 Poster: A snowHead
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wrist guards are not a must. When I learnt a few years ago we had a quick meet with the instructor the first night and we asked him about them, he told us not to bother, next day he told us to ball our hands into fists whilst we were moving, this is suprisingly easy given how tightly puckered everything else is at the time, and this would stop the lever effect which happens you fall on your outstretched hands and thus break your wrist. I wear mitts so this is quite natural to me now.
A helmet is a must, if you fall as wonderfully described above whilst on your heel edge and strike the back of your head even at walking pace on groomed piste it can be anything from embarrassing to fatal, why take the chance?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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clarky999, in his last post he says he's changed his mind and he is going to get lessons
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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holidayloverxx, Ah, missed that.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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clarky999, shame really, I was just getting the popcorn......
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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all the time
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you can just call me Alan. No need for formalities here 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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AlanB1976, I've seen dozens of people fail to get to grips with it because it's too hard/they have to go too fast/they can't steer the board/it hurts ......... etc. Usually they go back to skiing and bang on to all and sundry about how it's much better, they tried boarding and it was rubbish, you have to sit down all the time, silly trousers, blah, drone etc. You want to be one of them? 
On the other hand, you might more or less get the hang of it, in whch case you'll end up going on about how easy it is, no-one needs lessons, you can do it perfectly etc etc .... meanwhile switching from one edge to the other and still scraping down every piste in a straight line, waving your trailing arm all over the place and swinging your shoulders around every time you want to turn.
Or you could learn to do it right. Not the most popular option, I agree, but why follow the herd?
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Or you could learn to do it right.
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I do agree with that 100%. I did say right in the beginning that I most likely would pick up bad habits when teaching myself. It wan't that I didn't want to get lessons. It was more that I was blowing all my money on other stuff and didn't want the expense.
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but why follow the herd?
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the herd has convinced me already
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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rogg, got the wrist guards on the weekend. Thanks again!!! Will try to fall properly but thanks for saving my little girly wrists for when I don't. 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Ahh, the wisdom of herds... moo.
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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AlanB1976, What do I think. I think you need a couple of trips to Tamworth.
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Poster: A snowHead
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AlanB1976,IMHO at the beginner stage, go for the 3 hour group. 1 hour won't be enough and a private tutor will be telling you exactly the same things as a group instructor at that stage.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Will do.
What do they do if there is 1 person in the group that is not "getting" something? Do they progress the rest of the group or do they wait until that person is at the same level as the rest?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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AlanB1976, What do I think. I think you need a couple of trips to Tamworth.
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I wish. Renting equipment and a couple of hours there is just too much  . Otherwise I would love to go.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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In my experience, your first 3 hours will be learning to scoot the board around, using a drag lift, holding the board on toe edge and heel edge, learning to side slip on toe and heel, and if you're a quick learner how to initiate a basic turn. Your instructor will get you there, as this is all stuff which can happen at the same time on the bunny slope...
Although I believe the official way ESF deal with slow learners is one instructor dazzles them with an unnecessarily showy flatland trick while another sneaks up behind them and bludgeons them with a ski boot. This is why helmets are important - so be aware of their distinctive aroma of Gauloise and sedated chalet maids.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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AlanB1976, got a voucher if you want it for Tamworth........
2hrs beginner for £20 or 3hrs beginner for £27 (juniors £14 & £19 respectively), voucher valid for 4 pax but has to be taken in September. Good value, to say the least. PM me if you want it.
Also got a 3hr ski/snowboard "Coaching Session" voucher £25 (£17 jnr) same terms as above. Again PM if anyone wants it.
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That sounds great. I must just check up on the equipment hire. I didn't have a lot of time but I could not see anything on their site. I will have a proper look tomorrow when I got time.
Hopefully I'll get my PM in then before anyone else 
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AlanB1976, I think I'm right in saying all the eqpt is included, helmets too , think so ayway. Apologies if I'm not (but I don't think I am).
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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AlanB1976, God forbid, but what if you are the weakest link in the group? What do you think would happen?
