Tutorial 1 about Snowboard

FROM THE AUTHOR

How to write this book? Just like many other books: taken from available literature and on the Internet, altered phrases, with the addition of my own discourse. Here's the result a textbook in front of you. It is easy to read - with a lot of funny snowboarding pictures. Who is it for? Trainers and coaches, as it will enhance their credibility in the eyes of students. For the average level riders it will help them to do everything correctly.Yesterday's beginner who became better than all, will convince you that they can do well without it. And, of course, some are naive enough to believe that you can learn to ride with a book in your hands.

It turns out that this book is necessary almost everybody, or people are interested in snowboarding. The reward for this interest you will be drawings by the fabulous artist Michael Lisovy with which we are six years in MVTU them.

I want to say again - this book is not big: there is no jumping or skiing off piste, because teach it is useless - you can only learn, there is no mathematical calculations and physical terms, because they are tiring, there are not special words and expressions, because they are difficult to learn them. This book - is just simple, with which you can use to try to make the first move on a snowboard.

On what actually talking about?

Snowboard - the board on the snow. From in-depth study of English language with a guaranteed result, it will surprise nobody.

Remarkably different: how this simple invention for twenty years has found many fans and captured the imagination of millions? Is it really was so interesting that people drop everything and go to the mountains, there chaining their feet to the most snow board, and rush her on the slopes, continually risking breaking his neck? Why?

Try and understand that sensations, got from jumping, flying, and just snowboarding, is not comparable with anything.

TV, alcohol, drugs , never will give you the joy felt by the feeling that the next moment of your life depends not on the officer or teacher, not the mood of a friend , not from a bank account or lack thereof, not the power under the hood and the engine brake's state, but only from your brain and your body's reaction.

You see rocks and trees,passing at an alarming rate; whirling snow from the nose of your board; brand snowboarding on virgin slopes intact, and you feel an adrenaline rush as injected into your veins

Believe me, it's worth try ...

Riding style and choice of equipment

Before you start riding, you have to buy some stuff. One of the determining factors when choosing a board, boots and bindings is riding style, which seems preferable to you. There are no uniform standards in the names of different styles and many manufacturers of equipment, which is close to the previously outlined framework, designed to attract a buyer for its novelty. Some of them are commonly used, and some live only in the catalogs of their authors.

Here are the most common terms are combined into groups.

FREESTYLE (Freestyle, FS)
• - Jumps, spins, tricks and acrobatics. riding is not just snow, but on the rails, on boxes, etc.
• Technical freestyle - riding in the snowboard park, performing tricks on a specially constructed jumps and HALFPIPE.

FREERIDE (Freeride, FR)
• - The most popular and democratic style, which includes gliding in off-piste for all types of snow and terrain.
• ALL MOUNTAIN, FULLRIDE - versatile style, with elements of freeride freestyle-skiing on the trails and slopes unprepared to perform jumps, flights and other tricks.
• BACK COUNTRY - climb on foot or helicopter to wild peaks and descend by detour routes, prudently and with common sense
• EXTREME - riding high and ultra-high speeds wherever possible (and where it was impossible too).

CARVING FREECARVE (CARVING, Freecarve, FC)
• - riding without slipping with cutted arcs with constant control of the board.
• ALPINE - riding on a narrow, rigid board, on hard snow.
• RACING - training and competition (slalom, downhill) on specially prepared tracks.
• Boardercross (Boardercross, BX) - uniting all the ways of riding. Competitors start together on the slope, consisting of tight turns, hills, jumps. It's very spectacular and interesting.


All these are not very understandable terms which can be replaced by short notation: FS, FS / FR, FR, FR / FC, FC, BX. Most manufacturers and sellers of snowboard do it.

Freestyle (FS) requires good physical preparation of certain mental abilities, considerable courage when making jumps and be ready to falls and get injuries. You can get bored with Freestyle, because the number of tricks cannot be speaking, and the learning of each them is an exciting experience. Good because it allows to ride on a relatively short slopes. For the same reason allows you to ride almost the entire season without costly trips to the big mountains. Adherents of this style master without a problem and with a very short time other ride's styles due at their good knowledge of the board and the body - the basis of freestyle.

Freeride (FR) implies complete freedom. What I want, I do it. I want to jump, i jump. I want ride the powder, don't want carve. The absence of any rules and restrictions make this style more appealing to the majority of snowboarders. Of course, there is a huge difference in level between those who go to the mountain ten months this year, and vacationers slowly descending on the blue track.

