How to snowboard: 18 tips for beginners

Looking to learn to snowboard? We couldn’t be prouder! Snowboarding opens up a new world for you to explore, and we’re stoked you’re here. 

But knowing where to start can be daunting. You’ve got your board, and there’s a slope. So, how do you get down the thing? Don't sweat it – we’ve got some super gold-dust pointers to give you a jumpstart on this awesome sport. You’ll be charging black diamonds in no time. 

So without further ado, let’s dive into our top beginner tips on how to snowboard. We’ve covered everything from gear to riding and slope etiquette. So, swat up, strap in – and don’t forget to get stoked for this new adventure! 

1. Make sure you have the right board

Right, let’s start with the essentials: your board. If you’re hiring, you’ll often not get asked what length or type you want, what your binding angles are, etc, and that’s because most beginners don’t know those things yet. But it doesn’t mean that what you get given won’t help or hinder your progression. Though, luckily, most rental gear is beginner leaning, so it should work for you, rather than against you!

Pssst - If you are still looking for stylish clothing to bring on your next adventure in the mountains, check out our latest collections over at Dope Snow. 

Women's snowboard jackets | Men's snowboard jackets
Women's snowboard pants | Men's snowboard pants

Most beginner snowboards will either have a flat or rockered camber. This means the board is either flat, or curved upwards away from the snow, so you won’t have to stress about catching an edge as much as with a cambered board when initiating those turns. But, it’s good to ask whoever is setting up your board to make sure! Some older beginner boards are cambered, so we’d recommend talking to them about the camber profile before getting on it.

We’d recommend you choose a beginner board that’s an All Mountain one, too, rather than a park board. That way, you can use it across the whole mountain as you progress on the slopes and work out what you like. And make sure your bindings are right. They don’t want to overhang and drag in the snow or under-hang, making it harder to apply pressure to your edges, so ensure you’re getting the right size bindings to match both the board’s width and your shoe size. And when they set them up, talk to them about the stance width and angles, too, as everyone has a different preference.

2. Gather the correct gear

Now you’ve found your trusty steed, it’s time to think about the gear. To start, it’s all about snowboard boots. Any size too small, and you'll have trouble maneuvering. Anything too big and you’ll find yourself with lots of heel lift, making it harder to apply pressure to your edges and potentially resulting in yard-sale-ing a lot through lack of control. Zero fun. 

For the best boot fit, your toes should touch the end of the boot but not cram tightly against it, curl over, or have too much room. You also want to make sure you have the right clothing. Too cold, and you’ll have a miserable session. You want to be warm but not overheat. Otherwise, you’ll end up a sweaty mess steaming up your goggles and riding with your vents wide open. So, think about your layers and having the right waterproof technical outerwear. Don’t forget to opt for an insulated or shell snowboard jacket and pants, depending on the conditions. 

Trust us on this one – you’ll want protective gear, too. That includes a helmet, wrist guards, and impact padding for your behind on your first trips out. You might feel a little cumbersome, but, still, it’s worth wearing bum padding to protect your coccyx, especially as you’ll fall a lot during the first few days. Sorry – spoiler alert there. 

3. Figure out your snowboard stance 

Right, we know we’re stating the obvious, but you’ll be going down the hill sideways. And unless you regularly impersonate a crab, that’s probably not your natural stance. So, it’s time to figure out your snowboard stance, and there are two options: regular and goofy. 

A regular stance is when your left foot faces forwards. Goofy stance is your right foot forward. To figure out your snowboarding stance, ask your mate to push you from behind. Which foot instinctively moves forward to catch your balance? Alternatively, imagine there’s a frozen lake in front of you – which foot is in front when running and sliding over it? Whichever foot is forward in both instances is your front foot when snowboarding (well, 99% of the time!). If you skate, wakeboard, or surf, your lead foot will be the same when you snowboard. 

Knowing which stance you are before you strap in or have a lesson will speed up the process. You’ll head to the mountain ready to get going and start making turns more easily. 