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From FAQs on the Tamworth website:
How much does it cost to hire equipment?
Skis, boots and boards are provided free of charge.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Drat. The couching is only for non-beginners so would have to pay full price for the lessons which are a bit much. Thanks BCjohnny but I'll have to give your offer a skip. My first time boarding will have to be at Tignes. At least there will be a better scenery
I'll most definitely give Tamworth a try once my immediate financial difficulty is resolved.
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AlanB1976, no mate, have beginners vouchers too, as above post. 3hrs £27 BEGINNER LESSONS (4 pax).
The coaching vouchers are another lot (4 pax)
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You know it makes sense.
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Ahhhhhh....... Ok. I thought that was the slope time. Would I still have to buy slope time then or is that included in the lessons?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| AlanB1976 wrote: |
| Ahhhhhh....... Ok. I thought that was the slope time. Would I still have to buy slope time then or is that included in the lessons? |
AFAIK it's all in. 3 hrs, all equipment, beginners tuition, £27. From what I've seen you have maybe an half hour introduction off slope, and then out you go. Valid for four people so you can take three of your mates and share the pain. . By all means phone them to check.
I can PM you the voucher code and you can book over the phone/net. Easy peasy.
If any wants a 'tuition voucher' (ie a lesson) I've one of them too, as noted above.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hi just thought id let you know that id wear a helmet from day one and treat it like any part of your kit. Ive been boarding for 20 years now and i never used to wear one, when i was on the slopes and one of my group would wipe out we would all say we its about time we got helmets, this used to go on for years, 2 catscans later i decided to get one and it was money well spent!!, like guys say on other posts you can personalise your own lid.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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mluti, I am definitely going to buy one and start with it day 1. I'm now trying to find a cheap (still decent) one. I heard Lidl and TKMaxx get them in but they didn't have when I last checked. The ski shops seem to have some on special but either white ones or expensive ones
I want to get one before I go to Tamworth so I don't have to fight the sweat gremlins crawling out the rentals.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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AlanB1976, code sent mate, enjoy.
Let us know how you get on.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Well, did the snowboarding lesson yesterday (with a loan helmet ). A lot of fun. Between that and the major mountain biking I did on Sat, I'm aching all over. I've got to start using those weird muscles more.
The lessons were good in that they pointed a couple of mistakes I was doing that I would not have noticed by myself and made it a lot harder to learn. I am glad I did them. Besides that, with all the "how to snowboard" videos I've been watching, I pretty much knew what was next and I did start some exercises by myself as I started getting bored doing the same waiting for the class. The instructor did say I was doing them well. With that, I think that private lessons would have been better for me as the pace was very slow and we only had 2 hours. The lesson was basically just toe and heel sideslipping. But that was 2 hours that I would never have had if it wasn't for that voucher (thanks again BCjohnny), and gave me a real good taste of boarding. I started doing leafing (if that's what it's called) and also started turns.... then time ran out. All I wanted was more . It was like taking a starving person and just letting them have a bite out of a steak.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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AlanB1976, Alan, you should have said hello, there were a whole bunch of us there yesterday between 1400-1700hrs.
Anyway, glad you enjoyed it. Boarding can be a fickle mistress, some days she loves you, others you'd better take cover. Sticking with it regardless is the key. Good luck.
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AlanB1976, There yesterday? how did you miss the snowheads meetup?
Lidl/Aldi helmets appear as part of there weekly specials, basically come in the shop on a given day and are there till they are sold (anything from hours to months depending on which branch you go to). Sign up for their special offers emails as they will appear soon ready for the start of the season.
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We had the morning session from 10h00 to 12h00. They said the 3 hour afternoon session was fully booked...... at least I know by who now
I'm really looking forward to my trip in Nov now... One and a half months and counting
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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davkt, I got a habit of missing things. Ask my boss
Pity, it would have been nice to put a face to some of the names. Where are these meetups announced?
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In the snowEvents section of the forum, next one is this coming Saturday at Chill Factore
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FAQ