Carving (FC) - speed riding on hard boards, and with hard shoes, mainly on prepared tracks. Constant monitoring and the inability to relax. The most beautiful tracks on a slope. Popular for the old snowboarders, because of some similarities in the equipments. Carving is rather complicated, and to learn it takes time.

FS / FR, FR / FC - some combination of styles, and admitting that, and more.

Different styles of riding require different equipment. If you buy a board for carving, something about jumping and spins are better to forget - with powerful and heavy board will be very hard to make it. And vice versa: freestyle boards won't give you to accelerate on the slope, trying all the time edging, and feel the return of each bump in your feet won't add the pleasure of riding.

Snowboard Freeride is more versatile.

course, ideally, should have at least a couple of boards, but to start something you need anyway with one. So, think for both that you prefer, watch movies, flip through magazines and go to the store.

How, where and what to buy

Boards are different - blue, white, red ... and broad and narrow, soft and hard, long and short, expensive and very expensive. Unfortunately, the board applies the general rule of commodity-monetary relations: the good is never cheap, so do not expect to buy a super board for little money, although the reverse situation (for the trash super board) is quite possible.

How to choose? Of course, if you have a boyfriend, snowboarder, ready to help. Otherwise there are others, make the acquaintance of a seller - it will do both - get familiar with the seller, and then his knowledge will tell you the truth about the product presentation. Finally, if you don't have anyone who can help you - go to the store and rely on the integrity of sellers consultants. In most cases, they have a word to understand exactly what you need and give good advice, but for the sake of objectivity, a tour of several stores and listen to different suppliers. Out of curiosity, have something on the boards of their competitors, we learn many interesting thing

Snowboarding - fashionable hobby, and firms producing equipment for him, far more than those that specialize in manufacturing, such as skis, and each of these firms annually thrown on the market several new models, some of which actually carry the new design and original solutions, but most are different from last year's colors and name only.

There are two diametrically opposite approaches to the selection of equipment for the period of study: the first - to buy what is cheaper and worse, and when there will be some skills - to change all this into something more decent, and the second - to buy everything at once (so a good board), because learn to ride may, allegedly, a few days and a cheap rocket will slow my progress.

There is some truth in both versions. Buy very cheap board, especially second-hand, "killed" or so, it is not necessary, because the learning process can indeed be very short, and a week later board will cease to keep up with your achievements, and when you'v got something more worthwhile have to do, so, a bad board not always do the right thing. And if you just buy a nice, expensive board, then, logically, your snowboard talent may be equal to zero, and for three or four days long 'riding' on various parts of your body you will be happy to sell the object of your disillusionment over any money that will be two to three times lower than those you pay when purchasing it. In addition, the board has become damaged on the few rocks or some fencing we cannot avoid. It is distressing, and of course more the board is expensive more it's annoying.. There is another argument against the undue waste of money: a high price usually have a board designed for people with good or very good level of riding, these boards are not simple, but with character, and for a newcomer is very, very difficult to tame a rocket.

Buy to start the board of "average" or read in the catalog: "for good skiers, advanced riders middle and upper level" (or something like that, though, nobody never seen boards for the level of "below average"). Probably it will be sufficient after two to three years of use. If your skills are well above the average, each year you can change a board for another higher class, with little loss of money.

They are the shoes - size really could not fit with the previous owner and they have to be brand new, shipped from market. Wearing shoes is not worth buying one. Complicated with bindings, they rarely change, but everything in sight and hidden defects are impossible. But with the board, second-hand you must be very careful. On the one hand, cheap to buy a good board, riding let actively, but the whole season or two, as many experienced snowboarders are changing gear just as frequently. On the other - you can run into hidden defects, cleverly disguised repair, or buy a completely "killed" board, better is a board of three to five years old of "normal" riding(2 weeks) that which have one year old from a seller who rided like crazy all season. If you decide to buy an old board - be careful! What catches your eye immediately - scratches on the outer side of the board and on its sliding surface - is sheer nonsense. At first you can do to not pay attention, and second, even deeper, easily repaired.

Without giving money to the vendor, test the board: Take the nose and a friend the tail, twist it, soak in water for 10-15 seconds. If it starts to crackle discard. If, after ten or fifteen seconds after you retire, the board keeps the shape of a helix then idem.

