Why does your snowboarding feel stuck?

So how many of you felt like you learnt to snowboard pretty easily? You learnt to turn, then it was a green run, blue run, red run, and now you’re doing blacks, but you still feel like you’re not fully in control.

Or maybe you started getting into the park, learnt a 360, but now you’re struggling to go any further.

It’s a problem I see all the time with clients and with people on the mountain, especially seasonaires.

There’s a massive misconception that doing a black run, landing a backflip or straight lining a piste at full speed makes you a good snowboarder. While I’m not taking away from the fact that these are all really fun things to do, they don’t necessarily prove you’re a good rider. They might just prove you’ve got the stones to try them and are willing to go through a potentially painful learning curve to get there.

So what actually makes a good snowboarder?

For me, it’s simple. Good foundations.

You can clearly see the riders who have taken the time to get really good at the basic stuff. Good foundations create good style, or STEEZ: Style & Ease.

If you never learn to do a good 180, how can you expect to have a good 540?

If you don’t fully understand how to turn and create grip with your board, what are you going to do when you find yourself on a steep, icy section?

This is something I found out the hard way myself. I had a few lessons when I was 11 and then didn’t have another one until I started doing my coaching qualifications. It was only then that I realised how much faster I could have progressed if I’d invested some time and money into good coaching earlier.

So if you’re reading this because you genuinely want to get better on your snowboard, don’t ignore the basics.

Get some coaching wherever you are. You won’t regret it.

Hope to see you on the mountain someday!

Charlie