4. Start strapping in

Right, you’ve got your snowboard, boots, and bindings, you’re on the slope, and you’re ready to do this! Now, how do you strap into your board? 

First, start somewhere flat and place your snowboard perpendicular to the slope. Then, bump the heel edge of your snowboard into the snow. This will stop it from moving. With your lead foot in the binding, push your heel back. Put the toe strap on by feeding it through and tighten it until it feels nice and snug. Do the same for the ankle strap and on both feet. Hey, you’re now ready to ride. 

You can also sit down and strap into your board. You’re less likely to lose your balance this way, and it uses less energy. However, don’t worry if it surprises you how hard it is to stand up from a seated position. You need to propel yourself forward and use all that core strength. Sometimes, it’s easier to flip yourself over so your knees are on the snow and you’re facing up the mountain on your toeside edge.

5. Book a snowboarding lesson

Book a snowboarding lesson with a qualified instructor (even if it’s just for the first two days of learning). This way, you’ll fly up the rungs to pro-level faster than watching YouTube videos and trying to master snowboarding solo. 

Lessons will quickly teach you all the basics and proper techniques of snowboarding. Plus, an instructor will have years of experience to give you priceless tips and instant feedback for perfecting your riding. They can also squash any bad habits (something you won’t get from online videos). Trust us – a lesson is well worth the investment. 

Choose from group lessons or private one-to-ones. Group lessons allow you to meet people and learn at the same speed as your new amigos. On the other hand, one-on-one lessons mean you have the instructor’s full attention – and they can often tailor their teaching style to suit how you learn best. However, private lessons are usually pricier than groups. So, it’s worth working out your budget and which format you think you’ll benefit from most. 

6. Learn to skate 

Nope, we’re not talking about skateboarding here (that would be confusing!). We’re talking about learning to skate on a snowboard. And the sooner you master this, the better. 

Skating is using your back foot to push yourself along while your front foot is strapped into your board – much like when you’re on a skateboard. Propel yourself along with your foot either in front of the board or behind, and then just place your foot between the bindings and let your momentum carry you forward. Need to stop? Hang your heel off the back of the board and apply a bit of pressure into the ground. 

If you’re new to mountain life, you might not know you have to get on and off lifts with one foot unattached to your snowboard. That might sound scary, but this is where skating comes in. It also comes in handy when you reach flat points or slightly up-hill gradients around the mountain. Knowing how to skate sure is useful.

7. Get comfortable on your edges

Once you can skate, learn how to get on your edges. Your snowboard has two edges: your heel edge and your toe edge. These edges determine your direction and speed. Most beginners start with heel and toe slides to get a feel for their edges. 

For a heel slide, stand up from sitting with your board facing down the mountain. If you can’t stand up yet, grab the edge of your board with one hand between your feet and move your weight forward. Once you’re up, slightly dig your heels into the snow, then ease off. When you ease off, you should start moving forward. Next, dig your heels in again to stop. You’ll quickly learn how much pressure to apply to come to a stop and how much to let you slide. 

For a toe slide, turn over onto your hands and knees. Then, stand up facing the top of the slope. Don’t worry, it’s normal to feel a bit weird in this position! Once standing, you’ll do the same movement you did with your heels but on your toes. For example, dig your toes into the ground to stop, release to slide back down the mountain, and repeat. Gradually, you’ll make your way to the bottom. Boom. 

8. Look where you want to go 

You wouldn’t believe how many newbies never look in the direction they want to ride. So, as you’re heading down the mountain, look forward. That way, your board will naturally go where you’re focused while your body shifts its weight in your desired direction. 

If you keep looking at your feet, your board and body won’t propel forward. Instead, you’ll most likely fall. Worried you’ll ride full-pelt into those trees? Don’t look at them! If you do, you’ll fulfill your own prophecy and become a tree hugger (or crasher) instead of riding forward and avoiding them. Let your gaze be your guide.

