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| Meta Title | Learn to Snowboard: Quick and Easy Tips for Beginners | Burton Snowboards |
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| Boilerpipe Text | If you want to learn to snowboard, this comprehensive guide from Burton (complete with quick and easy tips) is a great place to begin. As a leader in the industry, Burton has been designing and building
snowboards
and
high-performance winter outerwear
since the 1980s, and our team knows a thing or two about sliding sideways on snow. So, whether you are entirely new to snowboarding or (finally) making the switch from skiing, we’re stoked to join you on this journey. Because like
Jake Burton Carpenter
always said: We ride together.
To help get you started learning to snowboard, we partnered with
Burton Team
riders and professional snowboard instructors to compile a collection of quick and easy drills that will help you build foundational skills.
Getting Ready to Learn
Start with Lessons
Get Warmed Up
Learn How to Fall
Learn How to Skate & Glide
Learn How to Use Your Snowboard’s Edges
Learn the Basics of Turning
Next Steps: Practice, Practice, Practice
Getting Ready to Learn
While it may seem silly to address the basics of
snowboarding equipment
, we’ve seen enough shenanigans over the years to know that it’s an important topic to cover. If you’ve ever tried to snowboard in athletic shoes, jeans, or with snowboards that are wildly oversized or undersized, this section is for you. The truth is, having the right equipment will make learning easier, more fun, and more comfortable. We promise.
When learning to snowboard, you will want a few basic pieces of gear.
A properly sized
snowboard
Properly fitting
snowboard boots
Correctly sized
snowboard bindings
(that fit your boots)
Appropriate winter outerwear for the conditions:
jacket
,
snow pants
, and
gloves/mittens
A properly fitted ski &
snowboard helmet
To simplify the process of getting the right gear, we recommend finding your nearest
local snowboard shop
and asking a friendly professional for assistance. Let them know that you are learning to snowboard so they can help you assemble a beginner-friendly snowboarding kit.
Pro tip:
For beginners, renting snowboard gear or buying
sale snowboard gear
are great options to save a little money upfront.
Start with Lessons
Lessons are one of the most valuable things you can invest in while learning to snowboard. They will give you important foundational skills and help you avoid developing bad habits. Feel free to try the drills in this guide in your backyard or local park, but taking a couple lessons will make learning significantly easier.
When it comes to lessons, find an
AASI-certified snowboard instructor
for the best possible learning experience. Ideally, you should work with the same instructor through your learning process, so they can see your progression and tailor your learning experience to address your natural strengths and weaknesses.
If you’re on a tight budget, we suggest prioritizing lessons over brand-new equipment. Because the truth is, if you get really psyched on riding, you might want to replace beginner equipment before the season is over anyway. So, rent a snowboard kit while you are learning, and wait to invest in gear until you’ve mastered the basics.
Get Warmed Up
They usually don’t show you footage of the pros warming up at the X-games before dropping in, but make no mistake, everyone can benefit from a pre-riding routing. Try some easy
snowboarding warm-up stretches
before you ride to prevent sprains and strains.
Fueling and hydrating adequately before and throughout the riding day is also important. It's quite common to feel less thirsty in cold weather, but you should still aim to drink one to two liters of water throughout the day. If you allow yourself to get dehydrated, you’ll be much more prone to fatigue, getting cold, and losing patience. At the very least, toss a small water bottle and granola bar in the pocket of your
snowboarding jacket
.
Learn to Snowboard: How to Fall
We hope you’ll spend most of your first day at the ski hill on your feet, however, some falling is inevitable when learning to snowboard. With patience in the learning process and a humble approach (don’t try to send it at 100% right away), you can limit many of the harder falls. Distinguishing the difference between falling and sitting down can also save you some pain and frustration on your first day.
At any point when snowboarding, if you feel that you're getting off balance, trying to stay standing is usually when the harder falls happen, especially if you are picking up speed. If you think you might fall, get really low to the ground by squatting, and sit down or roll onto your butt or knees. Avoid trying to brace your falls with your hands so you don't injure your wrists. Instead, keep them at your sides or roll from your knees onto your forearms if falling forward.
Additionally, it is very hard to stand still when on a slope while strapped into a snowboard, so as soon as you come to a stop, just sit down. This doesn’t count as falling: give yourself some grace out there.
Pro tip:
Many new riders find that
impact shorts
worn under
snowboarding pants
can make a big difference in protecting the hips and butt from hard landings. Additionally,
snowboarding wrist guards and knee pads
are great options for extra protection.
Learn to Snowboard: How to Glide & Skate
Gliding and skating are fundamental skills that you will need to learn to safely load and unload from the chairlift. These two skills can be learned and practiced on flat ground with the help of a partner.
Step-by-Step Snowboard Gliding Drill
Find a suitable location on flat ground with firm snow.
Choose whichever foot you think would feel comfortable leading and strap it into the front binding. The foot not strapped in will be your back foot.
Gently bend your knees, look forward over your front shoulder, and hold your arms slightly out in front and behind your body to help with balance.
Have someone gently push the tail (back end) of your snowboard, so that you begin gliding across the snow.
Get comfortable with the feeling of gliding and focus on maintaining your balance until you come to a stop.
Your goal is to glide across the snow in a relatively straight line. As you practice this drill, it is important to keep your shoulders and hips in line with your board so that you glide in a straight line.
Step-by-Step Snowboard Skating Drill
On flat ground, strap your front foot into your binding, leaving your back foot unstrapped.
Place your free foot behind the heelside edge of your snowboard, on the snow.
Slowly push off the snow with your rear foot, like you are pushing a skateboard. Be cautious not to push past your rear binding, otherwise you may lose your balance or do a split.
After you push, move your foot forward and push again, maintaining your forward speed. Continue pushing a few more times, then place your free foot onto the snowboard between your bindings, braced against your rear binding.
Allow the snowboard to continue gliding across the snow. As you glide, keep a gentle bend in your knees, and your shoulders and hips in line with your snowboard. Keep your arms slightly raised and in line with your snowboard to help with balance.
