 Poster: A snowHead
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We are low intermediate skiers who ski together as a family, 12 yr old girl and 13 yr boy, reds and occasional blacks in emergencies! My son has had a couple of lessons boarding indoors in the UK, and would like to "go to the darkside" this winter in France. If he has lessons each morning, and joins us in the afternoon, I am worried that he would obviously have trouble covering the same amount of ground as the rest of us, which may lead to frustration for everyone, and even put him off. Has anyone had experience of this, and are there any tips that you could give me ? Can kids swap their hire from board back to skis if it does`nt work out. Would intensive private lessons be better than ESF all week ? Thanks.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
If he has lessons each morning, and joins us in the afternoon, I am worried that he would obviously have trouble covering the same amount of ground as the rest of us, which may lead to frustration for everyone, and even put him off.
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I guess it would be a bit tough for him - certainly not wise for him to be attempting reds in his first couple of days though if he's a fast and brave learner he might well do so by the end of the week.
One suggestion, if you are low intermediate skiers, is for you all to have lessons in the morning, and then concentrate in the afternoons on practising what you've all been learning in your various lessons, on blue slopes.
Another suggestion is for you ALL to do snowboarding lessons and progress together. 
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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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| pam w wrote: |
Another suggestion is for you ALL to do snowboarding lessons and progress together. |
'Cept they won't - kids will be riding switch down black mogul fields while folks are still mastering falling leaf. Seriously if he's had a few indoor lessons and has lessons on real snow then I would have thought that's easily low intermediate standard.
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My 11 year old switched to boarding about this time last year with a fast track course at Tamworth, had a few practices at the fridge then had lessons on hols in Feb half term. It took her till the middle of the week to happy on the reds at her own pace and even then she was better on the blues, keeping up with a mixed bunch of adults and kids OK.
Think you may get a very grumpy teenager if you try to force a new convert to the darkside back onto skis though, maybe better if you agree one of you will will go with your daughter (assuming she doesn't want to desert the skis as well!) at her pace and one with your son at his pace.
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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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kids will be riding switch down black mogul fields while folks are still mastering falling leaf.
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 how true. I've still not mastered falling leaf.....
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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cstreat, ....mention to him that:
1 skiing is the new boarding - FACT (look at the films on the 'best skiing films thread)
2 when learning to board you always fall on exactly the same part of your a%%e and the bruise becomes worse and worse and more and more tender - FACT
3 catching a front edge really hurts - FACT
4 a broken wrist is likely if you don't wear wrist protectors - FACT
5 snowboarding clothing, whilst very baggy, is not as baggy as the twintip guys' who hang out at the top of the run in to the double tabletop - FACT
6 walking along a long green interconnect piste with one foot off the board and one in it is extremely tedious - FACT
7 this post has too many opinions masquerading as facts - FACT
8 whenever I go on my board (now with inches of dust in the back of the garage) I constantly think ',,,instead of being miserable I could be enjoying myself on skis...' - FACT
9 my six year old can't wait to get onto a board - REGRETTABLE FACT
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| pam w wrote: |
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kids will be riding switch down black mogul fields while folks are still mastering falling leaf.
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how true. I've still not mastered falling leaf..... |
But it'll be the same if the kids are on skis so no point worrying!
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valais2, No.2 is exactly why I will not be switching!! Thanks for the advice everyonepam w, I think he went down the Face in Val d`Isere on his 2nd week of skiing ever! Fearless and styleless !!
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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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cstreat, my son is at that same vulnerable age. He started off a skier, at 8 moved onto a tray and now is serious about two planking again. Basically, although it pains him to have to agree with me, he has seen the light, realising that two edges are better than one, that we were born facing forwards and that both legs would ideally like to work independently of each other. You need to sit your little man down and have one of those chats. Do it with the light off and it'll be easier for both of you.
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valais2, Good post.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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cstreat, Had a similar issue with N junior. I didn't have the discussion with him but just let him have some snowboarding lessons. After the second, he came to the same conclusion as Bode's boy without any prompting from me. He does wear the baggy pants, but now he has some twin tips and he telemarks. And he very graciously tows snowboarders across the flats.
Dealing with your practical questions, I have never had any problem with hire shops about swapping gear part way through the week (and often more than once). Ask before you hire, and if they don't want to do it, then see if you can take your custom elsewhere. Some will charge a bit for the extra work, but most don't.
When my boy was having snowboarding or alpine lessons in the morning, he usually switched to skiing with us for the rest of the day (but he did have his own skis which simplified things). Or we messed about on the nursery slopes together. If your daughter is not OK with that, then she could go into ski school instead for the afternoon. That way, they would both get some exclusive time with parents and some lessons.
Next year, your problem will be them tearing off without you.
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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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Let him make his own mistakes.
But seriously, if it turns out he really does enjoy boarding more, then let him work this stuff out! (Hint, just speak to the hire shop/ski[board] school).
Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Mon 10-10-11 1:29; edited 1 time in total
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Stick him on ebay now.
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You know it makes sense.
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Excellent, another pile of boarding-is-rubbish posts from incompetents who can't do it, just what the op was looking for. 
cstreat, if your boy has had lessons in the UK he should catch up with the rest of you very quickly. I'd carry on with snowdome lessons if possible then put him into group lessons in the morning in France - there's every chance he will be fine to go out with the rest of you in the afternoons. He's also likely to meet other kids to board with. I'd make sure he has wrist guards and a helmet if you haven't already.