Don’t forget to enjoy the view, though! Sometimes, we’re so hyper-focused on learning that we forget to soak up that scenery. And being surrounded by mountains is something your homies sat back in the office would kill for. 

9. Bend your knees

You might have heard instructors shouting this to their students on the slopes while you’re on the chair. But they have a very valid point. It’s all about the knees – and bending them! 

Yep, having bent knees means you’ll easily absorb all those bumps, dips, and contours in the snow like they’re nothing. Instead, you’ll stay in control and experience a smoother ride with less chance of falling. On the other hand (or knee), if your knees are super rigid and straight, you’ll have trouble maneuvering your plank the way you want to. And your bum might meet the ground more times than you like. 

And, don’t worry, we’re not talking about keeping your knees at a full 90-degree angle for two or three hours! Just have them slightly bent to stay in control, absorb everything, and make quick decisions (such as adjusting your position based on what terrain you’re riding). 

10. Ride across the slope

Worried you’ll gain speed and lose control? That’s where this handy little tip comes in. Yep, when you’re first getting the hang of snowboarding, it’s best not to point the nose straight down the mountain (known as the fall line). 

Instead, ride across the slope. Think of a pencil drawing a line from left to right and then right to left on an A4 piece of paper rather than a straight line from top to bottom. That’s how you want to ride. This zigzagging or slide-slipping is sometimes called falling leaf. 

Traversing is a massive help in reducing your speed (especially when learning to link your S turns) and maintaining control. Just apply a bit of pressure on your heel or toe edge, and you’ll slowly move across the slope. First, though, make sure your mind is switched on and you’re aware of your surroundings. That means looking up the hill as you cut across it to avoid crashing into other riders charging from above you. Once you’ve mastered this handy tip, you’ll be able to get down almost any groomer. 

11. Master your J and S turns 

Turning is the gateway to cracking snowboarding. Once you can do that, you control your speed and direction and progress quickly. When you’re ready, most beginners learn J and S turns. 

J turns are a combo of skating and toe/heel slides. Basically, you want to create a ‘J’ shape on the mountain. You’ll do this by skating straight on your board (with your back foot loose) before applying pressure with your heels. Also, don’t forget to look in the direction you want to turn. With the heel turn, the board will move in the direction of your front foot, making a smooth ‘J’. And, to turn the other way, skate forward, apply pressure to your toes, and look toward your back foot. 

Make S turns by linking your J turns. Ride straight down the slope, turn onto your heels, ride straight again, and turn onto your toes. Once you’ve stopped, look back up the hill to discover smooth ‘S’ shapes in the snow. Make them large or small depending on how much speed you want. Once this is in the bag, you’re doing it – you’re snowboarding! Oh, and don’t forget to bend your knees and look where you want to ride. 

12. Don’t fear falling 

There’s no getting around the fact you are absolutely, 100% going to fall when learning to snowboard. We’d bet our whole quiver on it. So, the sooner you accept this, the less you’ll fear falling, and you can build that confidence. 

In fact, it’s all about a change of mindset. Instead of fear, think of falling as part of the progression. Every rider falls – even the pros. No pain, no gain, right? Of course, we’re not saying it’s wrong to be afraid of falling or hurting yourself. We’ve all been there, and the fear response is totally natural when learning something unfamiliar. But, if you can turn up with that changed mindset and your protective gear (don’t forget the padded impact shorts!), you’ll handle wipeouts and yard-sales like an absolute champion. 

Try to fall up the mountain when you do it, too. This way, there’s less distance to fall – and impact to feel. So, if you ever feel you’re wobbling, throw yourself up the slope or try to land on your butt. It all helps to protect your wrists, shoulders, and collarbone. And don’t worry how many times you end up on the ground – falling is all part of the process and a skill in its own right. 

13. Begin with the bunny slopes

Sometimes, you look at a bunny slope and think, ‘Pfft, that’s too easy! I need something steeper’. However, banish those thoughts from your mind. You most definitely do need a bunny slope as a beginner. 

