Beginner - Indoor ski/snowboard facilities question.
Hey fellas.
I’ve gone snowboarding twice now. Between the two, 4 years apart. Both for a week each.
As you would imagine, between the first and second time, I had basically forgotten how to snowboard and effectively had to teach myself the basics again. After the first day, I had learnt the extreme basics again. However, I realized that I was always on my heel edge, just like the first time I went snowboarding and no matter how hard I tried to teach myself the toe aspect of snowboarding, I failed.
Now i heard about a place in Sydney called In2Ski and they advertise themselves as a great place for beginners to learn before they head up to the mountains.
The reviews on tripadvisor seem great. Although i was reading some forums which said that it essentially wasn’t the same as learning how to snowboard on actual snow and would require tweeking the next time I hit an actual slope.
Now, the cost of this place is pretty absurd. Although, it is a price I am willing to pay.
My question is, if I do pay this money, do you experienced snowboarders believe that it will help me learn how to snowboard properly?
So the next time I hit up the mountains, I will be worry free shredding it up down the mountain without constantly being on my heel edge like an idiot?
Thanks in advance.
Hey buddy,
I can’t say I’ve had any experience with dry slopes or this kind of activity but I can say that any time on the board will definitely help. The main problem with it is the restrictive cost and that it will indeed be different once you go back to the actual snow.
To try to assist in word format, the main issue you’re likely having is commitment. You’re comfortable on your heels and therefore you stick to it. Another major point is you probably got taught incorrectly. There are a lot of people (including some instructors) who teach to use your shoulders to turn which sounds all well and good and works if your already a good snowboarder cause you don’t realise that you’re not actually using your shoulders.
So how do you do it. You use your hips. Bend the knees and point your hips in the way you want to go and slowly but surely you’ll get it.
Then, once you’ve got the basics, you need to get better. The quickest way to get better is by trying to keep up with people who are better than you and by practising as much as you can. If you got any friends that are decent, try to keep up. This will push you to go quicker and turn sharper to do the same speeds etc and subconsciously one day it will just click. At least it did for me.
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Ok that ends my text based instruction manual.
Now I’d like to ask if you’re going down to the snow this year? A lot of us from Sydney have Perisher passes and I know personally I’ll be down there as much as possible, hopefully every second weekend (if previous years are anything to go by). So if you’re keen and you do get down to the snow, hit us up on the forums here and come meet us, we don’t bite and we are all quite friendly.
Obviously I’d totally steer you in the direction of a qualified instructor first and a private lesson will do wonders but if that’s not your style (or again too much money) and you just want to make a friend and get a few tips, hit us up on a weekend I’m down there and I’ll come give you a few pointers for an hour or so and we can grab a beer or 2 after the day 
.
TL:DR - Everything helps. Get to Perisher or Thredbo and get a lesson or at least hit up members here to have a ride with you and get some tips.
^ Yes.
Any (most, really) simulated practice will always help in getting the right muscles/parts working.
But at the end of the day, the only way you’re going to get a great exponential learning is to go more than 1 weekend.
I usually recommend 3-7 days, so that they can put in a rest day in for sore muscles, but have the sequential days in a row to be able to go home, reflect on the day’s learnings, and put into practice any learnings from that reflection.
tl;dr - anything helps, but like any activity, only more practice will make perfect. That and @skip11 needs to buy a motorbike and a sled.
Yep! As tj said there are a few of us who do every 2nd weekend and a few longer trips.. And we are quite happy to help.. If your on a mountain near us.
Like tj never tried artificial snowboarding.. But once you get it (on real snow - which I’m assuming will also work on artificial) it just seems to click and you get a feel for it…
Also can I suggest watching something like snowboard addiction’s tutorials - I also think Boardworld has some floating around on here too?
Hope that helps a bit 
Welcome to BW btw!!
P.s lol at skip and the bike!!
Firstly, thank you all for the responses. This community seems pretty awesome.
Also thank you for the invites. I’m sure you’d all get a kick out of me falling flat on my ass. Seriously though, I do plan on heading up this year with my brother and will remember it. Cheers.
