Snowboarding! (aka spending time falling in the snow)

[linnea]

Word.  I just got a pair of k2 snowboard boots on eBay for $34! A coworker lent me an old snowboard, and while it is ghetto and ugly, it will be a great board for me to learn on.

It is annoying to go boarding with my friends who are practically semi-pro, however. I was asking my friend Ryan if he would teach me. The crux of his conversation was, "It's natural for your body to do it...once you get on the slope, your body will know what to do." Yeah, right. My body spends an inordinate amount of time trying to kill me, Ryan.

In his defense, he has been skiing and boarding for most of his life and undoubtedly it comes as naturally to him as walking. As for me, I downloaded some beginning snowboarding tips on Al Gore's Magical Invention.

My biggest fear is falling down and breaking my Oakley prescription eyeglasses. I need to get some contact lenses so that I can fall on my face without fear. Many snowboarders break their wrists trying to catch themselves in an effort to preserve their face from hitting the snow. I will post updates about my boarding adventures.

The other cool thing about the Aleutians is that I can walk for 2 minutes or drive for five and hike up to go boarding. There are no chairlifts. It is hella fun.

[CortJstr]

I know for roller blading one can purchase various wrist protectors but I imaging they wouldn't work as well on snow as they do on pavement.

[Asherdan]

OK, see now learning to snowboard/ski is a great and worthwhile pursuit I heartily approve of.  Your friend is right, there's a lot of balance and rythm things going on that relates back to 'feel' that you just need to actually do before you get the flow of it.  Relating to that whole feel thing, is the fact that you can learn to feel it when things are about to go horribly wrong.  Pay particular attention to that feeling of lost balance/catching edge/etc. 'cause if you learn to pick it up the next step is to not so much avoid the coming fall but to have the awareness to put your frail body in a position to absorb it in the least damaging way possible.  In short, learn how to fall.

The only time I've pulled a full face plant was when I wasn't focused on the task at hand.  The girls I was making googly eyes with loved it (but unfortunately not me).

Have a great time with a very elemental and enjoyable sport.

[slink]

In short, learn how to fall.

That, and have no fear. Fear will stop you getting better at trusting your balance, and the rigidity your body goes into when scared helps none in both the falling and not damaging, and boarding well stakes.
I don't have any experience on the snow though. Sadly. Some day I will get round to snow boarding, as I love the look of it. Closest I've gotten was mountain boarding, which was terrifying - speed and not snow... Hmmmm...

Unfortunately I have done the foll on face plant, but on concrete. 'tis the nature of my stupidity though, to pick a past time that aims to maim.

[Asherdan]

Fear will stop you getting better at trusting your balance, and the rigidity your body goes into when scared helps none in both the falling and not damaging...

That's a good point, especially about tensing up.  Ya gotta stay loosy-goosy so your body can make the subte shifts needed to maintain balance.

Remember the old saw about why drunks survive car accidents better, there's some application of that here.  You want to hit like a sponge, not an egg.