To Stop: With the front of your free foot still on your snowboard, between your bindings, gently drag your heel on the snow, using it like a brake; this will allow you to slow down and avoid colliding with stationary objects or other people.
Repeat this drill, and as you get more comfortable with the speed, try to go a little faster, and then glide further.
Pro tip:
Some riders find it easier to skate by pushing with their free foot in front of the toeside edge of the snowboard. Practice both options to see what feels more natural for you.
Step-by-Step Snowboard Flat J-turn Drill
Once you have mastered gliding and skating, it’s time to work on one-footed turning, which is called a J-turn on flat ground.
Find a suitable location on flat ground with firm snow.
Start skating until you have picked up some speed (make sure it is a speed you are comfortable falling at).
Pick up your free foot and place it securely between your bindings, so that you continue gliding.
Gently bend your knees and shift your weight onto your heels to engage your heelside edge. As you do this, gently twist at the waist looking over your shoulder towards your heelside edge. As your edge engages, your snowboard should slowly turn.
Repeat this drill for a toeside turn. Gently bend your knees and shift your weight onto your toes to engage your toeside edge. As you do this, look towards your toeside edge. As you engage your edge, your snowboard should begin to turn.
Learn to Use Your Snowboard’s Edges
One of the foundational skills to focus on when you learn to snowboard is effectively using your edges. This is the starting point for controlling speed, initiating turns, and stopping. It’s crucial that you have a basic grasp of edge control before taking your learning to the upper slopes of the mountain, where there are other snowboarders, skiers, and obstacles to navigate.
We suggest getting started with snowboard edge control in a low-consequence environment like your backyard, at a city park, or the bunny hill at your local resort. Wherever you choose to learn, you will need a small hill.
Pro tip:
Practice basic snowboarding drills close to the bottom of the hill, with a flat open runout where you won’t risk colliding with anyone or anything if you lose control.
Step-by-Step Heelside Edge Snowboarding Drill
Begin by sitting on the ground facing downhill with your feet strapped into your snowboard and your heelside edge planted in the snow, perpendicular to the fall line.
Have a friend stand below you, facing you, and loosely hold each other's hands. They are there to help you balance and prevent you from falling forward or backward.
Rock forward to stand up, keeping an athletic bend in your knees. As you do this, flex at the ankles to keep your body weight on your heelside edge so that you don’t slide downhill.
Now very gradually, lower your toeside edge. As you decrease the angle of your snowboard to the hill, you’ll start to slide downhill.
Slowly shifting your weight back to the heelside edge and increasing the angle of your snowboard to the snow (by flexing at the ankle) will slow and stop you from sliding.
Now try this again, but allow yourself to slide a bit further before shifting your weight back to the heels.
Ultimately, your goal is to gradually slide downhill on your heelside edge in a controlled manner.
If you begin picking up too much speed, shift more of your weight back, onto your heelside edge. To go faster, simply flex at the ankles, shifting your weight forward towards the toeside edge.
As you get more comfortable with balancing on the heel side edge, you can practice this drill without a spotter. To do this, hold your hands at chest height, slightly wider than shoulder width, to help you balance.
Once you’ve mastered heelside edge control, it’s time to move to the toeside edge.
Step-by-step Toeside Edge Snowboarding Drill
Begin by kneeling on the ground facing uphill with your feet strapped into your snowboard and your toeside edge planted in the snow, perpendicular to the fall line (fall line = straight downhill).
Have a friend stand above you, facing you, and loosely hold each other’s hands. They are there to help you balance and prevent you from falling forward or backward.
Rock backward to stand up, keeping an athletic bend in your knees. As you do this, flex at the ankles to keep your body weight on your toeside edge so that you don’t slide downhill.
Gradually lower your heelside edge. As you decrease the angle of your snowboard to the hill, you’ll start to slide downhill. If you shift your weight back to the toeside edge and increase the angle of your snowboard to the snow by flexing at the ankle, you’ll stop sliding. While doing this, it’s important to keep your weight evenly distributed on both feet, otherwise, your snowboard is likely to begin pointing downhill and picking up speed.
Now, try this again, but allow yourself to slide a bit further before shifting your weight back to your toes.
Ultimately, your goal is to gradually slide downhill on your toeside edge in a controlled manner, without losing control or picking up excessive speed.
If you begin picking up too much speed, shift more weight forward, onto your toeside edge. To go faster, simply flex at the ankles, shifting your weight towards the heelside edge of your snowboard.
Your goal with this drill is to slide down the hill in a controlled manner on both your heelside and toeside edges, without using a friend for balance. Some people are able to master this in under an hour, but others may require multiple sessions before they feel comfortable with this drill. If it takes you longer, don’t feel discouraged, just keep practicing.
Learn the Basics of Turning
If you can skate and glide and use the edges of your snowboard, it’s time to learn the basics of turning (or carving). Turns on a snowboard are good for two main reasons: they allow us to control our speed and to control where we’re going.
When learning to turn, we’ll begin by learning the falling leaf before progressing to a C-turn.
Step-by-Step Falling Leaf Snowboard Drill
Begin seated, facing downhill on a gentle slope with both of your feet strapped into your snowboard.
Stand up and balance on your heelside edge with your weight evenly distributed between both feet.
Very slowly, shift your weight onto your left foot, so that you start gliding to the left.
Before you gain too much speed, shift your weight back to the center so that it is split between your two feet, and use your heelside edge to slow down.
Now, shift your weight towards your right foot, so that you start gliding to the right.
Before you pick up too much speed, shift your weight back to the center and use your heelside edge to bring yourself to a stop.
Once you feel comfortable performing the drill, try repeating it, but make your transition between moving left and right quicker, with less of a pronounced stop in between directions. You can also experiment with allowing yourself to gain more speed each time you change directions. When this drill is done correctly, your path down the mountain will look like a leaf falling to the ground from a tree.
