MortonSlumber 0 Posted January 12, 2004 Share Posted January 12, 2004 I'm going to be having my first time on a snow slope in February and looking forward to it. But I don't want to get my hopes up too far just in case I'm disappointed with my progress. What do you think I can expect from a first day? Will I be able to move much on my own with some sort of control or what? Thanks! MS Link to post Share on other sites
sweetaz 0 Posted January 12, 2004 Share Posted January 12, 2004 b4 answering let me ask you this... Can you stand on one leg, pat your head and rub your tummy...all at the same time? (this is of course the ultimate test of coordination) Link to post Share on other sites
RayInJapan 0 Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 Are you going to board or ski? Either way - expect to fall - alot! But don't worry about that - everyone falls. I find that most new snow boarders take about 3 days of riding to finally get the hang of it... But like I said - don't worry about falling. You're going to do that, and continue to do that if you push yourself to get better... Link to post Share on other sites
peaker 0 Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 sure youll be able to move on your own with control. Lie down on your back, flail your arms and legs like a dying cockroach....great now stand up fall back down and repeat...do this every night before february and youll be mentally prepared for your first time. Link to post Share on other sites
scouser 4 Posted January 14, 2004 Share Posted January 14, 2004 Yes, expect a sore bottom, but lots of fun as well. Go with the right people. Link to post Share on other sites
Dims 0 Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 Buy an arse pad. No seriously! Link to post Share on other sites
sweetaz 0 Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 The first few days i was on a board i fell.....alot. All i can suggest is learn to board when the snow is powdery or soft. If it's icey...forget about it....way tooooo painful. But then, unlike me, you are prob very coordinated (i for one cannot do the standing on one leg test) and might not. Link to post Share on other sites
fukdane 2 Posted January 15, 2004 Share Posted January 15, 2004 Lots of fun! Go into it with that FUN mindset. But do tell us if you're out skiing or boarding. (Morton Slumber.... where've I heard that name before??) Link to post Share on other sites
MortonSlumber 0 Posted January 16, 2004 Author Share Posted January 16, 2004 Thanks for the comments. Snowboard it will be. (fukdane - there's a hint in my signature) Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted January 16, 2004 Share Posted January 16, 2004 Make sure you fall off the lift so everyone can laugh at you. We've all done it. Kind of hazing. Link to post Share on other sites
Teledude 0 Posted January 16, 2004 Share Posted January 16, 2004 Yeah, I think falling off the lift is the key to a successful first (or second or 4,388th time) It's great fun and entertaining as hell for the everyone watching. Yes, I've done it. I laughed my ass off as this wasn't when I was learning. This was only a few years ago. Great fun I tell you. Link to post Share on other sites
flipside 0 Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 If you have any coordination at all you should be feathering down the slope in the first half of the day. Of course a lot of time will be spent on your butt. But thats half the fun if the snow is soft. Quote: Buy an arse pad. No seriously! Dims has it right there. Knee pads too yo. I suggest, to make the most of your time, you should either, 1) take a quick snowboard lesson or, 2) Go with a friend who has the skills and has patience to spend time with you. By the second half of the day you should be on your feet and from there the learning curve sky-rockets. (I was attempting very very small air on my second day ) By the way, don't think 'falling off the lift' means a 20 metre drop from a chair in the sky! It's merely slipping over when trying to get off and getting out of the way before the lift chair actually takes you out! Link to post Share on other sites
gammaman 0 Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 I concur with all of the above suggestions (peaker has a more unique approach admittedly) Pads - yes. Definitly. A knowledgeable and patient friend - a must. Especially someone who knows how to set up the gear correctly. Even the hire dudes send people off with some shocking set ups at times. No point being handicapped before you start. Make sure the slope you start on has a decent angle to it. It`s much easier. As last resort, copy the people who seem to have the hang of it. (as a last resort as they may be showing bad technique.) Watch some vids before you go (boarding ones) pure inspiration. Enjoy. Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 Quote: Originally posted by flipside: By the way, don't think 'falling off the lift' means a 20 metre drop from a chair in the sky! It's merely slipping over when trying to get off and getting out of the way before the lift chair actually takes you out! I disagree completly. Just riding on a lift for the first time you should be prepaired to fall a few metres. I've seen it before and hsve done it myself. Probably happens even more in Japan as no liftee ever holds the chair back when you get on. Link to post Share on other sites
