An introduction to half pipes

Snowboarding
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An introduction to half pipes
Author: Jakob Jelling
Let's face it, when snowboarding, anything that isn't flat creates an almost over powering urge to try to ride and half pipes are no exception to this. After gazing upon the glory of a half pipe it is almost impossible to resist the urge to challenge it, to see what you can do in it or to see if you too are as good as the guy who is doing a Slob Air. It is this desire that keeps us snowboarding and drives us to try new things such as a half pipe.

Half pipes can be very daunting features of a snowboarding park. A half pipe will be 4 - 12 feet high, may have 3 sides in a "U" like shape and be full of people doing crazy stunts in the air at high speeds. The big question is how do you learn to use a half pipe?

While the prospects of dropping in to a half pipe can be very daunting, the reality is that you can ease in to riding the half pipe. In fact, the preparation for riding a half pipe begins well before you ever enter it. While it is highly recommended that you are proficient at snowboarding on general terrain before trying a half pipe you can start off in a half pipe.

There are two basic skills that you need to know fairly well, hop turns, or Bunny hops, and how to snowboard confidently on varying terrain. Your confidence in snowboarding really is the key to moving on. You must be able to recover your balance on bumpy terrain when riding quickly. This ability will allow you to proactively react to the rapidly changing conditions of a half pipe. To be fair, the conditions of the half pipe do not change rather your position in the pipe changes. Remember that your speeds in a half pipe are faster than normal and thus you must be able to react to riding on a transition rather than the flat very quickly. The other basic skill is the Bunny hop. The Bunny hop allows you to launch a little higher and away from the lip of the ramp thus keeping you from catching it when you re-enter the ramp.

The next big hurtle is dropping in. When you are first learning to ride a half pipe it is best to start on the side of the smallest ramp rather than from the top of the ramp. This will give you a chance to get used to the ramp and learn how to pump it for speed and balance. As your confidence increases begin dropping in from higher and higher points until you are ready to start from the top of the pipe.

Half pipes can be daunting features of the terrain but learning to ride them doesn't have to be tough. By working with the basic skills that you already have you will be able to rider a half pipe well. The more you ride the half pipe and challenge yourself the faster your skills in it will progress. When looking at the half pipe for the first time, do not back down. Instead resolve to be the best damn snowboarder there and push yourself, as hard as you can and soon you will be the best snowboarder there.

Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.snowboardinghelp.com. Please visit his website to discover the world of snowboarding!

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Alpine Snowboarding

Snowboarding
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Alpine snowboarding
Author: Jakob Jelling
Alpine snowboarding is for those of you who are a little more extreme about speed than most. Alpine snowboarding encompasses more than just speed. Other areas often included are racing and extreme carving.

Alpine snowboards are uniquely designed for their purpose. An alpine snowboard has a longer, narrower and stiffer construction than any other snowboards. This design allows for higher speeds, very sharp turning, and aggressive edge holding power on hard snow and excellent high-speed stability.

Alpine snowboarding is generally done on hard packed snow or groomed runs. Hard packed snow usually isn't good for snowboarding but is exceptional for high speeds, the heart of alpine snowboarding. With other styles of snowboards maneuverability is impossible on this type of terrain. Thanks to the aggressiveness of the edge of the alpine snowboard, fast, snappy control is the least of your problems.

Since the riding is so different from other types of snowboarding it only stands to reason that the gear would also be slightly different from normal. The gear for alpine snowboarding resembles skiing equipment more than it does snowboarding equipment.

In order to protect the rider and maximize control at high speeds an alpine snowboarder will use the following things. First is a helmet and eye protection. Thanks to the laws of physics we know that a hard surface becomes even harder at higher speeds. This means that a helmet and eye protection are an absolute must if you wish to stay safe when ripping down a hill at blazingly fast speeds as the impact from any mishap can be more than normal.

The next thing to consider is your boots. You must use a hard-shelled boot that resembles a skiing boot. Since the speeds on an alpine snowboard are so much higher the forces required to maintain a tight turn are also higher. In order to make shape-cornering possible you must use a hard-shelled boot to leverage your power with the snowboard.

After thinking of your boots you must also think of the stance that you wish to use when riding your alpine snowboard. There is basically only one choice but there are subtle variations for each rider. Traditionally the front foot should be set at about +70' and the rear foot at about +35'. With the advance of technology and the improvements of the snowboards the degree of the feet has become less important. More commonly the stance is determined by the width of the board as long as there is a difference of at least 5'.

Any interesting thing to note is that alpine snowboarding has seemed to have died off and been reborn again. Alpine board manufactures took the design of the alpine board to a point that it was amazingly perfect at high speeds but no longer usable for the average person. One main way of improving the snowboard efficiency was to reduce its width to as little as 16 cm in the center of the snowboard. This did allow for even greater speeds but caused the snowboard to become unstable at low speed and forced the rider to remain in a position that was uncomfortable to ride in for any length of time.