Pro tip:
This drill may sometimes be referred to as the “garland” because the trail your snowboard makes on the surface of the slope can resemble a holiday garland.
Step-by-step C-Turn Snowboard Drill
We recommend doing this drill at the very bottom of the slope, with a clear natural runout that will stop you, in case you have trouble coming to a stop yourself.
Begin seated, facing downhill on a gentle slope with both of your feet strapped into your snowboard.
Stand up and balance on your heelside edge with your weight evenly distributed between both feet.
Very slowly, shift your weight onto your front foot, so that your snowboard begins to angle downhill and pick up speed.
Once your board begins heading downhill, allow it to become perfectly flat, straight down the fall line. (you may practice this with the flat run out until you are very comfortable getting the board straight and flat.)
Once the board is straight and flat, engage the toe edge, more with the front foot to start, then add in the back foot and gently move your hips over the edge as well. This will begin to turn you across the hill. Keep your weight centered between your feet and over the toe edge, and increase your edge angle to slow down and come to a stop on your toe edge, just as you did during the edging drills.
Repeat on the heel edge. Starting from a stop on the toe edge, straighten the snowboard into the fall line. When the board is flat and moving straight down the fall line, shift weight onto the heel edge. As the board starts to steer across the hill, increase the edge angle, moving your hips over the heel edge and uphill. Come to a stop.
Pro tip:
When you come to a stop you may sit or kneel down to reset between turns. Staying balanced while stopped is an extremely hard skill when you are first learning to snowboard.
As you get more comfortable with this exercise, you can start linking turns together. You will find that you do not have to come to a complete stop and that you can start to flow one turn into the next. Patience with yourself is key in these drills; don’t be in a rush to get to steeper terrain. The green trails from the tops of mountains can be long, flat, and narrow which is not conducive to practicing these steps. Stick to beginner (bunny or learning) areas that are wide, and that you can see from the bottom of the hill.
Final Step: Practice, Practice, Practice
And now, your final bit of advice: practice, practice, practice.
Because if you only go to the mountain a handful of times each season, it’s going to take you much longer to feel comfortable and develop the confidence to ride. If you can get out and ride fifteen or more times throughout the winter, your learning will progress exponentially, and so will the fun.
We can’t wait to see you out there. |
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# Learn to Snowboard: Quick and Easy Tips for Beginners
If you want to learn to snowboard, this comprehensive guide from Burton (complete with quick and easy tips) is a great place to begin. As a leader in the industry, Burton has been designing and building [snowboards](https://www.burton.com/us/en/c/snowboarding-snowboards) and [high-performance winter outerwear](https://www.burton.com/us/en/c/jackets) since the 1980s, and our team knows a thing or two about sliding sideways on snow. So, whether you are entirely new to snowboarding or (finally) making the switch from skiing, we’re stoked to join you on this journey. Because like [Jake Burton Carpenter](https://www.burton.com/us/en/content/jake-burton-carpenter.html) always said: We ride together.
To help get you started learning to snowboard, we partnered with [Burton Team](https://www.burton.com/us/en/c/snowboarding-team) riders and professional snowboard instructors to compile a collection of quick and easy drills that will help you build foundational skills.
1. [Getting Ready to Learn](https://www.burton.com/discover/s/article/learn-to-snowboard#getting-ready-to-learn)
2. [Start with Lessons](https://www.burton.com/discover/s/article/learn-to-snowboard#start-with-lessons)
3. [Get Warmed Up](https://www.burton.com/discover/s/article/learn-to-snowboard#get-warmed-up)
4. [Learn How to Fall](https://www.burton.com/discover/s/article/learn-to-snowboard#learn-how-to-fall)
5. [Learn How to Skate & Glide](https://www.burton.com/discover/s/article/learn-to-snowboard#learn-how-to-skate-and-glide)
6. [Learn How to Use Your Snowboard’s Edges](https://www.burton.com/discover/s/article/learn-to-snowboard#learn-how-to-use-your-snowboards-edges)
7. [Learn the Basics of Turning](https://www.burton.com/discover/s/article/learn-to-snowboard#learn-the-basics-of-turning)
8. [Next Steps: Practice, Practice, Practice](https://www.burton.com/discover/s/article/learn-to-snowboard#next-steps-practice-practice-practice)
## Getting Ready to Learn
While it may seem silly to address the basics of [snowboarding equipment](https://www.burton.com/us/en/c/snowboarding-gear), we’ve seen enough shenanigans over the years to know that it’s an important topic to cover. If you’ve ever tried to snowboard in athletic shoes, jeans, or with snowboards that are wildly oversized or undersized, this section is for you. The truth is, having the right equipment will make learning easier, more fun, and more comfortable. We promise.
When learning to snowboard, you will want a few basic pieces of gear.
- A properly sized [snowboard](https://www.burton.com/discover/s/article/snowboard-size-chart)
- Properly fitting [snowboard boots](https://www.burton.com/discover/s/article/snowboard-boot-sizing-buyers-guide)
- Correctly sized [snowboard bindings](https://www.burton.com/discover/s/article/snowboard-binding-size-chart) (that fit your boots)
- Appropriate winter outerwear for the conditions: [jacket](https://www.burton.com/us/en/c/jackets), [snow pants](https://www.burton.com/us/en/c/snowboard-pants), and [gloves/mittens](https://www.burton.com/us/en/c/gloves)
- A properly fitted ski & [snowboard helmet](https://www.burton.com/us/en/c/anon-optics-helmets)
To simplify the process of getting the right gear, we recommend finding your nearest [local snowboard shop](https://www.burton.com/us/en/stores) and asking a friendly professional for assistance. Let them know that you are learning to snowboard so they can help you assemble a beginner-friendly snowboarding kit.
**Pro tip:** For beginners, renting snowboard gear or buying [sale snowboard gear](https://www.burton.com/us/en/c/sale-gear) are great options to save a little money upfront.
