I Need To Be Able To Get Down A Mountain

October 13, 2009 5:08 PM

Will Virtual Snow teach me how to snowboard?

My friends have been trying to teach me to snowboard for a couple of seasons, but they have been unsuccessful because 1. I'm not fit enough and; 2. I just can't seem to get the technique.

Anyway, for this season, I'd like to take some lessons before making another trip to the mountains with friends. I just like to be able to get down without falling as much.

The closest lessons I've found from Pasadena, CA is Virtual Snow which is in Santa Monica.

Questions are:

Will these types of lessons competently teach me to snowboard down the mountain?
I didn't see rates on the site. Can anybody give me an idea on how much this will cost?
How fit do I need to be before attempting to learn? I'm not in shape at the moment.
Can you recommend other ways to learn that's not much of a drive from Pasadena, CA?

Thanks.

posted by onich to sports, hobbies, & recreation (12 comments total)

You realize that Mt. Baldy with actual snow is only 6 miles farther away from Pasadena than Santa Monica, right? Mt. Baldy has some impressively easy slopes. In fact, you can practice on the gentle hill between the main lodge and the secondary lift that goes up the mountain.

Mt. Baldy also has lessons, I'm certain, but I taught my boyfriend to ski (and myself to snowboard) on that gentle gradual slope I just described- give it a shot! Maybe without friends to put pressure on you. It is hard to be the person in the group with the least skills, especially if all of your friends are very good snowboarders/skiiers.
posted by arnicae at 6:33 PM on October 13

(To clarify: Pasadena -> Mt. Baldy = 36 miles, Pasadena -> Santa Monica = 30 miles)
posted by arnicae at 6:33 PM on October 13

Good point, arnicae. I just plotted the distances and you're estimates are spot on. Considering the traffic driving west, then it'll probably take the same amount of time if not less to drive to Mt. Baldy.

I'll definitely inquire further into the details of getting lessons at Mt. Baldy.

However, I'm still intrigued with the idea of indoor lessons. The pictures on the site look appealing to me because of the handlebars on the treadmill thing. One of the frustrations on the couple of times I attempted to snowboard is that more than half of the time I spent trying to learn is spent trying to get up. I'm sure a competent instructor will be able to show me the right way to try to get up. But, I'd like to spend more time learning to how to actually snowboard.

Also, I kinda like the idea that I don't have to worry about getting too wet or buying/renting the clothes/gear while trying to learn.

Sorry if I sound like I'm plugging for the site. I'm really not. I'm just really keen on trying to learn away from the cold and the mountain.

I'll appreciate it if I can get some comments on the experience, the crowd and the costs of indoor lessons. :)
posted by onich at 7:05 PM on October 13

you're = your... :) Sorry.
posted by onich at 7:07 PM on October 13

To get up roll over so that your toe side edge is against the hill and push yourself up, your butt being higher will help so much. Don't let friends teach you get a lesson from a pro they will send you on the right way. I used to teach snowboarding for a few years and I don't think that the machine pictured will help you with rudimentary on slope techniques.

Watching the video on youtube I can see that the technique used by the girl would result in an out of control turn and most likely a falling on the ass. You are moving trough space and need to react to a changing slope and on snow speed.
posted by jade east at 8:35 PM on October 13

I'm a skier so take this with a grain of salt. When you are first learning you have a tendency to fall quite a bit and from what my boarder friends tell me, it is worse for them starting out. Learning to fall safely and get back up is half the battle and I am not sure how the treadmill system would help with that.

Heed jade east's advice and take an intro lesson at the mountain. Learning through friends is usually a bad idea because most people aren't patience enough and put too much pressure on you to advance quickly.

Good luck and have fun.
posted by mmascolino at 9:10 PM on October 13

Friends teaching friends to ski or snowboard is the worst idea EVAR!

Unless they are instructors, they cannot do anything but get you hurt, I promise you, I know this from experience on both ends.

The best thing you can do is take lessons.
posted by TheBones at 9:12 PM on October 13

Definitely take an intro lesson package. And realize that after that it takes typically 3 days of falling on your ass before really getting the hang of it.

I highly recommend a helmet during, say, at least the first winter. I banged my head a few times the first year in falls before gaining more experience and strength in the necessary muscles.

Maybe check out a few of these short articles.

Also check-out The Illustrated Guide To Snowboarding.
posted by hungrysquirrels at 10:59 PM on October 13

Jade East, that's exactly the only way I've managed to get up. That's why I've managed to learn how to board with my toes. Thing is, I can't sustain it and fall out of exhaustion. So, practicing how to ride on my heels is hard because when I fall on my butt, I'll have to throw my board and legs up so that I can twist to lie flat on my stomach to push myself up.

To be fair, my friends have been very patient with me. However, given that we don't really have a lot of time, the guilt kicks in and I'd let them just go ahead and do their thing while I fumble around all over the place.

I guess trying to learn on dry ground would have its drawbacks. But it's dry ground!! And with handlebars! Haha. No pain, no gain, right.

I'll give the lessons on Mt. Baldy a shot within the next couple of weeks. Let me know if you can find good deals on the lessons package for me will ya?

Thanks a lot everyone. Best answers to everyone. :)
posted by onich at 1:37 AM on October 14

Oh wait. I'm not done asking yet. I'll appreciate advice on how to make the most out of the lessons. I think I'll be willing to shell out cash for a couple of private sessions. How do I best prepare for it?
posted by onich at 1:43 AM on October 14

To prepare well, about the only thing you have to do is exercise and stretch well, specifically the muscles you use for snowboarding.

Let the instructor worry about the snowboarding part, just enjoy yourself.
posted by kenbennedy at 6:11 AM on October 14

2nding kenbennedy on the fitness part.

The thing with snowboarding is that at really low speeds we don't really have a stable platform like skiers do so just balancing on one edge can take allot of effort. Slow body weight squats facing a wall are good and moving closer to the wall makes them more challenging. Another exercise is sitting with your back against the wall with your knees bent at close to 90 degrees and holding for as long as you can.

Try to get the same instructor if possible if you go for multiple lessons.
posted by jade east at 11:41 AM on October 14