How to Approach Skiing for a Snowboarder

At first glance, snowboarding and skiing may appear similar. Both sports involve gliding down a snowy mountain while attached to a flat object. Nevertheless, the approach and skills required for skiing are significantly different than those needed for snowboarding due to the use of poles and free movement of the feet. Switching from one sport to the other is not always a simple task. For snowboarders, knowing the basics of how to approach skis can prevent serious injury and speed up the learning process.

Instructions

    • 1

      Learn to slow down and stop. One major difference snowboarders that are learning to ski must quickly learn is how to stop or slow down. In order to stop, snowboarders must turn sideways, using the edge of the snowboard to stop. With skiing, however, edges are doubled. Thus, skiers must bring the front tips of the skis together while keeping the back of the skis far apart, creating the shape of a slice of a pie. Learning to fight the urge to move sideways when stopping will help you master skiing quickly.

    • 2

      Give others the right amount of space. Snowboarders require much more space when stopping, while skiers require more space if trying to go down the mountain slowly. Recognizing these differences can prevent crashing into other skiers or snowboarders.

    • 3

      Control your speed. Skis are naturally faster than snowboards. Thus, in the beginning it may be tempting to fly down the mountain without a single movement. However, until you have mastered stopping, this should be avoided. By skiing in the shape of an S all the way down the mountain, your speed will be significantly reduced. The wider the S, the slower you will go.

    • 4

      Master your feet. Keeping your feet separated and untangled is one of the biggest challenges for snowboarders learning to ski. By concentrating on keeping your skis parallel, you will avoid painful falls. When turning to the right, shift your weight to your left foot and try to keep your right ski lightly on the snow while moving it parallel to your left ski. Do the exact opposite when moving to the left.