## Start with Lessons
Lessons are one of the most valuable things you can invest in while learning to snowboard. They will give you important foundational skills and help you avoid developing bad habits. Feel free to try the drills in this guide in your backyard or local park, but taking a couple lessons will make learning significantly easier.
When it comes to lessons, find an [AASI-certified snowboard instructor](https://www.thesnowpros.org/) for the best possible learning experience. Ideally, you should work with the same instructor through your learning process, so they can see your progression and tailor your learning experience to address your natural strengths and weaknesses.
If you’re on a tight budget, we suggest prioritizing lessons over brand-new equipment. Because the truth is, if you get really psyched on riding, you might want to replace beginner equipment before the season is over anyway. So, rent a snowboard kit while you are learning, and wait to invest in gear until you’ve mastered the basics.
## Get Warmed Up
They usually don’t show you footage of the pros warming up at the X-games before dropping in, but make no mistake, everyone can benefit from a pre-riding routing. Try some easy [snowboarding warm-up stretches](https://www.burton.com/discover/s/article/snowboarding-stretches) before you ride to prevent sprains and strains.
Fueling and hydrating adequately before and throughout the riding day is also important. It's quite common to feel less thirsty in cold weather, but you should still aim to drink one to two liters of water throughout the day. If you allow yourself to get dehydrated, you’ll be much more prone to fatigue, getting cold, and losing patience. At the very least, toss a small water bottle and granola bar in the pocket of your [snowboarding jacket](https://www.burton.com/us/en/c/jackets).
## Learn to Snowboard: How to Fall
We hope you’ll spend most of your first day at the ski hill on your feet, however, some falling is inevitable when learning to snowboard. With patience in the learning process and a humble approach (don’t try to send it at 100% right away), you can limit many of the harder falls. Distinguishing the difference between falling and sitting down can also save you some pain and frustration on your first day.
At any point when snowboarding, if you feel that you're getting off balance, trying to stay standing is usually when the harder falls happen, especially if you are picking up speed. If you think you might fall, get really low to the ground by squatting, and sit down or roll onto your butt or knees. Avoid trying to brace your falls with your hands so you don't injure your wrists. Instead, keep them at your sides or roll from your knees onto your forearms if falling forward.
Additionally, it is very hard to stand still when on a slope while strapped into a snowboard, so as soon as you come to a stop, just sit down. This doesn’t count as falling: give yourself some grace out there.
**Pro tip:** Many new riders find that [impact shorts](https://www.burton.com/us/en/search?q=impact%20shorts) worn under [snowboarding pants](https://www.burton.com/us/en/c/snowboard-pants) can make a big difference in protecting the hips and butt from hard landings. Additionally, [snowboarding wrist guards and knee pads](https://www.burton.com/us/en/c/protective-gear) are great options for extra protection.
## Learn to Snowboard: How to Glide & Skate
Gliding and skating are fundamental skills that you will need to learn to safely load and unload from the chairlift. These two skills can be learned and practiced on flat ground with the help of a partner.
### Step-by-Step Snowboard Gliding Drill
1. Find a suitable location on flat ground with firm snow.
2. Choose whichever foot you think would feel comfortable leading and strap it into the front binding. The foot not strapped in will be your back foot.
3. Gently bend your knees, look forward over your front shoulder, and hold your arms slightly out in front and behind your body to help with balance.
4. Have someone gently push the tail (back end) of your snowboard, so that you begin gliding across the snow.
5. Get comfortable with the feeling of gliding and focus on maintaining your balance until you come to a stop.
Your goal is to glide across the snow in a relatively straight line. As you practice this drill, it is important to keep your shoulders and hips in line with your board so that you glide in a straight line.
### Step-by-Step Snowboard Skating Drill
1. On flat ground, strap your front foot into your binding, leaving your back foot unstrapped.
2. Place your free foot behind the heelside edge of your snowboard, on the snow.
3. Slowly push off the snow with your rear foot, like you are pushing a skateboard. Be cautious not to push past your rear binding, otherwise you may lose your balance or do a split.
4. After you push, move your foot forward and push again, maintaining your forward speed. Continue pushing a few more times, then place your free foot onto the snowboard between your bindings, braced against your rear binding.
5. Allow the snowboard to continue gliding across the snow. As you glide, keep a gentle bend in your knees, and your shoulders and hips in line with your snowboard. Keep your arms slightly raised and in line with your snowboard to help with balance.
6. To Stop: With the front of your free foot still on your snowboard, between your bindings, gently drag your heel on the snow, using it like a brake; this will allow you to slow down and avoid colliding with stationary objects or other people.
7. Repeat this drill, and as you get more comfortable with the speed, try to go a little faster, and then glide further.
**Pro tip:** Some riders find it easier to skate by pushing with their free foot in front of the toeside edge of the snowboard. Practice both options to see what feels more natural for you.
### Step-by-Step Snowboard Flat J-turn Drill
Once you have mastered gliding and skating, it’s time to work on one-footed turning, which is called a J-turn on flat ground.
1. Find a suitable location on flat ground with firm snow.
2. Start skating until you have picked up some speed (make sure it is a speed you are comfortable falling at).
3. Pick up your free foot and place it securely between your bindings, so that you continue gliding.
4. Gently bend your knees and shift your weight onto your heels to engage your heelside edge. As you do this, gently twist at the waist looking over your shoulder towards your heelside edge. As your edge engages, your snowboard should slowly turn.
5. Repeat this drill for a toeside turn. Gently bend your knees and shift your weight onto your toes to engage your toeside edge. As you do this, look towards your toeside edge. As you engage your edge, your snowboard should begin to turn.
## Learn to Use Your Snowboard’s Edges
One of the foundational skills to focus on when you learn to snowboard is effectively using your edges. This is the starting point for controlling speed, initiating turns, and stopping. It’s crucial that you have a basic grasp of edge control before taking your learning to the upper slopes of the mountain, where there are other snowboarders, skiers, and obstacles to navigate.
We suggest getting started with snowboard edge control in a low-consequence environment like your backyard, at a city park, or the bunny hill at your local resort. Wherever you choose to learn, you will need a small hill.
