jstepp 0 Posted November 20, 2002 Share Posted November 20, 2002 im gonna try and teach my wife how to board at naeba dec 28, just wondering if anyone has tried to teach someone else and if you have any pointers Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted November 20, 2002 Share Posted November 20, 2002 Having been taught not so long ago, I recommend stressing exaggerated knee bending, and not leaning back. Also looking where you're going and pointing with your shoulders to initiate turns makes picking it up easier. Starting with correct falling might be good too - clenched fists to avoid sprained thumbs and wrists. And try to avoid letting your student get too comfortable with going across the hill without turning. Force her to start turning even if she doesn't want to. Suggest trying to twist the board laterally between her feet to avoid edge-catches - knowing that can help. Good luck! (Oh, and if you're as fat as your name suggests, try not to fall on top of her... ) Link to post Share on other sites
Will Lee 0 Posted November 21, 2002 Share Posted November 21, 2002 "Edge catch," is that how you say gyaku-edge in English? Never knew the proper word for it cuz I picked up the sport here. Link to post Share on other sites
Will Lee 0 Posted November 21, 2002 Share Posted November 21, 2002 Yeah, I agree with the exaggerated bent knee tip, that helped me a lot too. Tell your wife not to worry too much about what`s immediately in front of her board(kinda like driving a car). BTW, do you really have to go to Naeba on that weekend? I think the place will be PACKED(well, it`s always crowded over there) Try using the runs on the north side, toward Dragondola Stn. Less people there probably. If I remember correctly there`s one very nice and gentle run(but not too flat so your wife would never have to drag herself)for beginners in that area. Have fun and don`t yell at her too much. Link to post Share on other sites
jstepp 0 Posted November 21, 2002 Author Share Posted November 21, 2002 thanks yall, good advice i didnt think of before. actually fatbob is my board's name, my name is josh and im 180 pounds, i just have big feet Link to post Share on other sites
jared 0 Posted November 21, 2002 Share Posted November 21, 2002 Teaching your wife is a dangerous thing, In the past I have made a living telling people how to ski but do you think my wife will listen!!! Link to post Share on other sites
miteyak 0 Posted November 21, 2002 Share Posted November 21, 2002 Listen to Jared, good advice. In the event you choose to ignore, follow the above. Once on the turns, have your wife lock her head in position with the lead shoulder. Have her pick out spots on opposing sides of the slopes as she turns. Aids complete turning, stopping that 'legs and weight telling the board diff. things prob'. have her hold her arms up as well if necc. exaggerating a swing in the direction of turn. Worked on all i've taught, just make sure you get her to stop the arm thing once she can do it!!! Link to post Share on other sites
indosnm 0 Posted November 21, 2002 Share Posted November 21, 2002 NEVER EVER TEACH YOUR WIFE/GIRLFRIEND/BOYFRIEND!!! It doesn't work!! I have unsuccessfully tried many times to teach girlfriends and my wife how to surf / bodyboard and snowboard! Save your money and huge relationship breaking arguement and stick her in a snow school for the morning to be taught by professionals... that she wont get mad at and yell at! if you do it you are a brave man...... Link to post Share on other sites
Markie 0 Posted November 21, 2002 Share Posted November 21, 2002 I agree with you, indosnm, but I wouldn't say never. I used to coach the Junior National team in hockey here and my girl friend used to play for the Women's National Squad here too. Needless to say, she asked me to coach her, which I did, and as expected it led to lots of fiery arguments and eventually a break up. (i.e. it is a very convenient break up "lead-on") We actually got back together as soon as I broke up with my next girl friend and we decided I wouldn't coach her again and the relationship went really well. Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted November 21, 2002 Share Posted November 21, 2002 Teaching the gfriend worked with me - no probs. That's gonna depend on you two, ain't it! As for Naeba, yeah head for the right hand side as you look at the mountain, near the Dragondola - lots of fairly easy slopes to choose from and it isn't as busy as the main part in front of the hotel. Link to post Share on other sites
enderzero 0 Posted November 22, 2002 Share Posted November 22, 2002 This may be a little advanced for the first day but the single thing that made me really get the hang of snowboarding was when I started to think of pointing the board where I wanted to go and using my back leg/edge control as a rudder. Just like a boat. Front foot just keeps you pointed, back foot makes you turn. Does this make sense or should I elaborate? Link to post Share on other sites
namenya 0 Posted November 22, 2002 Share Posted November 22, 2002 I find that one of the biggest mistakes I see my friends make while they learn, is leaning back on the board when going through a turn and the board starts to speed up. It seems to be a body's natural reaction to feeling that they are getting out control or going too fast and that they may crash is to lean back on the board. Unfortunately, this usually is then the cause of them losing control and crashing - a vicious loop. When I taught my girlfriend, that was something that I really worked on with her, and once she realized that she was actually leaning back (despite thinking that she wasn't), other things started to come together for her because she then wasn't getting out of control and crashing so much. And don't forget that good patient positive encouragement is essential... Link to post Share on other sites
SKI 15 Posted November 23, 2002 Share Posted November 23, 2002 I'm in the best to keep it separate camp Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted November 23, 2002 Share Posted November 23, 2002 namenya, I agree with that. When my mate the Turdle taught me (a kinder, although less inspired boarding teacher there never was), he kept pointing that out to me. That's where knee bending comes in. Getting your center of balance lower is an alternative defensive gesture to leaning back, and actually prevents disaster rather than inviting it as leaning back does. I overheard an instructor drumming this into his students when I barged onto their quad. I think I was paying more attention than the girlies he was trying to teach. It was a crucial tip for me. And enderzero, I think I know what you mean (I heard that from another friend too), but why not elaborate? Link to post Share on other sites
enderzero 0 Posted November 24, 2002 Share Posted November 24, 2002 It would be so much easier to show you what I mean, but I will attempt to literalize. I ride regular so my left foot is forward. This foot is used to point where I want to go (I mean point the board not my toes). My right/back leg and foot are used as a rudder. Two separate controls. One is the left to right wagging action of the leg. The other is the up and down tilting or "edging" action of the foot. These two together control the turning. It is probably not a first day lesson, but after you have a feeling for slipping down the hill you can start to think about it like this. The front foot doesn't really do much, just points (like the bow of a boat). Point down the hill and put a lot of weight on your back leg and heel to bring you body around 90 degrees to a stop (toes facing down the hill). Then point down the hill again, and then this time bend your right knee hard and put a lot of weight on your toes to turn your body 90 degrees to a stop the other way (toes facing up the hill). I believe this is called a "J-turn" in instructor circles. After a few runs practicing this you should be able to start linking the turns. Link to post Share on other sites
jstepp 0 Posted November 24, 2002 Author Share Posted November 24, 2002 Thanks for the in depth explanation haha, i know what you mean though. and for you who say NOO! dont teach your wife! well... im going to have to take that chance, after dec 28, ill let you know how it went, then you can laugh at me and say i told ya so. Link to post Share on other sites
Kren 0 Posted November 26, 2002 Share Posted November 26, 2002 Well you all seem pretty clued up on this whole snowboarding thing. What are the classes like? Are they worth going to or should I find some kind stranger to teach me how to snowboard? Link to post Share on other sites
scouser 4 Posted November 26, 2002 Share Posted November 26, 2002 It's going to depend on your friends and your relationships with them isn't it. Goes without saying of course. My friend taught me the basics and it worked out great, but I can imagine it can get pretty heavy. Lessons here seem soooo overexpensive and I just can't see them being that effective. Link to post Share on other sites
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