These innovations seemed to kill the industry as did skiing manufactures that started to implement the aggressive edge technology into their products. Most people began to shy away from alpine snowboarding and instead seek out freestyle snowboarding. However this has changed recently with the rebirth of alpine snowboarding. Once again people are becoming interested in the challenge and excitement that comes from ripping down a hill at high speeds and pulling turns that exert more g-forces on the body than most cars do. Manufacturers have learned their lessons and seem to be much more reasonable and consumer oriented in their snowboard designs than before.

If you are a snowboarder who enjoys speed and tight cornering then alpine snowboarding is the thing for you. Alpine snowboards are designed to be ridden hard and fast on machine groomed or packed runs. Their design allows you to move in ways no other snowboarder and possibly skier can ever hope to. Also, alpine snowboarding is easier to learn than alpine skiing. If you are looking for fast paced action filled fun like nothing else than you are destined for alpine snowboarding. Have fun, keep your speeds up and enjoy the g-forces of the mind blowing cornering.

About the Author

Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.snowboardinghelp.com. Please visit his website to discover the world of snowboarding!

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A Look at The Intriguing History of Snowboarding

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A look at the intriguing History of Snowboarding
Author: Keith Kingston
It has taken almost forty years for snowboarding to be recognized as a major sport that is followed and participated in by hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. Humanity's love affair with snow has been documented throughout the ages, starting with cave dwellers who were smart enough to figure out that snow had its advantages, such as serving as insulation to hold in the warmth in their homes and preserving the day's kill.

To say who actually invented the sport of snowboarding would be impossible because people have always loved to slide down a snow-covered hill. Soaring through the snow on some kind of seat or board is nothing new. The ways to enjoy the snow are numerous, and people have devised ways to turn garbage can lids and cardboard into "snow boards" to enjoy an afternoon frolic outdoors. The various ways to glide through snow have become more sophisticated and have evolved into using polished boards or skis in much the same manner as a surfboarder would ride a wave.

There have been many attempts at developing a modern snowboard. In 1965, the "Snurfer" (a word play on 'snow' and 'surfer') was developed as a child's toy. Two skis were bound together and a rope was placed at the front end to afford control and stability. Over 500,000 "Snurfers" were sold in 1966 but they were never seen as more than a child's plaything even though organized competitions began to take place. The year 1969 brought a slightly more sophisticated snowboard based on the principles of skiing combined with surfboard styling.

The "Flying Yellow Banana" was developed in 1977. This was nothing more than a plastic shell covered with a top surface like that of a skateboard, but at the time it was considered a major advance in the little known sport of snowboarding. The first national snowboard race was held in the area outside Woodstock and was known as "The Suicide Six." The race consisted of a steep downhill run called The Face in which the main goal was probably mere survival.

Snowboarding continued to increase in popularity over the next several years. In 1985 the first magazine dedicated specifically to snowboarding hit the news stands with huge success and furthered the popularity of this exciting sport. Hoards of fans began to organize regional events and pretty soon snowboarding events were held in all parts of the world. In the year 1994 snowboarding was finally declared an Olympic event, much to the delight of fans. The not-so-new sport of snowboarding was finally recognized and meant a huge victory for serious snowboarders across the globe.

A collection of snowboarding tricks and stunts was released on video in 1996. Filmed in Alaska, the breathtaking beauty and captivating snowboarding techniques featured in the video exposed snowboarding to a new generation, and by 1998 snowboarding constituted almost 50% of all winter activity. Today, nearly all ski resorts accept snowboarders. There are still a few holding on to the past but this is unlikely to continue as the number of snowboarders continually increases.

From the first crudely built snowboards to the advanced and specialized models available today, snowboarders have carried a "bad boy" image. This rebel reputation is still common today in spite of the fact that snowboarding appeals to men, women, and children of all nationalities and social groups. At most major ski resorts you can find snowboarding gear, information, and lessons. Olympic and world wide snowboarding events are among the most popular of winter sports and the competition to be the best is fierce.

Retailers nation wide and around the world carry many types of snowboards, and the choice in specially made snowboarding gear is immense. Snowboarders have participated in the X Games and even charity events such as Boarding for Breast Cancer. From its early meager beginnings snowboarding has progressed into a fully recognized sport, and large numbers of people are turning to snowboarding for adventure, fun, and professional recognition.

About The Author

Keith Kingston is a professional web publisher. Visit his snowboards and ski vacation website at http://www.all-4-snow.com " target=new>http://www.all-4-snow.com There is information also on snowmobiles, snowplows, snow sleds and skiing. ...

Which is more dangerous skiing or snowboarding

Snowboarding
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Which is more dangerous skiing or snowboarding
Author: Anthony Barretti
Snowboarders and skiers are increasing in number every year. As the numbers increase so do the number of injuries. More awareness is being placed on snowboard safety and ski safety.