**Pro tip:** Practice basic snowboarding drills close to the bottom of the hill, with a flat open runout where you won’t risk colliding with anyone or anything if you lose control.
### Step-by-Step Heelside Edge Snowboarding Drill
1. Begin by sitting on the ground facing downhill with your feet strapped into your snowboard and your heelside edge planted in the snow, perpendicular to the fall line.
2. Have a friend stand below you, facing you, and loosely hold each other's hands. They are there to help you balance and prevent you from falling forward or backward.
3. Rock forward to stand up, keeping an athletic bend in your knees. As you do this, flex at the ankles to keep your body weight on your heelside edge so that you don’t slide downhill.
4. Now very gradually, lower your toeside edge. As you decrease the angle of your snowboard to the hill, you’ll start to slide downhill.
5. Slowly shifting your weight back to the heelside edge and increasing the angle of your snowboard to the snow (by flexing at the ankle) will slow and stop you from sliding.
6. Now try this again, but allow yourself to slide a bit further before shifting your weight back to the heels.
7. Ultimately, your goal is to gradually slide downhill on your heelside edge in a controlled manner.
8. If you begin picking up too much speed, shift more of your weight back, onto your heelside edge. To go faster, simply flex at the ankles, shifting your weight forward towards the toeside edge.
As you get more comfortable with balancing on the heel side edge, you can practice this drill without a spotter. To do this, hold your hands at chest height, slightly wider than shoulder width, to help you balance.
Once you’ve mastered heelside edge control, it’s time to move to the toeside edge.
### Step-by-step Toeside Edge Snowboarding Drill
1. Begin by kneeling on the ground facing uphill with your feet strapped into your snowboard and your toeside edge planted in the snow, perpendicular to the fall line (fall line = straight downhill).
2. Have a friend stand above you, facing you, and loosely hold each other’s hands. They are there to help you balance and prevent you from falling forward or backward.
3. Rock backward to stand up, keeping an athletic bend in your knees. As you do this, flex at the ankles to keep your body weight on your toeside edge so that you don’t slide downhill.
4. Gradually lower your heelside edge. As you decrease the angle of your snowboard to the hill, you’ll start to slide downhill. If you shift your weight back to the toeside edge and increase the angle of your snowboard to the snow by flexing at the ankle, you’ll stop sliding. While doing this, it’s important to keep your weight evenly distributed on both feet, otherwise, your snowboard is likely to begin pointing downhill and picking up speed.
5. Now, try this again, but allow yourself to slide a bit further before shifting your weight back to your toes.
6. Ultimately, your goal is to gradually slide downhill on your toeside edge in a controlled manner, without losing control or picking up excessive speed.
7. If you begin picking up too much speed, shift more weight forward, onto your toeside edge. To go faster, simply flex at the ankles, shifting your weight towards the heelside edge of your snowboard.
Your goal with this drill is to slide down the hill in a controlled manner on both your heelside and toeside edges, without using a friend for balance. Some people are able to master this in under an hour, but others may require multiple sessions before they feel comfortable with this drill. If it takes you longer, don’t feel discouraged, just keep practicing.
## Learn the Basics of Turning
If you can skate and glide and use the edges of your snowboard, it’s time to learn the basics of turning (or carving). Turns on a snowboard are good for two main reasons: they allow us to control our speed and to control where we’re going.
When learning to turn, we’ll begin by learning the falling leaf before progressing to a C-turn.
### Step-by-Step Falling Leaf Snowboard Drill
1. Begin seated, facing downhill on a gentle slope with both of your feet strapped into your snowboard.
2. Stand up and balance on your heelside edge with your weight evenly distributed between both feet.
3. Very slowly, shift your weight onto your left foot, so that you start gliding to the left.
4. Before you gain too much speed, shift your weight back to the center so that it is split between your two feet, and use your heelside edge to slow down.
5. Now, shift your weight towards your right foot, so that you start gliding to the right.
6. Before you pick up too much speed, shift your weight back to the center and use your heelside edge to bring yourself to a stop.
Once you feel comfortable performing the drill, try repeating it, but make your transition between moving left and right quicker, with less of a pronounced stop in between directions. You can also experiment with allowing yourself to gain more speed each time you change directions. When this drill is done correctly, your path down the mountain will look like a leaf falling to the ground from a tree.
**Pro tip:** This drill may sometimes be referred to as the “garland” because the trail your snowboard makes on the surface of the slope can resemble a holiday garland.
### Step-by-step C-Turn Snowboard Drill
We recommend doing this drill at the very bottom of the slope, with a clear natural runout that will stop you, in case you have trouble coming to a stop yourself.
1. Begin seated, facing downhill on a gentle slope with both of your feet strapped into your snowboard.
2. Stand up and balance on your heelside edge with your weight evenly distributed between both feet.
3. Very slowly, shift your weight onto your front foot, so that your snowboard begins to angle downhill and pick up speed.
4. Once your board begins heading downhill, allow it to become perfectly flat, straight down the fall line. (you may practice this with the flat run out until you are very comfortable getting the board straight and flat.)
5. Once the board is straight and flat, engage the toe edge, more with the front foot to start, then add in the back foot and gently move your hips over the edge as well. This will begin to turn you across the hill. Keep your weight centered between your feet and over the toe edge, and increase your edge angle to slow down and come to a stop on your toe edge, just as you did during the edging drills.
6. Repeat on the heel edge. Starting from a stop on the toe edge, straighten the snowboard into the fall line. When the board is flat and moving straight down the fall line, shift weight onto the heel edge. As the board starts to steer across the hill, increase the edge angle, moving your hips over the heel edge and uphill. Come to a stop.
**Pro tip:** When you come to a stop you may sit or kneel down to reset between turns. Staying balanced while stopped is an extremely hard skill when you are first learning to snowboard.
