EpicSki  ›  The Barking Bear Forums  ›  Snowboarding Forums  ›  Snowboard Instruction & Technique  ›  Tips for helping a newby get off the lift?
Forum Nav More Forums | All New Posts | New Thread

Tips for helping a newby get off the lift?

#31
Rating: 0
10/10/08 at 1:13pm
  • Joined: October 2008
  • Location: Federal Way
  • Post Count: 9
My GF is new to snowboarding and usually bites it off the lift.
She sets her self up for it with negative thinking. She is already
planning the fall half way up the lift. I try and take her mind off of it
with any random conversation. Still hasn't worked.
I just stay relaxed, point board in a direction and don't panic.
Not sure how to help her out on this one.
Export to Wiki
#32
Rating: 0
10/10/08 at 5:17pm
  • Joined: March 2004
  • Location: Maryland
  • Post Count: 6,692
Let her hold on to you (hand on shoulder) when you get off. Make sure she knows it is only to help her balance on her own feet, not to put her weight on you, just her hand.

Take her gloves away before you get to the unloading. Women hate to get their hands cold. She will do what it takes to keep her bare hands out of the snow.

Threaten to make her ski if she can't manage a snowboard.

And read this thread, there are some good tips here.
Export to Wiki
#33
Rating: 0
10/11/08 at 9:26pm
  • Joined: October 2003
  • Location: Mount Airy, MD
  • Post Count: 5,542
One option I use for crash prone beginners is what I call "power assist". I grab their hips and we ride off the chair together. I don't let the rider fall backwards by forcing their weight to stay centered over the board. On repeat attempts I use less assist until they "get it" on their own. This solves the catch 22 that they won't get it until they do it and they won't do it until they get it.

Regards,
Rusty

Export to Wiki
#34
Rating: 0
10/14/08 at 7:57pm
  • Joined: October 2008
  • Location: ATL
  • Post Count: 11
Quote:
Originally Posted by therusty View Post
One option I use for crash prone beginners is what I call "power assist". I grab their hips and we ride off the chair together. I don't let the rider fall backwards by forcing their weight to stay centered over the board. On repeat attempts I use less assist until they "get it" on their own. This solves the catch 22 that they won't get it until they do it and they won't do it until they get it.
I wish my instructors had done that for me. I had to learn the hard way.
Export to Wiki
#35
Rating: 0
10/23/08 at 4:10pm
  • Joined: October 2008
  • Location: A Long way from Home
  • Post Count: 4
Quote:
Originally Posted by StealthBoarder View Post
I wish my instructors had done that for me. I had to learn the hard way.
There is always the other way. Just pull a GNAR.
Export to Wiki
#36
Rating: 0
10/24/08 at 4:46pm
  • Joined: December 2007
  • Location: Seven Springs & N Myrtle Beach
  • Post Count: 26
Eureka-Like, I like your "take her mind off it" chatting. Good call.
Additional progress may be realized by returning to a comfort zone to analyze movements that don't result in falling. You may choose to revisit gliding with one foot out of binding on easy, non-intimidating terrain. Noting: where are yours hips & shoulders while riding? what kind of weight do you have on each foot?, what are you thinking about? Getting off a Majic Carpet may be a good pre-lift exercise. Its generally smaller, but the movements are the same... rear foot on stomp pad (or inside, against back binding); even weight distribution, left an right foot; flexed, athletic/active stance; and just stay chill and glide right off, "just like gliding [down on the bunny hill, or wherever]." After finding what works, take "what works" back to the lift.
Export to Wiki
#37
Rating: 0
10/25/08 at 6:27am
  • Joined: October 2008
  • Location: Federal Way
  • Post Count: 9
Thanks for the recommendations. More time spent on easier terrain
is in order.
Export to Wiki
#38
Rating: 0
11/3/08 at 10:36pm
  • Joined: October 2008
  • Post Count: 12
wow this thread has some really complicated and technical instructions on getting off a chair lift!

I tell my students to make sure they line their board up with the ramp as they approach it, then stand up on their backfoot when their board is on the ramp and to let the chair push them forward.

I also always left them know that it will be pushing on their leg so they can be read for that.
Export to Wiki
#39
Rating: 0
11/4/08 at 10:50am
  • Joined: October 2003
  • Location: Mount Airy, MD
  • Post Count: 5,542
Martin,

How steep is the exit ramp off the lift? How fast is the lift? Do you have them weight their back foot more than their front foot?

Regards,
Rusty

Export to Wiki
#40
Rating: 0
11/9/08 at 7:36pm
  • Joined: October 2008
  • Post Count: 12
Quote:
Originally Posted by therusty View Post
Martin,

How steep is the exit ramp off the lift? How fast is the lift? Do you have them weight their back foot more than their front foot?

The ramp is about 20 degrees and you can hike the bunny hill about as fast as the lift if you are in good shape. I do tell them to put more weight on their back foot. I know that reduces their ability to steer, but I want them to just go straight forward. I find that telling students to put more weight on their back foot helps them not buckle their back leg as the chair pushes on it
Export to Wiki
#41
Rating: 0
11/10/08 at 7:33am
  • Joined: October 2003
  • Location: Mount Airy, MD
  • Post Count: 5,542
Thanks Martin,

One of the mantras I use for teaching is never teach something that has to be undone later. "Never" is not absolute, it's just something I try to live by. One of the big problems that beginners have is putting too much weight on the back foot and trying to "surf". Thus my first immediate reaction to this advice is "NO!". The cool thing about sharing ideas over the Internet is that this gives me a chance to reassess my thinking about this. Anything that increases the success rate for getitng off the lift is worth considering.

Regards,
Rusty

Export to Wiki
#42
Rating: 0
11/11/08 at 6:43pm
  • Joined: October 2008
  • Post Count: 12
Quote:
Originally Posted by therusty View Post
Thanks Martin,

One of the big problems that beginners have is putting too much weight on the back foot and trying to "surf".
I totally feel you on that one! I think this is a problem that every instructor deals with and is sometimes a hard habit to break. When the student start going fast they just seem to lean back and tail press until they fall.
Export to Wiki
Forum Nav More Forums | All New Posts | New Thread
EpicSki  ›  The Barking Bear Forums  ›  Snowboarding Forums  ›  Snowboard Instruction & Technique  ›  Tips for helping a newby get off the lift?