Starting on the bunny slopes gives you the freedom to learn and build your confidence – two key factors to have under your belt before progressing. If you start on a run further up the mountain, you’ll have more advanced skiers and snowboarders flying past you who won’t always give you the space you need to conquer the basics. That’s why the bunny slopes are so important. They give you as much space as possible to grasp what you need to do with your body and boost your skills. 

Okay, you might get bored with the magic carpet, but stay on the bunny slopes until you’re confident with balancing on your board and making turns. Then, it’s on to the green slopes. And you know what that means? Lifts. Say hello to tip number 14…

14. Conquer getting on and off lifts

You’re loving life, and then someone mentions one word to put a shiver down your spine: chairlift. Yep, these might seem intimidating, but they don’t have to be. If you’re with an instructor, they’ll tell you all you need to know to feel comfortable getting on and off. The lifties are also fantastic and can slow down a chair if you tell them you’re new. Just wave at them as you’re about to get off. 

So, how do you do it? It’s all about unstrapping your back foot. Do this before you get in the lift queue to make things easier. Once you’ve done that, you can skate toward the chair (we told you it’s a handy skill to learn). Wearing a backpack? Take off one shoulder or move it in front of you so it doesn’t get caught in the chair as it swings around. Trust us: hanging off a lift from a backpack strap is not a good look. 

When it’s time to get off the chair, lift the bar near the top and keep the nose of your board up. Then, once you’ve reached the line, stand up and let the chair nudge you forward. Let your back foot rest between your bindings as your front foot steers. Then, pull over out of the way of others getting off the next chair, and you’re ready to ride. Easy. 

15. Familiarize yourself with slope etiquette

If you’re not used to being in the mountains, it might seem like you just get on a lift, get off, and ride down the mountain. However, when surrounded by other riders, safety conduct, and etiquette come into play. These include – but aren’t limited to – being on slopes you know you can handle. For example, don’t head to a black diamond if you’re not ready. You could injure yourself or those around you. 

When you’re on a slope you’re comfortable with, always take a few looks up the mountain before you set off. Normally, it’s the responsibility of the rider above you to watch out for the riders below. However, you don’t want to take off or cross the slope if they’re coming fast down the fall line. As you progress, give beginners a lot of space to move. As you’ll remember, they’re probably thinking more about what they’re doing rather than anyone else around them.

Never stop in the middle of the slope, either. Instead, stop at the sides. This makes sure you’re out of the way of anyone coming down fast – particularly someone who can’t see you if you’re sitting down, positioned in the middle of the piste, and in a rider’s blind spot. That’s probably the worst trifecta out there! And, if you see someone stack it, check to see if they’re all good. You’d want someone to check on you, right? 

16. Progress in your own time

They say speed is your friend, but it’s not necessarily true when progressing. It can be really tempting to do a couple of runs on the bunny slopes without falling and think you’ve nailed it. So, you’re ready to go higher. What about if you’re with more experienced riders who hype you up for tougher slopes when you’re not ready? 

It can be so easy to feel the progression pressure and throw yourself into something you can’t handle. But this will only lead to fear, injury, or potentially putting you off snowboarding for life (no one wants that!). So, patience is absolutely key to your snowboarding journey. 

It’s all about having an awesome time, so congratulate yourself when you nail the basics and make sure you feel 100% confident before progressing to anything more advanced. However, not to sound too much like a pushy parent, but having a goal in mind is beneficial. For example, once you feel you can ride the green runs in your sleep, plan to ride one blue trail by the end of your first week. After that, set a goal to conquer a black run or hit one kicker in the terrain park by the end of the season. You’ll finish the winter full of stoke at smashing your progression plan. But remember, this is your journey and no one else’s, so take it at your own pace. 

