Attention All Skiers: Try Snowboarding!

Do you love winter? Or, more importantly, do you love spending time in the cold winter weather? If so, and you are looking for a great new activity to try this winter, consider snowboarding.

For many people, the idea of snowboarding sounds dangerous, like it was only for crazy teenage boys. The idea of skiing down a large hill or mountain sounds scary enough and, the idea of doing it with a snowboard sounds too hard to try. If these are your thoughts, you should think again. Whether you’ve been skiing for years or have never been down a winter mountain, snowboarding can be a great way to spend your winter days.

If you’ve been a skier and are thinking of switching to snowboarding, you’re in luck. The best advice I can give you is to be patient. Because snowboarding is similar to skiing and yet very different, some people who ski well will find snowboarding to be natural and fast, while others will find the learning process exhausting and frustrating. Stick with it because eventually, the tricks of snowboarding can come to almost anyone.

If you have never been a skier, have no fear. Having a skiing background is not always necessary or even beneficial in learning snowboarding skills. It is possible that you, who is not an expert skier, will pick up the techniques of snowboarding much more effortlessly than your skier friends. After some time, you may find that snowboarding fits you like a glove.

Let me offer a couple of tips to anyone, expert skier or not, who wants to get into snowboarding.  First, do not expect to jump on a board and pick up the skill all on your own. Most people benefit from snowboarding lessons, at least to learn the basics of the sport. So don’t hesitate to sign up for a lesson or two before hitting the slopes.

A second and perhaps more important piece of advice is simple: rent. Resist the temptation to rush out and buy the latest snowboard and snowboard equipment only to look like a seasoned pro on the slopes. The first few times you go out, you should rent equipment and take the time to learn what type of boards best suit your needs. By renting, you can avoid making a costly mistake that will leave you frustrated later on.

So whether you’ve been skiing for years or not, when winter rolls all around, choose to learn a new skill. Who knows, snowboarding could quickly become your favorite source of winter fun.