As you get more comfortable with this exercise, you can start linking turns together. You will find that you do not have to come to a complete stop and that you can start to flow one turn into the next. Patience with yourself is key in these drills; don’t be in a rush to get to steeper terrain. The green trails from the tops of mountains can be long, flat, and narrow which is not conducive to practicing these steps. Stick to beginner (bunny or learning) areas that are wide, and that you can see from the bottom of the hill.
## Final Step: Practice, Practice, Practice
And now, your final bit of advice: practice, practice, practice.
Because if you only go to the mountain a handful of times each season, it’s going to take you much longer to feel comfortable and develop the confidence to ride. If you can get out and ride fifteen or more times throughout the winter, your learning will progress exponentially, and so will the fun.
We can’t wait to see you out there.
#### Related
[ A Beginner’s Guide on How to Set up a Snowboard This Beginner’s Guide on How to Set up a Snowboard covers the basics of binding adjustments and pre-ride tuning.](https://www.burton.com/discover/s/article/how-to-set-up-a-snowboard)
[ Burton's Terrain Park Guide for Beginners Get schooled on terrain park rules and etiquette so you can progress safely and have the most fun possible.](https://www.burton.com/discover/s/article/terrain-park-guide-for-beginners)
[ Splitboarding 101: The Complete Beginner’s Guide Burton’s Splitboarding 101 class is in session. Drop in for a comprehensive review of vocabulary, gear, and technique.](https://www.burton.com/discover/s/article/splitboarding-101)
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Learn to Snowboard: Quick and Easy Tips for Beginners \| Burton Snowboards |
| Readable Markdown | 
If you want to learn to snowboard, this comprehensive guide from Burton (complete with quick and easy tips) is a great place to begin. As a leader in the industry, Burton has been designing and building [snowboards](https://www.burton.com/us/en/c/snowboarding-snowboards) and [high-performance winter outerwear](https://www.burton.com/us/en/c/jackets) since the 1980s, and our team knows a thing or two about sliding sideways on snow. So, whether you are entirely new to snowboarding or (finally) making the switch from skiing, we’re stoked to join you on this journey. Because like [Jake Burton Carpenter](https://www.burton.com/us/en/content/jake-burton-carpenter.html) always said: We ride together.
To help get you started learning to snowboard, we partnered with [Burton Team](https://www.burton.com/us/en/c/snowboarding-team) riders and professional snowboard instructors to compile a collection of quick and easy drills that will help you build foundational skills.
1. [Getting Ready to Learn](https://www.burton.com/discover/s/article/learn-to-snowboard#getting-ready-to-learn)
2. [Start with Lessons](https://www.burton.com/discover/s/article/learn-to-snowboard#start-with-lessons)
3. [Get Warmed Up](https://www.burton.com/discover/s/article/learn-to-snowboard#get-warmed-up)
4. [Learn How to Fall](https://www.burton.com/discover/s/article/learn-to-snowboard#learn-how-to-fall)
5. [Learn How to Skate & Glide](https://www.burton.com/discover/s/article/learn-to-snowboard#learn-how-to-skate-and-glide)
6. [Learn How to Use Your Snowboard’s Edges](https://www.burton.com/discover/s/article/learn-to-snowboard#learn-how-to-use-your-snowboards-edges)
7. [Learn the Basics of Turning](https://www.burton.com/discover/s/article/learn-to-snowboard#learn-the-basics-of-turning)
8. [Next Steps: Practice, Practice, Practice](https://www.burton.com/discover/s/article/learn-to-snowboard#next-steps-practice-practice-practice)
## Getting Ready to Learn
While it may seem silly to address the basics of [snowboarding equipment](https://www.burton.com/us/en/c/snowboarding-gear), we’ve seen enough shenanigans over the years to know that it’s an important topic to cover. If you’ve ever tried to snowboard in athletic shoes, jeans, or with snowboards that are wildly oversized or undersized, this section is for you. The truth is, having the right equipment will make learning easier, more fun, and more comfortable. We promise.
When learning to snowboard, you will want a few basic pieces of gear.
- A properly sized [snowboard](https://www.burton.com/discover/s/article/snowboard-size-chart)
- Properly fitting [snowboard boots](https://www.burton.com/discover/s/article/snowboard-boot-sizing-buyers-guide)
- Correctly sized [snowboard bindings](https://www.burton.com/discover/s/article/snowboard-binding-size-chart) (that fit your boots)
- Appropriate winter outerwear for the conditions: [jacket](https://www.burton.com/us/en/c/jackets), [snow pants](https://www.burton.com/us/en/c/snowboard-pants), and [gloves/mittens](https://www.burton.com/us/en/c/gloves)
- A properly fitted ski & [snowboard helmet](https://www.burton.com/us/en/c/anon-optics-helmets)
To simplify the process of getting the right gear, we recommend finding your nearest [local snowboard shop](https://www.burton.com/us/en/stores) and asking a friendly professional for assistance. Let them know that you are learning to snowboard so they can help you assemble a beginner-friendly snowboarding kit.
**Pro tip:** For beginners, renting snowboard gear or buying [sale snowboard gear](https://www.burton.com/us/en/c/sale-gear) are great options to save a little money upfront.
## Start with Lessons
Lessons are one of the most valuable things you can invest in while learning to snowboard. They will give you important foundational skills and help you avoid developing bad habits. Feel free to try the drills in this guide in your backyard or local park, but taking a couple lessons will make learning significantly easier.
When it comes to lessons, find an [AASI-certified snowboard instructor](https://www.thesnowpros.org/) for the best possible learning experience. Ideally, you should work with the same instructor through your learning process, so they can see your progression and tailor your learning experience to address your natural strengths and weaknesses.
If you’re on a tight budget, we suggest prioritizing lessons over brand-new equipment. Because the truth is, if you get really psyched on riding, you might want to replace beginner equipment before the season is over anyway. So, rent a snowboard kit while you are learning, and wait to invest in gear until you’ve mastered the basics.
