| #13 Re: Newbie.....2 days tuition....next steps? 29/06/2009 @ 13:25:36 |
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| Revision #1 (Last edited: 29/06/2009 @ 13:25:49) |
| In reply to post #12 ... |
I spend allot of weekends in Feltham just outside Bognor as my other in law lives there. Not sure why you needed to know that but hey!  |
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www.dalikfodda.com
girls, feck, arse |
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| Ranked Posts: 490 |
| Madagascar |
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| #14 Re: Newbie.....2 days tuition....next steps? 29/06/2009 @ 13:32:59 |
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| In reply to post #13 ... |
| aha, Feltham is singing out... lol |
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--- Adam - Cinquepunto Photograpy --- FACEBOOK ME! ---
TK Maxx Snowboard Freestyle Team : representin' UK |
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| Ranked Posts: 166 |
| Cambridgeshire |
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| #15 Re: Newbie.....2 days tuition....next steps? 30/06/2009 @ 14:06:14 |
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| In reply to post #9 ... |
| I saw the MK guys throw a girl out because she wasn't linking turns. She wasn't doing anything dangerous though, just doing garlands down the slope, under control. I thought it was a bit harsh. |
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| Wait for me at the bottom. |
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