Seems the general consensus is that it can’t hurt and will teach me enough that it probably warrants the price for a beginner so I’m going to hit it up with my brother and see how it pans out.
Thanks again ladies and gents.
hahah, Andy doesn’t give up even tho I won’t buy a bike lol
Never used a dry slope. But i have heard some of the newer ones are pretty good. I saw one that kinda looks like weird long white grass, that apparently is pretty good. Another called Neveplast or something like that is also ment to be fairly good.
Adrenalin in Canberra are opening a powderpak ramp soon in their new wearhouse. Looking forward to giving that a go.
Canberra’s powderpak Park is already open and rideable.
If you were in Victoria I’d say come my Park in Geelong or the other powderpak Park in carrum downs, it’s a he’ll of alot cheaper than that Sydney thing and more realistic to how you’d board on an actual mountain
Firstly, thank you all for the responses. This community seems pretty awesome.
Also thank you for the invites. I’m sure you’d all get a kick out of me falling flat on my ass. Seriously though, I do plan on heading up this year with my brother and will remember it. Cheers.
You forget that we were all there. I’m at the snow so much during the season that an hour or 2 helping someone who has actively seeked out assistance on a forum won’t ruin my day and the kick of helping someone do something awesome is worth it.
I have videos on facebook where I couldn’t get down Smiggins without multiple bails… My first season it took me like 2 weeks of 3-4 days a week riding to even get it because I tried to teach myself.
hahah, Andy doesn’t give up even tho I won’t buy a bike lol
You should really buy a bike though…
Canberra’s powderpak Park is already open and rideable.
If you were in Victoria I’d say come my Park in Geelong or the other powderpak Park in carrum downs, it’s a he’ll of alot cheaper than that Sydney thing and more realistic to how you’d board on an actual mountain
Must have only been in the last few days then?
I was down there maybe 2-3 weeks ago, and they had teh membership forms, but it wasnt open.
Was having a chat to the guys there and had a peek,The set up they have going though is looking awesome.
@ KopitezWalk
Im pretty new to the sport myself. Started maybe 10 years ago, went once or twice. Stopped. Got back into it last season.
Ill be down a fair bit this season, and also getting another two mates into it, so feel free to tag along.
Totally hit us up as well Drifter. Always looking for more people to shred with, seeing the stoke on peoples faces when you take them somewhere cool is one of the reasons I love this sport.
Totally hit us up as well Drifter. Always looking for more people to shred with, seeing the stoke on peoples faces when you take them somewhere cool is one of the reasons I love this sport.
Sounds good, Im hoping to get down a fair bit this season now that i have picked it up reasonably well.
Was down with LowGuido a lot last year, who taught me the ropes.
Air180 has also insisted i come to the shread, so will likley be there this year as well.
The painfull part is its still months away :S haha
So keen to get back down.
Canberra’s powderpak Park is already open and rideable.
If you were in Victoria I’d say come my Park in Geelong or the other powderpak Park in carrum downs, it’s a he’ll of alot cheaper than that Sydney thing and more realistic to how you’d board on an actual mountainMust have only been in the last few days then?
I was down there maybe 2-3 weeks ago, and they had teh membership forms, but it wasnt open.Was having a chat to the guys there and had a peek,The set up they have going though is looking awesome.
Yeah they opened it up pretty much as soon as they had one slope finished and it was rideable. They’re building the rest now I think but you can still ride what’s there. Check their facey it has all pics and details.
Totally hit us up as well Drifter. Always looking for more people to shred with, seeing the stoke on peoples faces when you take them somewhere cool is one of the reasons I love this sport.
Sounds good, Im hoping to get down a fair bit this season now that i have picked it up reasonably well.
Was down with LowGuido a lot last year, who taught me the ropes.Air180 has also insisted i come to the shread, so will likley be there this year as well.
The painfull part is its still months away :S haha
So keen to get back down.
The shred is so worth it. Great bunch of people and great times. Unless you get the K2 award… and then you gone done goofed… (Hurt yourself)