## Get Warmed Up
They usually don’t show you footage of the pros warming up at the X-games before dropping in, but make no mistake, everyone can benefit from a pre-riding routing. Try some easy [snowboarding warm-up stretches](https://www.burton.com/discover/s/article/snowboarding-stretches) before you ride to prevent sprains and strains.
Fueling and hydrating adequately before and throughout the riding day is also important. It's quite common to feel less thirsty in cold weather, but you should still aim to drink one to two liters of water throughout the day. If you allow yourself to get dehydrated, you’ll be much more prone to fatigue, getting cold, and losing patience. At the very least, toss a small water bottle and granola bar in the pocket of your [snowboarding jacket](https://www.burton.com/us/en/c/jackets).
## Learn to Snowboard: How to Fall
We hope you’ll spend most of your first day at the ski hill on your feet, however, some falling is inevitable when learning to snowboard. With patience in the learning process and a humble approach (don’t try to send it at 100% right away), you can limit many of the harder falls. Distinguishing the difference between falling and sitting down can also save you some pain and frustration on your first day.
At any point when snowboarding, if you feel that you're getting off balance, trying to stay standing is usually when the harder falls happen, especially if you are picking up speed. If you think you might fall, get really low to the ground by squatting, and sit down or roll onto your butt or knees. Avoid trying to brace your falls with your hands so you don't injure your wrists. Instead, keep them at your sides or roll from your knees onto your forearms if falling forward.
Additionally, it is very hard to stand still when on a slope while strapped into a snowboard, so as soon as you come to a stop, just sit down. This doesn’t count as falling: give yourself some grace out there.
**Pro tip:** Many new riders find that [impact shorts](https://www.burton.com/us/en/search?q=impact%20shorts) worn under [snowboarding pants](https://www.burton.com/us/en/c/snowboard-pants) can make a big difference in protecting the hips and butt from hard landings. Additionally, [snowboarding wrist guards and knee pads](https://www.burton.com/us/en/c/protective-gear) are great options for extra protection.
## Learn to Snowboard: How to Glide & Skate
Gliding and skating are fundamental skills that you will need to learn to safely load and unload from the chairlift. These two skills can be learned and practiced on flat ground with the help of a partner.
### Step-by-Step Snowboard Gliding Drill
1. Find a suitable location on flat ground with firm snow.
2. Choose whichever foot you think would feel comfortable leading and strap it into the front binding. The foot not strapped in will be your back foot.
3. Gently bend your knees, look forward over your front shoulder, and hold your arms slightly out in front and behind your body to help with balance.
4. Have someone gently push the tail (back end) of your snowboard, so that you begin gliding across the snow.
5. Get comfortable with the feeling of gliding and focus on maintaining your balance until you come to a stop.
Your goal is to glide across the snow in a relatively straight line. As you practice this drill, it is important to keep your shoulders and hips in line with your board so that you glide in a straight line.
### Step-by-Step Snowboard Skating Drill
1. On flat ground, strap your front foot into your binding, leaving your back foot unstrapped.
2. Place your free foot behind the heelside edge of your snowboard, on the snow.
3. Slowly push off the snow with your rear foot, like you are pushing a skateboard. Be cautious not to push past your rear binding, otherwise you may lose your balance or do a split.
4. After you push, move your foot forward and push again, maintaining your forward speed. Continue pushing a few more times, then place your free foot onto the snowboard between your bindings, braced against your rear binding.
5. Allow the snowboard to continue gliding across the snow. As you glide, keep a gentle bend in your knees, and your shoulders and hips in line with your snowboard. Keep your arms slightly raised and in line with your snowboard to help with balance.
6. To Stop: With the front of your free foot still on your snowboard, between your bindings, gently drag your heel on the snow, using it like a brake; this will allow you to slow down and avoid colliding with stationary objects or other people.
7. Repeat this drill, and as you get more comfortable with the speed, try to go a little faster, and then glide further.
**Pro tip:** Some riders find it easier to skate by pushing with their free foot in front of the toeside edge of the snowboard. Practice both options to see what feels more natural for you.
### Step-by-Step Snowboard Flat J-turn Drill
Once you have mastered gliding and skating, it’s time to work on one-footed turning, which is called a J-turn on flat ground.
1. Find a suitable location on flat ground with firm snow.
2. Start skating until you have picked up some speed (make sure it is a speed you are comfortable falling at).
3. Pick up your free foot and place it securely between your bindings, so that you continue gliding.
4. Gently bend your knees and shift your weight onto your heels to engage your heelside edge. As you do this, gently twist at the waist looking over your shoulder towards your heelside edge. As your edge engages, your snowboard should slowly turn.
5. Repeat this drill for a toeside turn. Gently bend your knees and shift your weight onto your toes to engage your toeside edge. As you do this, look towards your toeside edge. As you engage your edge, your snowboard should begin to turn.
## Learn to Use Your Snowboard’s Edges
One of the foundational skills to focus on when you learn to snowboard is effectively using your edges. This is the starting point for controlling speed, initiating turns, and stopping. It’s crucial that you have a basic grasp of edge control before taking your learning to the upper slopes of the mountain, where there are other snowboarders, skiers, and obstacles to navigate.
We suggest getting started with snowboard edge control in a low-consequence environment like your backyard, at a city park, or the bunny hill at your local resort. Wherever you choose to learn, you will need a small hill.
**Pro tip:** Practice basic snowboarding drills close to the bottom of the hill, with a flat open runout where you won’t risk colliding with anyone or anything if you lose control.
### Step-by-Step Heelside Edge Snowboarding Drill
1. Begin by sitting on the ground facing downhill with your feet strapped into your snowboard and your heelside edge planted in the snow, perpendicular to the fall line.
2. Have a friend stand below you, facing you, and loosely hold each other's hands. They are there to help you balance and prevent you from falling forward or backward.
3. Rock forward to stand up, keeping an athletic bend in your knees. As you do this, flex at the ankles to keep your body weight on your heelside edge so that you don’t slide downhill.
4. Now very gradually, lower your toeside edge. As you decrease the angle of your snowboard to the hill, you’ll start to slide downhill.
