Snowboarding  

Snowboarding began in the 60ties year in the USA. A man called Sherman Poppen invented the „Snurfer". „Snurfer" is a mix between the two words „snow" and „surfer". The snowboard looked like a simple surfboard with a rope through the „nose" for guiding. This board didn’t have any edge or binding. Little time later Poppen’s  friends and surf-, ski- and skateboarder fans invented knew things to make the board better than it was. Jake Burton Carpenter finally added loops made out of rubber, bindings and a edge.

 
 
 
 
 

Snowboard has become more popular and interesting since then. A lot of different companies were based and resolved. A lot of different inventions had been developed. Snowboarding developed to a big business. And snowboarding got a lot fans.
Snowboarding is easy to learn and interesting for young people who don’t want to do skiing.

Before You Start Snowboarding

Regular or Goofy?

There are two possible ways of standing on a snowboard. If you are going to snowboard with your left foot forward then you will be snowboarding in what is termed the regular position (view picture). If you snowboard with your right foot forward then you are goofy (view picture)( those are the name given to your position).

If in doubt you can try the following test at home:

Stand up straight and tell your mother / father or any friend to push you forward. Observe which foot goes forward. Put that foot forward on your snowboard.

Beware of other tests (jumping, kicking, cartwheels, etc.) and note that this has nothing to do with being left or right handed. The push test is one that directly tests your preferred stance in a balance sport (if you windsurf, water-ski or skateboard you will already know your preferred stance).
If you are still in doubt when hiring your board, ensure that you get a symmetrical board whereby the bindings may easily be rotated from goofy to regular (and vice versa) by your snowboard monitor. (Note that some bindings may rotate, but if they have an "incline" then this also needs to be reversible).
 
Hard or Soft?

It is possible to learn in either hard or soft boots. However, most of the teacher noticed that students who learn first on hard boots have more correct stance and technique. Snowboard boots used from the start aid the correct stance and weight distribution.

^{carve                                      freestyle}

Equipment
First of all you need a board. This one you will get in a shop. There are a lot of different kinds of boards. So  you will need time to get the right board.
You need also good boots and a good binding. This two things are very important  and have to be well chosen.

Clothes
For snowboarding you need a warm windcheater and trousers. The jacket has to be comfortable, long enough to cover your botty and a good collar, which protects you from the wind.
The trousers also have to be comfortable and the best thing is when they are up-holstered by the botty and knees.

If you want to know how to learn snowboarding then please check our link „how to learn„.
 

 Frontpage                      Carvepage                       Freestylepage

Cern Snowboard Section, Geneva, Switzerland.
http://www.cern.ch/CERN/Clubs/ski/snowboard

Books:
Title: Faszination Snowboarding, "Ein Lehrbuch für Theorie und Praxis"
Geschrieben von: Michael Ritter und Ulrich Pramann
Verlag: Heyne Bücher

Title: auf Snowboarden
Deutsche Übersetzung von: Günther Görtz
Verlag: Pietsch, 1997

Title: Das grosse Jugendbuch Nr. 37
Verlag: Das Beste Zürich