If you're new to snowboarding, a snowboard used should be enough. Finally, whether you're buying a snow board used to start or not, it is important to check the following points:
The sole of your snowboard (bottom of your board) used is severely scratched? If this is the case is that the board in question wasn't be maintained and she is old. A good snowboard used must be smooth.
The color of the sole of your snowboard is used it faded around the edges? If so, it means that your board of occas snow gets wet!. Then go running!
The edges and the nose of the board are rusty and they stand out? If the answer is yes, this means that the owner did not adequately maintained its board.

And when the boards on the market runs out - go to the store. By the way, boards, boots, bindings like any commodity, they are subject to manufacturers warranty and sellers, but do not be shy to recall this at the sellers for the purchase and, at the same time, check the warranty.

Soft and hard

The boards are either flexible or rigid. Stiffness increases FS to FR , FR to CF. Some criteria of rigidity does not exist, except for certain conventional units, and compare equipment from one manufacturer has never given a sense of softness or stiffness of a particular board (or shoes) in comparison with those of competitors.

Snowboards, located at the extreme poles of the softness-hardness different from each other so that the fit to enroll them in different sports and recreation. Is it possible on a soft board to do what is inherent in a rigid and vice versa? Hardly ...

The differences laid already in the design of the board: soft board is softer, which is understandable, wider, shorter and lighter. All this is necessary in order to jump, perform tricks and land as soon as more reliable. This is in order, as quickly as possible to move a body with one side of the board to another, changing the direction of motion.

On the soft snow boarding after the jump you can land on the tail or nose, but at the expense of flexibility of the board to soften the landing, and without losing her balance, to stay on his feet. On a rigid board that fails - you just votknetes in the snow. Soft plaque is easier and therefore perform different tricks on it easier. But on a rigid board can accelerate to high speed, because it vibrates less and lose traction with the snow, even on hilly slope. Performing carve (carving) on the rigid board is a pleasure, on a soft - irritation, because the board is pressed into the most exciting moment and you find yourself in the position of "lying".

Riding on a rigid board in the forest can bring trouble to you and to the woods because the frequent short turns - not her element. In virgin equally badly behaved, and very soft, and very rigid boards. The first are pressed in the middle and can not pick up speed, while the latter is not at all are pressed and buried his nose. Exit - freeride board.

Because that soft boots and bindings allow some freedom of feet and wider than the board itself, it responds to your actions slightly slower hard and you can easily correct errors directly during execution these actions. On a rigid board that is not possible - the instantaneous response and no errors are forgiven, and therefore learn better in a soft outfit.

But all extremes. There are a huge number of snowboards, combines the advantages of the soft and hard equipment. These properties for freeride board, with which, probably, and should start training when you certainly do not want to devote himself to purely soft or, conversely, only a rigid discipline.

BULLETIN

Typically, people choose to purchase a snowboard, beginning with the selection board, and then later picked up under her boots and bindings that can be, and is justified, given that the board most significant element of equipment and material and psychological terms.

More boards are shorter and flexible more it's easy to learn. First, because such a board is easier to steer, especially at low speed (for beginners), and secondly, a soft board forgive the many errors, and then the equipment is much more comfortable.

Many manufacturers make boards specifically for beginner snowboarders. They are relatively cheap because they have a simple design and have low reliability. You can buy this board if you are able to change it for a few dollars or if you feel you absolutely need a snowboard. In other words, if you just want to try your rent boards.

In all other cases you must buy a board average or above average, because your progress will be fast enough and the low level board will soon become hinder your development.

ry should be approached cautiously to buy boards "top" level. Of course, to have such a board is very nice and prestigious, but please note - the more serious the board, the higher the demands on its owner. If by "average" board as something can be arranged, the "top" model will retaliate for every mistake or inaccuracy. Think, would you learn to ride a horse, circling wild mustangs, or would prefer calmer horse?

Suppose you are undecided - a board company XXX "FS / FR for good riders," what's next? Begin to try on the board itself. First of all - the length. There are many recommendations, such as: "a board for freeriding should be above the chin and below the nose." All this is true, but in fact, the board should, above all, to match your weight and not height. The passport of any board or in the catalog of the manufacturer, you can always find the line "weight riders" - that it's the need to navigate. Probably need no reminding that a good seller and a board with passports, and catalogs on the site ...