5. Slowly shifting your weight back to the heelside edge and increasing the angle of your snowboard to the snow (by flexing at the ankle) will slow and stop you from sliding.
6. Now try this again, but allow yourself to slide a bit further before shifting your weight back to the heels.
7. Ultimately, your goal is to gradually slide downhill on your heelside edge in a controlled manner.
8. If you begin picking up too much speed, shift more of your weight back, onto your heelside edge. To go faster, simply flex at the ankles, shifting your weight forward towards the toeside edge.
As you get more comfortable with balancing on the heel side edge, you can practice this drill without a spotter. To do this, hold your hands at chest height, slightly wider than shoulder width, to help you balance.
Once you’ve mastered heelside edge control, it’s time to move to the toeside edge.
### Step-by-step Toeside Edge Snowboarding Drill
1. Begin by kneeling on the ground facing uphill with your feet strapped into your snowboard and your toeside edge planted in the snow, perpendicular to the fall line (fall line = straight downhill).
2. Have a friend stand above you, facing you, and loosely hold each other’s hands. They are there to help you balance and prevent you from falling forward or backward.
3. Rock backward to stand up, keeping an athletic bend in your knees. As you do this, flex at the ankles to keep your body weight on your toeside edge so that you don’t slide downhill.
4. Gradually lower your heelside edge. As you decrease the angle of your snowboard to the hill, you’ll start to slide downhill. If you shift your weight back to the toeside edge and increase the angle of your snowboard to the snow by flexing at the ankle, you’ll stop sliding. While doing this, it’s important to keep your weight evenly distributed on both feet, otherwise, your snowboard is likely to begin pointing downhill and picking up speed.
5. Now, try this again, but allow yourself to slide a bit further before shifting your weight back to your toes.
6. Ultimately, your goal is to gradually slide downhill on your toeside edge in a controlled manner, without losing control or picking up excessive speed.
7. If you begin picking up too much speed, shift more weight forward, onto your toeside edge. To go faster, simply flex at the ankles, shifting your weight towards the heelside edge of your snowboard.
Your goal with this drill is to slide down the hill in a controlled manner on both your heelside and toeside edges, without using a friend for balance. Some people are able to master this in under an hour, but others may require multiple sessions before they feel comfortable with this drill. If it takes you longer, don’t feel discouraged, just keep practicing.
## Learn the Basics of Turning
If you can skate and glide and use the edges of your snowboard, it’s time to learn the basics of turning (or carving). Turns on a snowboard are good for two main reasons: they allow us to control our speed and to control where we’re going.
When learning to turn, we’ll begin by learning the falling leaf before progressing to a C-turn.
### Step-by-Step Falling Leaf Snowboard Drill
1. Begin seated, facing downhill on a gentle slope with both of your feet strapped into your snowboard.
2. Stand up and balance on your heelside edge with your weight evenly distributed between both feet.
3. Very slowly, shift your weight onto your left foot, so that you start gliding to the left.
4. Before you gain too much speed, shift your weight back to the center so that it is split between your two feet, and use your heelside edge to slow down.
5. Now, shift your weight towards your right foot, so that you start gliding to the right.
6. Before you pick up too much speed, shift your weight back to the center and use your heelside edge to bring yourself to a stop.
Once you feel comfortable performing the drill, try repeating it, but make your transition between moving left and right quicker, with less of a pronounced stop in between directions. You can also experiment with allowing yourself to gain more speed each time you change directions. When this drill is done correctly, your path down the mountain will look like a leaf falling to the ground from a tree.
**Pro tip:** This drill may sometimes be referred to as the “garland” because the trail your snowboard makes on the surface of the slope can resemble a holiday garland.
### Step-by-step C-Turn Snowboard Drill
We recommend doing this drill at the very bottom of the slope, with a clear natural runout that will stop you, in case you have trouble coming to a stop yourself.
1. Begin seated, facing downhill on a gentle slope with both of your feet strapped into your snowboard.
2. Stand up and balance on your heelside edge with your weight evenly distributed between both feet.
3. Very slowly, shift your weight onto your front foot, so that your snowboard begins to angle downhill and pick up speed.
4. Once your board begins heading downhill, allow it to become perfectly flat, straight down the fall line. (you may practice this with the flat run out until you are very comfortable getting the board straight and flat.)
5. Once the board is straight and flat, engage the toe edge, more with the front foot to start, then add in the back foot and gently move your hips over the edge as well. This will begin to turn you across the hill. Keep your weight centered between your feet and over the toe edge, and increase your edge angle to slow down and come to a stop on your toe edge, just as you did during the edging drills.
6. Repeat on the heel edge. Starting from a stop on the toe edge, straighten the snowboard into the fall line. When the board is flat and moving straight down the fall line, shift weight onto the heel edge. As the board starts to steer across the hill, increase the edge angle, moving your hips over the heel edge and uphill. Come to a stop.
**Pro tip:** When you come to a stop you may sit or kneel down to reset between turns. Staying balanced while stopped is an extremely hard skill when you are first learning to snowboard.
As you get more comfortable with this exercise, you can start linking turns together. You will find that you do not have to come to a complete stop and that you can start to flow one turn into the next. Patience with yourself is key in these drills; don’t be in a rush to get to steeper terrain. The green trails from the tops of mountains can be long, flat, and narrow which is not conducive to practicing these steps. Stick to beginner (bunny or learning) areas that are wide, and that you can see from the bottom of the hill.
## Final Step: Practice, Practice, Practice
And now, your final bit of advice: practice, practice, practice.
Because if you only go to the mountain a handful of times each season, it’s going to take you much longer to feel comfortable and develop the confidence to ride. If you can get out and ride fifteen or more times throughout the winter, your learning will progress exponentially, and so will the fun.
We can’t wait to see you out there. |
| Shard | 17 (laksa) |
| Root Hash | 10337490822760621817 |
| Unparsed URL | com,burton!www,/discover/s/article/learn-to-snowboard s443 |