Choosing a Snow Boarding Instructor
Choosing a snow boarding instructor can be a very difficult choice, and one that comes down to your judgement more than anything else, however by following a few basic rules and asking the correct questions you can be sure that your choice will make a more informed one. When I first started learning how to snow board I was only 20 and in fact the sport was just getting started. Snow boarding began when a man decided to attach his son’s skis together in order to ensure that his son’s technique was correct. This has lead to snow boarding being one of the most popular winter sports even making an appearance in the Olympics. Despite this, the rules and regulations that surround other sports are different with snow boarding and for that reason alone it can be difficult to find an instructor that you are able to trust.
Does your instructor have any customers that you can speak with?
Ask your instructor if he has any past pupils that you are able to speak with. If he does then you will be able to ensure that he at least has some experience, and you can ask those pupils how they found the training that they were given. This is something that I consider with all my pupils. I ask them if they would like to speak with any ex pupils and give them their telephone numbers. Although most don’t bother calling them up, it gives them a certain level of confidence in my ability.
What rates or charges will you incur for instruction?
This is an important question and one that should be considered as a major factor in who you choose. If an instructor is charging more then it probably reflects on one major issue and that is his ability. If you are being charged more then this may be reflected in his service and experience and therefore it may be worth it. On the other hand, if you are mainly looking for the ability to master basic skills, then perhaps it is not worth paying extra. It is also imperative that you ask if the rates that you are paying reflect every cost element that you will incur. What do I mean by this? Some instructors may charge you an hourly rate, but then the course may ask for more in order to use the facilities or rent equipment. Be sure that you know about everything that you are paying. Another point for consideration is that if you intend to train on a better slope then the costs of tuition will surely be higher. I would say it is probably worth paying that little extra to learn on snow, and on a diverse and challenging range of slopes.
How well do you think you will get on with your instructor?
This is something that we must all consider before choosing an instructor, and although we cannot always tell, meeting them in person is a great way to get a feel for their personality. Many instructors choose to make friends with their pupils however this is something that I refrain from doing. In my opinion students attain the best results, when they have a relationship of mutual respect and understanding with their instructor. When the pupil and instructor become too chatty problems arise. However, this is just my opinion. If you feel more comfortable with a chatty instructor then this should be your choice. Think about what is best for you, and allow this to influence your choice of instructor.
The times the instructor is available.
If your instructor will only be available between the hours of 9-5 and this is when you will be working then the chances are that this instructor is not very well suited to you. Stop and discuss with an instructor when both of you are available and you be sure to have a better working relationship.
Choosing a snow boarding instructor can be a very difficult choice, and one that comes down to your judgement more than anything else, however by following a few basic rules and asking the correct questions you can be sure that your choice will make a more informed one. When I first started learning how to snow board I was only 20 and in fact the sport was just getting started. Snow boarding began when a man decided to attach his son’s skis together in order to ensure that his son’s technique was correct. This has lead to snow boarding being one of the most popular winter sports even making an appearance in the Olympics. Despite this, the rules and regulations that surround other sports are different with snow boarding and for that reason alone it can be difficult to find an instructor that you are able to trust.
Does your instructor have any customers that you can speak with?
Ask your instructor if he has any past pupils that you are able to speak with. If he does then you will be able to ensure that he at least has some experience, and you can ask those pupils how they found the training that they were given. This is something that I consider with all my pupils. I ask them if they would like to speak with any ex pupils and give them their telephone numbers. Although most don’t bother calling them up, it gives them a certain level of confidence in my ability.
What rates or charges will you incur for instruction?
This is an important question and one that should be considered as a major factor in who you choose. If an instructor is charging more then it probably reflects on one major issue and that is his ability. If you are being charged more then this may be reflected in his service and experience and therefore it may be worth it. On the other hand, if you are mainly looking for the ability to master basic skills, then perhaps it is not worth paying extra. It is also imperative that you ask if the rates that you are paying reflect every cost element that you will incur. What do I mean by this? Some instructors may charge you an hourly rate, but then the course may ask for more in order to use the facilities or rent equipment. Be sure that you know about everything that you are paying. Another point for consideration is that if you intend to train on a better slope then the costs of tuition will surely be higher. I would say it is probably worth paying that little extra to learn on snow, and on a diverse and challenging range of slopes.
How well do you think you will get on with your instructor?
This is something that we must all consider before choosing an instructor, and although we cannot always tell, meeting them in person is a great way to get a feel for their personality. Many instructors choose to make friends with their pupils however this is something that I refrain from doing. In my opinion students attain the best results, when they have a relationship of mutual respect and understanding with their instructor. When the pupil and instructor become too chatty problems arise. However, this is just my opinion. If you feel more comfortable with a chatty instructor then this should be your choice. Think about what is best for you, and allow this to influence your choice of instructor.
The times the instructor is available.
If your instructor will only be available between the hours of 9-5 and this is when you will be working then the chances are that this instructor is not very well suited to you. Stop and discuss with an instructor when both of you are available and you be sure to have a better working relationship.
Getting Started With Snow Boarding
If you are thinking about getting started with snow boarding then it really does not have to be as difficult as you are probably imagining. For a start, you can be sure that whatever you are planning to do you can be sure that as soon as you hit the slopes you will almost certainly enjoy yourself. When I was younger I always thought that it would be a really hard thing to get started with, but boy was I wrong. However, what I have to tell you is that I recommend you get lessons first, rather than just hitting the slopes with no idea of what you need to do.
Getting lessons booked does not have to be that difficult. All you need to do is speak with your local snow boarding slope and you can be sure that they will put you in touch with a snow boarding instructor in your area that would be glad to help you out. This may cost anywhere from around $35 an hour, but you can get them even cheaper, if you get group lessons. Group lessons means that more than one person learns at the same time, and it really is a very simple thing to do. I had my first lesson from a friend, however I would always recommend that it is best to get professional lessons from a man or a lady that is a professional snow boarding instructor. You can be sure that they have been teaching snow boarding for some time, and they are not only good at snow boarding, but also have a better idea of how to communicate to a learner.
Many people ask me what they need to buy when they are first starting snow boarding. The answer is that you probably need to buy nothing if you have the right kind of gear in your wardrobe. For those of us that are just getting started it is best to rent out the gear from your local snow boarding slope. A lot of places will do this for free when you pay a rate to actually use the slope. The reason for this is simple; when you are first learning how to snow board you may not enjoy it that much. If you do not enjoy it or decide not to take it any further, think of how much money you will have wasted on a snow board and related stuff. That is why you need to think about ways that you can practise without buying things up front.
It is important that you get the correct clothes for going to the slope. Even if it is your first time! What I recommend is that you simply must wear gloves, and the thicker the clothes the better. You should really be wearing water proof gloves but if it is your first time, then there is no point splashing out money on a fancy pair of gloves that you are never going to need in the future. This is just common sense. What I also recommend is that if you have any water proofs wear them to go on your snow boarding lesson. If you wear them then you will have a great advantage over the competition. The fact is that even if you are wearing clothes that are warm, they will soon become cold once the start getting wet. Despite this you should still wear warm clothes, unless you want to feel cold out their on the slopes. Another thing that is vital is sun glasses. You will find that when you are on the slopes you can find it very challenging to board when you have the sun in your eyes, another issue is that if the sun reflects off the snow then it can blind you if you are not wearing appropriate UV protected sun glasses.
All I have to say is that I am sure that you will enjoy yourself. Go out their and learn to snow board!
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