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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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PS. Recommend practically any ski school other than the ESF for boarders.
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Poster: A snowHead
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cstreat, +1 to everthing Lizzard just said, especially the ESF thing.
When you're plotting your route in the afternoon, please bear in mind that you're boy's probably going to be cream crackered from his morning lessons so you may want to plan your route accordingly. Particularly long heavy traverses are real muscle killers if you're not experienced in riding switch, and remember that boarders will need much more speed to carry them through long flat sections, something that your son won't have too much experience in as an early rider so try to plan your route accordingly - him having to foot slog out of a section will not improve his or your afternoon.
As an aside, why don't you have a look at some of the learn to ride videos on youtube so you get a better idea about what he'll be doing and how he'll be trying to progress during your sessions out together.
Apologies if any of this is stating the bleedin' obvious, but this may be more helpful than the blizzard of guffaws in some of the other posts.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Richard_Sideways, specific info is useful for the OP. The guffaws are useful for everyone else. This IS a forum, after all - the masses demand their entertainment.
(But I'm filing away the useful info in case horizon jr decides to go to the dark side).
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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What stage is he at with his dome lessons? I did the board in a day course when I learnt and after all of us on the course were starting to link turns on the main slope. Then all it needed was practice, which I got from heading out up the hill when i got to resort. Couple of lessons wouldn't go amiss for him in the morning, but if he's at the stage of linking turns then he should be fine heading up the hill with you, you'll just have to be patient with him to begin with. Initial learning with snowboarding is the hard part, once you've got the hang of it you improve quickly, where as skiing is a lot quicker and easier (and less tiring!) to pick up initially, but slower to progress (or at least that's my experience).
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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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| horizon wrote: |
| This IS a forum, after all - the masses demand their entertainment. |
Quite right too. Personally, I'm holding off reading all the winter tyre threads until those loooong evenings draw in. OH HOW THEY'LL FLY BY!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Sitter, I'd still recomend group lessons. Boarding with a load of skiers can get boring when you're progressing - no-one to talk to about it/share with.
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I did say still have some lessons
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cstreat, My son switched to boarding age about 15. He had morning group lessons with New Generation in Meribel and came out with the rest of our group in the afternoon. I made it very clear to him that he was not gouing to go on skis for the whole of that week. For all the reasons people have stated above, it would be far to easy to go back to skis rather than reinforce what he had been taught in the morning. I agreed to stay with him when the rest of the froup went on ahead. Yes, there were tantrums and times when he didn't want to go to his lesson. 6 or so years on he wouldn't go near skis. There is very little terrain he won't attempt and has done many guided off piste days with skiers.
He'll probably need some encouragement and even coercion, but he must be allowed to give it a proper try. If, after a week, he doen't like it, then at least he's given it his best shot.
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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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cstreat, I think you are worrying too much.
I did the basics in Hemel then hit the mountain running, straight into intermediate lessons.
If I can do that at 42 I'm sure a 13 year old will have no problem.
Hire isn't that much, get him some skis as well as a board. Then it doesn't matter, he can ski in the afternoon if he is left that far behind(I think it's probably you lot that will be catching him up).
Just get him strapped to a board and don't worry about it. Maybe get him as much time as possible in a fridge from now on 'till you go.
Have a go yourself.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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As an instructor who teaches both (in the UK (Hemel) and in France (Val d'Isere)) I would just like to point one thing out from experience (my personal experience when learning boarding after learning skiing many years earlier and also from teaching it) when teaching someone to board when they already can ski at a pretty efficient level. That thing is that if you can already do one thing then learning the other (in this case boarding) will be a relatively quick process. Be under no illusion that the fundamental processes and techniques for both are VERY similar indeed. Also whilst boarding is generally harder for the first few lessons it should never be assumed that 'when you have gotten linked turns sorted' that harder runs will come easy - the technique still needs work on in the same way ski technique needs work.
So he should pick up snowboarding very easily IN COMPARISON to A N Other person who has never done either.
If he enjoys it and WANTS to keep doing it then he'll work hard to keep up but maybe a little slower pace would ease the stress as he commits the technique development to muscle memory!
Good luck - sure it will all work out just fine!
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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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Fantastic advice; I like both the specifics, and the guffaws ! I would give it a go, but I have just bought my first pair of skis; Head Titans, having had a great time on Head Magnums last season. Thanks for all the encouragement as well; very positive.
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| Lizzard wrote: |
Excellent, another pile of boarding-is-rubbish posts from incompetents who can't do it, just what the op was looking for.
cstreat, if your boy has had lessons in the UK he should catch up with the rest of you very quickly. I'd carry on with snowdome lessons if possible then put him into group lessons in the morning in France - there's every chance he will be fine to go out with the rest of you in the afternoons. He's also likely to meet other kids to board with. I'd make sure he has wrist guards and a helmet if you haven't already. |
All of this.
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You know it makes sense.
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Our son switched to boarding at 13 he skied from the age of 7. Three days of one to one tuition then joined our group of skiers, boarding reds comfortably and blacks by the end of the week. We worked on avoiding anywhere he had to walk (that is where the tantrums occur). Wrist guards, helmet, impact shorts and knee pads are a must. It does seem to be a faster learning curve when transfering over. Good luck. He is now 16 and we cannot keep up. 
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