If your growth is strongly does not match your weight (basketball player with a weight of gymnasts, for example), the board should be chosen a little longer, if the proportion of feedback - in short. Another factor influencing the length of the boards of your future - your temperament: if you know that you will ride aggressively or even aggressive - take a little longer than recommended by the board - will be interesting.

In order to understand whether you fit the width of the board, you need shoes. If you have them yet, take the store to try on every pair in your size. Put the shoe on the board as they should be (do not forget the angle of attachment! See page 24), and see how your toes and heels in favor of the edge of the board. If this is 1-1,5 see - well, if 2-2,5 see - you may have problems when the cut corners or riding on steep slopes (protruding toes and heels will "strike sharply" in the snow), and if are your shoes do not reach the edge of the board are the same 2-2,5 cm - control board you will be very hard, and enjoy a ride you're unlikely to get. In determining. Is the board you selected in width, it should be noted that the general board is better behaved on the virgin snow, but worse than any other snow, the wider the board, so it is slow and clumsy, wide board harder to manage, but steady.

Do not despair if you have a large shoe size - many manufacturers produce boards specifically for the model "for bolshenogih, ask the seller - maybe you are lucky.

As it may hurt, but one of the most important parameters board - its hardness, the store that you check fails. To learn to understand how much harder the other one board, they need to bend much, and along, and across, and "screw" that is not enough any board, no time, no hands. Of course, to tell the difference between a soft, child board and the championship cars, great intelligence and experience is not necessary, but the differences in the rigidity of a class of board and at the same level, not having proper experience - is unrealistic. Have to trust the recommendations of manufacturers and sales assistants.

With regard to the design board - not to puzzle over words such as "triaxial braiding fiber" or "elastomeric marginal depreciation. The more long and incomprehensible words, the board is more expensive. A person who is capable of explaining these and other abstruse terminology should give the Nobel Prize for Translation of meaningless phrases in the language no one understood.

Fundamental structures of all three: CEP, sandwiches and sandwich-CEP. Some manufacturers use only one of them for all their boards, others use all three, so that the question "What is better?" Unequivocal answer is no. All is well.

The same can be said about the stuffing: there is either a tree or a tree with some space necessary complement, or something very strange and unearthly origin and entirely without wood.

board, and not from a tree? And what ...?

SHOES

As well as boards, boots and bindings are soft and hard, expensive and cheap, for beginners and professionals. The most important thing in their selection - full compliance to the board. It makes no sense to buy good expensive board, put on her unpretentious mount and ride in the boots. You never use fully the potential of their boards, if ever think about the narrowness of his shoes, or all the time tightens the straps fastening. You can say that your snowboard is the level of the worst of its elements, whether board, boots or bindings. One must match.

Carefully, slowly, try on several pairs of shoes you are vending. During the rush will pay the bloody calluses and frostbitten toes. Shoes should not be great (if buying kids version of "outgrower" here does not pass), so they must be measured on a thin sock. Do not be afraid that my feet are cold, and extra socks to wear not succeed - boots warm enough by themselves, and you hardly need the extra insulation, but the board to dictate their wishes through a loose shoe on the foot will be quite problematic. Buy tight shoes you won't want for yourself.

Put on both shoes, lace them carefully to all the laces and close to all the required fasteners (if any), hiking, poprisedayte, wiggle your fingers, try to move the leg forward and backward. Leg should be fixed very clear - it is a guarantee not only a good ride, but keeping your joints. Inside there should be no seams, folds or tubercles. Your fingers can touch the socks shoes, but they must be closely: please note that these shoes you'll have to spend long hours and do not rely on the fact that they are spread over time. Yes, there are shoes, taking your foot's shape over time - so, at least, is written in the handouts, but is rather a correction of the form, rather than increasing the size or two. You are entitled to claim the maximum comfort for their money, and the choice of models is large enough and have to choose from what.

With regard to the materials from which shoes are made, here is determining the thickness of your wallet: other things being equal, performance shoes, made with, for example, membrane fabrics, can cost two to three times more expensive than those in which the used material is easier. Almost all the experts is very adamant on the skin: leather shoes better not to take - just get wet and never dry. Maybe it is true, but leather boots are still needed to search.

Soft boots can be single or double, consisting of internal and external. Double is preferable, though, because in our climate. The more shoes the better.

