Waxing your snowboard

Learning how to wax your own snowboard is a quick and easy way to give your board a tune up. A fresh coat of wax can really be useful when there is fresh powder. Since when you do not have a fresh wax and try to ride in fresh powder snow can build up on the bottom of the board acting like a brake. This can ruin your riding experience since you will not be able to ride as easily as you might be use to.

There are several different types of wax out there, and you need to find the one that is right for you and the conditions you will be riding on. To start the waxing process find a place where it will not matter if a little wax gets on the floor or ground. Next set your board on a chair or blocks so that it is about belly button height, and place to board with the bottom facing up.

The first step in waxing your snowboard is to apply the wax. To do this, hold the iron perpendicular to the board and rub the wax onto the iron allowing the wax to drip onto the board. A thick coat is not necessary, just enough to cover the board. Once you have the wax on the board in the dripped form use the iron to spread the wax evenly across the entire board.

The next step in waxing your board is to scrape off the wax. You will need a scraper that is made of either Plexiglas or plastic. You will then remove the wax by scraping in a smooth and consistent manner. You will want to scrape down the board, not across. Once you have removed the wax you will want to use either a snowboard wax brush or really any abrasive pad you may have laying around. This will polish the bottom of your board and get rid of any wax you may have missed when scraping the wax off of the bottom of your board.

Riding in powder

There are different styles of snowboard riding for different types of conditions. When riding on the east coast it is important to keep in mind that generally you are not riding in powder. Therefore, you must keep your stance leaning forward or centered on the board in the “triple threat” basketball position.

It is only when riding in powder over about four inches or so do you want to start shifting your stance more toward your back foot. This is because if you are riding in powder and do not shift your weight back from the general centered stance the nose of your snowboard will dive into the snow sending you flying forward. This can be painful especially on your knees since you are strapped to the board.

When the snow is falling resorts generally do not groom the slopes. When the slopes are groomed the snow is distributed evenly across the slope. However, when they do get fresh snow they usually do not want to pack the snow down so that people can enjoy the feel of the fresh powder. This causes lumps, bumps, or moguls to form. When this happens you really want to lean farther back than usual. This will help keep the nose of your board up, and will make it easier for you ride over top of these bumps on the slopes.

Another tip I have to give to those who are lucky enough to ride fresh powder on the east coast is to think of your legs as shock absorbers. You want to keep your knees bent a little more than usual, and let your legs be relaxed. This will help you ride over the ungroomed snow much easier, and keep up from falling. Riding on fresh powder requires you bounce around more so than on typical east coast hard pack.

Connecting turns

The next step in snowboarding to learning how to connect turns, so that you don’t just stick to one edge the whole time. It is common for most people to be much more comfortable on one edge than the other. One important tip that you much keep in mind while riding is to try and stay as centered on the board as possible. This stance is the same as the “triple threat” position used in basketball. This stance is balanced on the center of the board with your knees bent.

Another way to get use to making turns on your snowboard is making what is called a “C” turn. The “C” turn and the “J” turn are called so because you want your turn to make the shape of the letter. A “C” turn is more of a swooping turn than the “J” turn.

In my previous blog I told you how to skate and make the “J” turn. Now you need to learn how to twist the board to make your turns flow together. A twist on the board is when you have your toes pulling up on one foot placing weight on your heel, and pushing your toes down on your other foot. Doing this vice versa is also performing a twist.

Now once you have the previously mentioned “J” turn down pat it is time to link turns together. Once you reach the end of the “J” you want to make a twist to start the turn going to other way. So, if you have made a toe side turn and want to transition to a heel side turn make a twist in the board where you pick up your toes and keep your heel pushed down. Then as the board starts coming around pull up your toes on your back foot. Once you have this down you are ready to keep practicing and linking turns.

How to determine stance & make first turn

Here are some tips to help you teach yourself how to snowboard. You want to start by determining which foot is your dominant foot. To do this you are going to need two people. You start by standing with your back to another person. Then have the other person give you a gently push forward, and which ever foot you step forward with is going to be your back foot. If this is your right foot then you have a regular stance. However, if this is your left foot then your stance is goofy. Once you have your stance determined you are ready to step out on the slopes.

I would recommend not going up the lift to start with. Instead, strap in only your front foot. Try skating around a bit to get use to having a board strapped to your feet. Skating is the same on a snowboard as it is on a skate board. Take your back foot, place it in front of your front foot in slide it backwards along the board, and repeat as needed.

The next step is to just walk up the hill like twenty yards or so. Then with either one or both feet strapped in start with your perpendicular to the slope, and you are looking down the hill. You are now going to take the first step in learning how to turn. This is called a “J” turn on your toe side. Next stand up in start the board going down the hill you are going to put pressure on your front foot toes to twist the board, since your back foot will still be pulling away from the slopes. This initiates the turn. Then shift weight from your heel to your toes on your back foot to complete the “J” turn. You then reverse these steps the learn how to make a heel side turn.