3 ms·
Lots of great comments here about snowboarding so I figured I'd provide my two cents. I tried skiing a couple of times and ended up just not having much fun. Ev
by bane 8y ago
Lots of great comments here about snowboarding so I figured I'd provide my two cents. I tried skiing a couple of times and ended up just not having much fun. Eventually decided to try out snowboarding. It felt like I had gotten hit by a car the next day.
But there was something about it that seemed promising, so I stuck with it. The initial learning curve is really steep. I was a far better skier after far less effort at the same point than snowboarding. But after keeping at it a few times I finally got parts of it to "click". I'm still terrible, but I rarely fall now and can generally make it down most blue slopes without too much fuss, something I really struggled with on skis.
It works far more of your core muscles and your quads and hamstrings that skiing does, so it takes some time to figure out how to control all that with the precision.
The key for me was to really understand that the board itself wasn't something I rode on top of, but instead of was a living vessel I was part of, and that I could twist, rotate and otherwise manipulate using movements in my legs, subtle shifts in center of balance and core muscles. Once that started to make sense it became much easier and I found it far easier and more rewarding that skiing for me.
Skiing is many moving parts you have to coordinate, snowboarding is one moving part with many subtle means of expression. It's a bit like the difference between playing a drumkit and playing a violin if that makes sense for any musicians.
- mmartinson 8y agoInteresting. I snowboarded for 18 years before switching full time to skiing last year, and I've reversely similar experience to yours in loving the nuance and subtly of the new skill. I wonder if there's something about combining a base fitness and aptitude with a beginner's mind. I love the symmetry to skiing, and the experience of begin square to the fall line.
- jammur 8y agoI mean no offence, but I think a few of these opinions are probably because of your skill level on both a snowboard and skis. > It works far more of your core muscles and your quads and hamstrings that skiing does, so it takes some time to figure out how to control all that with the precision. If you're skiing hard, the core and quads are fully engaged. Especially in deep snow. In fact, I suspect that you need more engagement on skis. > The key for me was to really understand that the board itself wasn't something I rode on top of, but instead of was a living vessel I was part of, and that I could twist, rotate and otherwise manipulate using movements in my legs, subtle shifts in center of balance and core muscles. Once that started to make sense it became much easier and I found it far easier and more rewarding that skiing for me. Everything you said here about snowboarding applies to skiing, however it takes longer for that to click on skis because there's more to coordinate. > Skiing is many moving parts you have to coordinate, snowboarding is one moving part with many subtle means of expression. I definitely agree with the sentiment of one moving part with subtle means of expression, but when you get good at skiing, it starts to feel more like one moving part. This is my experience as someone who snowboarded for 15ish years before switching to skiing a few years ago.
- bane 8y agoYour comments are totally fair and I do not take any offense at all. Appreciate the other points of view!