Tight shoes only double. Firms and their produce, much less, and choice, respectively, are not so great. Hard plastic boots for snowboarding like to ski, but a bit lower and softer longitudinally, and particularly in the transverse direction. You can ski in ski boots, permitting attachment, just to relax a little clip, and if the shoes are high, loosen the upper lock. Generally speaking, there are shoes that are having a soft appearance, in fact, many are tougher plastic.

Plastic mountaineering boots are suitable for rigid snowboard strong points, but winning in the comfort, at a disadvantage in stiffness. However, the period of training, this rigidity is more than enough. Alternatively, they can recommend to soft anchorages, so if you itch to do BACK COUNTRY, where no climbing equipment can not do.

For a rigid board an excellent choice for boots SKI-TOURa (special equipment, extreme skiers).

RETENTION

Soft mounts can be classical (with straps) or step-in (come-vschelknulsya). And they both have pluses and minuses, and as a consequence, their supporters and their opponents. Step-in, of course, easier to fasten, but only on a level, compacted snow. In the virgin is with them, problems may arise because of the snow clogging the locks. In addition, some systems lock and shoes, you have chosen, it should be suitable for these anchorages. Sami shoes are heavier than those made under the classic version of the straps, since moved their design some elements of fixtures. But attaching themselves are small discs, and a board with bindings is very compact. Attachment with straps less convenient to unbutton and zip up, especially on short slopes, where you often do it, but they are structurally simpler and, if monitor snaps and straps, problems with them does not arise.

Rigid mounting bracket have to separate the front and rear welt shoe. The same system on snoubleydah - another trendy hobby, and mountaineering crampons. Such mounting are compact, easy to use, but for their simplicity and compactness have to pay the complexity and awkwardness of the shoes.

Soft or hard mount is not opened by the fall - this simply is not necessary. First, the board is shorter skis, this moment, and, correspondingly, the force acting on the leg in a fall, a relatively small and, secondly, both feet are fixed on the board and even a small effort raspolovinivaetsya.

When choosing fixtures, note how they are attached to the board. This may be the four screws (4x4 system) or three (system 3D).

With adjustments to fit a mounting shoe so that it is not hung nor prdolnom nor in the transverse direction. Attachment to pdbirat to shoes (or vice versa).

Neither type of anchorage for the board has no ski-stop - the brakes, preventing accidental runaway board of careless owner, and therefore in no case be put on board a sliding surface of the snow.

fitting of

First you need to determine which foot forward you will be riding - the left (regular) or right (Goofy). The simplest thing - run up and ride on ice or a slippery floor. That leg, which you will slide forward, will be front and snowboarding. The second method requires someone's help. Assistant should suddenly push you in the back (how to do it - think for yourself) - you not to fall off, set one foot forward: if it's left - you are "regular", right - "Goofy." If you fall, not putting any of the legs, then you belong to that small percentage of people who do not care what their foot forward.

To determine the distance between the bindings need to know the following: the higher the speed of your board, and harsher - the mount closer to each other. The more you perform tricks and jumps - the attachment to each other on. Close to established retention contribute to the implementation of sharp turns, set far away - make your ride more stable.

Freestyle - fixing are broadly free ride - a bit already, carving - even narrower. Position for fixing the center need not be permanent - depending on the style of riding, snow conditions, and just the mood, this distance may vary. For example, for skiing on virgin snow makes sense to shift both bindings back a few inches - the board will be floated to the lighter. Attachment can and should move in different directions to find the best option for themselves.

Angles of attachment are also dependent on the rigidity of the board: the harder the board, the greater the angle (for 0 degrees is taken perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the board). Front and rear mount are installed at different angles - the angle of the front by about 15 degrees more. Adherents freestyle sometimes deploying rear mount to the side of the tail board (-3, -6 degrees), and slalom ride with angles of 40-60 degrees. Rotation angles are also not permanent and may change. Change the position of attachment at any time and from anyone it does not depend on, will allow a screwdriver, which is part of equipment of any snowboarder.

For a period of training, you can install mounting at angles of 20 (forward) and 5 (posterior) degrees, or thereabouts. The distance between the centers of fasteners approximately equal to the distance from the floor to the center of your knee. One of the producers of snowboard company Hammer, recommends the following values: men - the growth of x 0.29, women - growth of x 0.27. About the center of the board mounting is better to set symmetrically. Shoe heel and nose to the edge of the board to act the same way, can a little more than "hang out" socks, but not vice versa.