17. Stretch and recover

Once you’ve finished for the day, it’s a rite of passage to head to après-ski. There’s nothing like sinking a cold one after a day on the mountain. But don’t forget to look after those aching legs and sore bodies. 

Yep, learning to snowboard will very likely push you to your physical limits, so it’s important to treat yourself to a cool-down like any other sport. That means stretching after you’ve unclipped to help those post-shred aches and DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). Plus, it wouldn’t hurt to stretch before you ride, either. 

Yoga is an awesome way to stretch out and unwind. But, if you don’t feel like going into downward-dog, a few simple stretches should do the trick. These include stretching your glutes, hamstrings, calves, wrists, and back. And don’t fret if your end-of-yoga Savasana pose turns into a full-on siesta. You’ve worked your body hard, so treat it to a couple of ZZZs. 

18. Enjoy the ride!

Okay, this is probably the most important tip: have an absolute blast! There’s a reason people do this year after year, winter after winter. It’s damn fun, and it hooks you like nothing else. And that’s before you’ve even touched fresh pow. Oh, just wait. 

As a beginner, it’s completely normal to feel nerves or imposter syndrome at whatever you’re learning. But patience, practice, and perseverance work wonders with whatever you want to improve. 

In fact, every single pro rider started where you are – and they practiced, practiced, practiced so they could dominate those peaks. Oh, and they also soaked up the stoke! So, get out there and start riding – but don’t beat yourself up if you’re not progressing as fast as you’d imagined. Instead, laugh at the wipeouts and pat yourself on the back for the effort. And find the joy in the process. Trust us – snowboarding has it in spades. 

FAQs

Is 30 too old to start snowboarding? 

Of course not! We say even 90 isn’t too old! Starting snowboarding later in life definitely has its advantages. For example, you’ll have bags more patience than a lil’ ripper and will want to nail the proper techniques and basic moves before progressing to more advanced terrain. 

Second, coordination and balance will be on your side. When you’re younger, it’s more difficult to know how to use your body to achieve what you want on a board. When you’re older, manipulating your body and finding your balance is easier to master. You’ll also be less likely to cry and throw tantrums when you fall over. However, adults aren’t immune to a lil’ mountain breakdown now and then. 

What should I learn first when snowboarding?

We champion the humble art of skating! It’s good for learning how to balance (don’t forget to center your weight) and sets you up for other situations on the mountain – such as getting on and off lifts and tackling flat points. 

Then, it’s all about how to turn! Once you’ve nailed this, the only way is up (the mountain). Check out Tip 11 for more detail about turning – and learning your Js from your Ss. 

Can I teach myself to snowboard?

You can, but we don’t recommend doing it 100% solo. Yep, we covered this in Tip 5, but having a lesson will see you nail techniques and squash bad habits quickly. Plus, snowboarding can be FRUSTRATING, so it helps to have someone push you past that ‘wall’. 

If you’re set on teaching yourself to snowboard, though, we have some advice. These include starting with baby steps and being super patient. That means taking the time to master the basics rather than trying to cover too much ground too quickly. If snowboarding doesn’t click straight away, try not to be discouraged. Keep going, and eventually, you’ll shred like it's second nature. 

What should you not do while snowboarding?

We hype up après-ski a lot, but drinking and riding are a big no-no. That’s because alcohol can impair your balance – and your judgment. So, stay away from drinking booze on board and save the beer for the bars. 

You also don’t want to be anywhere you’re not ready for – like on advanced terrain when you’re just a beginner. We’re all for pushing yourself but not to where it becomes dangerous. So, know what slope you’re riding and make sure you can handle it. 

Wrapping up 

Okay, now there’s only one vital thing left – start snowboarding! We totally get this is a lot of info, and sometimes the most important tip is to just ‘do’. So, forget overthinking and over-analyzing and simply revel in the ride. See you up there – and enjoy every second.  

Related reading:

• What size snowboard should I get?
• Men's snowboard clothing / Women's snowboard clothing
• Is snowboarding a good workout?