gammaman 0 Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 Now this needs clearing up. Toque have you REALLY seen someone fall off the lift from a serious height? Has anyone else? Don`t wanna pre judge, but you gotta by a bit short of something to actually fall off once you`ve got on. Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 Well I should make this clear. I said be prepaired to fall a few metres. And this usually occurs when you are not quite on the chair but manage to hang on long enough to gain some height before loosing everything and falling off. This has happened to me before. But it was when I was small and just learning to ski. Around 6 or 7. Maybe if your past your childhood and tweens it will be easier to manage the chairlift but I remember being very scared everytime getting on the lift when I was a child. It doesn't take much to fall off the lift. Catching a tip, bad liftee, chair coming to fast, icy seats and just being a beginner. But here is a hint. Start on the beginner lift so you won't have any hard cores yelling at you because you've stopped the lift on first run on a powder day. (that has never happened to me but I would for sure be heckling if the chair was stopped in this situation) Link to post Share on other sites
merryJim 1 Posted January 17, 2004 Share Posted January 17, 2004 Go on a powder day to make the falls easier. Link to post Share on other sites
Teledude 0 Posted January 18, 2004 Share Posted January 18, 2004 Oh yeah, I wasn't talking falling off the lift while in the middle of the ride or anything, just getting on and off. I've never seen anyone fall off a lift in the 17 years I've been skiing. You usually try to hang on and end up losing it anyway. Just go down with the ship when it goes. And it is EXPECTED to laugh at whoever falls off the chair. But there's no reason to get angry at them. It's funny for sure but no reason to get angry. Just get out there and have fun. If you're not having fun, there's no reason to be there is there? Link to post Share on other sites
flipside 0 Posted January 19, 2004 Share Posted January 19, 2004 Quote: Originally posted by Teledude: Oh yeah, I wasn't talking falling off the lift while in the middle of the ride or anything, just getting on and off. I've never seen anyone fall off a lift in the 17 years I've been skiing. You usually try to hang on and end up losing it anyway. Just go down with the ship when it goes. And it is EXPECTED to laugh at whoever falls off the chair. But there's no reason to get angry at them. It's funny for sure but no reason to get angry. Just get out there and have fun. If you're not having fun, there's no reason to be there is there? Link to post Share on other sites
flipside 0 Posted January 19, 2004 Share Posted January 19, 2004 OOPS!! I meant to quote Teledudes last sentence. It's all in the name of fun, isn't it? Anyone heckling or making fun of someone who falls down anywhere has no respect from me. By the way, if you do fall over while disembarking.... Heads down!! (before the chair smacks you in the noggin) Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted January 20, 2004 Share Posted January 20, 2004 Quote: Originally posted by flipside: OOPS!! Anyone heckling or making fun of someone who falls down anywhere has no respect from me. Last time I checked Heckling was all about having fun. If I ever fall off the chair on a powder day I fully expect to get heckled from the lift line. Link to post Share on other sites
flipside 0 Posted January 20, 2004 Share Posted January 20, 2004 I must be forgetting my English. I'm always falling on my ass and don't mind being the main entertainment for the people. I just meant there's no place for anger out there. Well, not unless some hardcore comes from nowhere, uses your head for a rail and slides away without acknowledging the scar he left behind. But then I've never seen much of that. Everyone's usually so cool. Link to post Share on other sites
andy-pandy 0 Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 I can't really remember that far back, I've been skiing for 16 years or so now. I never looked back though. Positive attitude, go out there to have F-U-N. Morton Slumber? 007, Diamonds Are Forever Link to post Share on other sites
mattlucas 0 Posted January 21, 2004 Share Posted January 21, 2004 It's also the same as skiing below the chair. If you have a big spill you have to expect a bit of heckling from the chair. But the heckling is all in good fun Link to post Share on other sites
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