During the course of a year about 11 milion skiers and 4 million snowboarders in the U.S. alone are on the slopes at least once. The average number of visits to the slopes is around 60 million. For every 1000 skier visits, there are around 2.5 serious medical injuries. This comes out to one injury every 430 days of sking and snowboarding.

The death rate of snowboarders is 40 percent lower than alpine skiers, they are more likely to be hit by skiers gone out of control than the other way around.

When skiers fall they slide alot which causes them to be 3 to 4 times more likely to crash into something or someone. A snowboard on the other hand acts more like a seat anchor, preventing sliding. Death usually is caused from hitting something.

The most common injury faced by skiers is anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) sprains. Those who were injured skied more years, but fewer days per year, were more likely to be female, are older, and fell less often.

Before you begin snowboarding or skiing be sure to take some lessons from a qualified instructor. Plus make certain you have the proper equpment. Ultimately you are responsible for your own safety. The safer you are the more fun you will have on the slopes.

Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

For safe snowboard gear try the Burton Royale snowboard.

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Tips For Learning How To Snowboard

Snowboarding
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Tips For Learning How To Snowboard
Author: Danielle Rose -
Learning to snowboard is difficult just like any new thing that you may try. It will take time to learn, but by doing simple things and learning simple techniques, you will be snowboarding soon!

Learning how to snowboard can be difficult and certainly can be painful if you don't learn how to fall correctly. Before ever setting foot on a snowboard, you need to be aware that you are going to fall, and learn how to do it properly.

Taking beginning lessons is a good idea, because it will teach you the basic concept of falling. It may sound simple, but it will also teach you that the snowboard slides down the hill, and teach you to keep your balance on it. Once this is achieved, you can begin learning how to control the snowboard, and how to turn it. Shifting weight from the toe-side to the heal-side edges of the board is what is going to allow you to steer the snowboard. http://www.mountainsnowboarding.com/learntosnowboard/

One thing you might want to do before you ever go out to the hill is practice on the carpet first. If you set up your board and do some "carpet riding" in order to get used to standing on the board, it may help you be more comfortable out on the hill when you get started. Setting yourself up on the carpet will help you get used to your stance and practice with bending your knees before you are going down the hill.

It is easier on the carpet to change your stance to see if you are more comfortable riding goofy or regular (right foot forward = goofy, left foot forward = regular). It also gives you a chance to see which muscles you will be using and practice with pivoting and shifting your weight before the board is going to slide too much on you. Practicing on the carpet first will allow you to be comfortable with the board before you start your lessons up on the hill.

It's difficult to learn because one concept you need to be comfortable with is leaning down the hill. By nature, when we are being pulled down the hill, we want to lean back, but in snowboarding that isn't how it works. When snowboarding, you need to control the board with your front foot, putting your weight going down the hill.

Keys to learning the basics are remembering to keep you knees bent, and to look where you are going. Keeping your knees bent is going to help you relax and keep your balance going down the hill. Looking where you are going is the same as with a lot of things. If you look down, you are going to fall. Looking at your feet is not going to help your balance, but if you look to where you want to go, your feet can follow your eyes.

Getting out on the hill for the first time can be very scary, but also can be a lot of fun. Remember to wear the right clothing for the weather, so that you are warm and comfortable. If you are cold and wet, your snowboarding experience isn't going to be fun. Dressing in layers is recommended. Experienced riders can be fine out on the slopes in snowboarding pants and a sweatshirt, but for a beginning rider who may spend a lot of their time in the snow, layers are a good idea.

Also, remember to warm up your muscles and stretch before going out onto the hill. The experience can be ruined by pulling a muscle while going down the hill. Snowboarding is a physical activity, so it should be treated as one. Warming up and stretching before going out, but also not overdoing it on the first day. Snowboarding takes time, and trying to learn when you are exhausted will only make you more frustrated.

After the first day, it may seem as though you are never going to learn, but don't give up. Falling can be frustrating, but it happens to everyone. Given time and practice, you'll be fine. Once you have the basics, you'll be able to go wherever. Don't give up! It may take time to learn, but it's worth it in the end. Snowboarding is a fun recreational sport that can be done by everyone. It can be a family event, or and event with friends.

Remember, time and practice is what it takes for you to become a good snowboarder. You are not going to be an expert right away. Snowboarding is more difficult to learn than skiing because balance is easier with speed. A person who is uncomfortable with snowboarding is typically uncomfortable with speed. However, once you overcome this fear, and learn the basics, snowboarding is easy to master. You will feel comfortable because you have learned to control the snowboard, and can feel free to explore the mountain or back country as you please.

Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

Danielle Rose is a featured writer for MountainSnowboarding.com. For more help on learning to snowboard , and how to choose a snowboard , visit our site.

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