I am writing this not from the perspective of a snowboarding instructor, but from the perspective of a normal beginner-to-intermediate girl who has really struggled to master the art of snowboarding. I am writing this on the premise that the reader can actually already snowboard. If you are looking to start out, or want to be able to finally link those turns, get yourself a couple of lessons! This article is for women who can snowboard, but whose annoying, self-critical brains get in the way of their abilities!

This article obviously doesn’t just apply to women – the tips included work regardless of gender. But in my experience, women tend to struggle more with confidence than men (here’s some fascinating literature on the ‘confidence gap’ here and here if you are interested). For me personally, confidence is the single biggest factor that holds me back in snowboarding (and everything else!). I’m scared of falling, scared of bashing into other snowboarders/skiers and am constantly paranoid that I look like a n00b.

Gear

From a practical point of view, having decent equipment that is well suited to your weight/height/body/needs can make a world of difference. But gear selection can also have an important psychological impact too. For example, if you know that you have a board that is more easily controllable, it makes it easier to push yourself and commit to the things that scare you.

Snowboard

The size, shape and stiffness of your board is important. Experts will generally be able to perform well on any board, but beginners massively benefit from having a shorter and more flexible (read: forgiving!) board. Shorter boards are more easily controllable and flex-y boards help to prevent you from catching your edges. When I started snowboarding, I was lucky enough to be gifted a board by someone who gave it up. The board was a 158. This was okay for my height (165cm) but not for my slightly built frame (I weigh 51kg). I have since invested in a more suitable board (a tiny little 142!) which has made a colossal difference to my snowboarding.

Boots

The second most important thing is properly fitting boots. If you are like me and have annoyingly shaped feet, getting a snug fit can be difficult. I have exceptionally narrow feet and heels, so really struggle to find boots that don’t cause me to have heel lift. However, there are certain brands and styles that are better for particular foot types (check out Snowboarding Forum for more info). Like with boards, a softer boot will be better suited to beginners.

Fear of Falling

If you are scared of falling, it will be difficult to commit to turns and follow through on manoeuvres – which in turn, makes it more likely that you will actually fall over!

Commit!

The most helpful thing that I have learnt along the way is to commit. I am super scared of ice thanks to a couple of brutal coccyx-smashing falls. Whenever I hear the dreaded ‘scrape’ of my board on hard patches, I tense up, panic, revert to heel-siding and instinctively try to ‘put on the breaks’. Unfortunately, this generally causes me to catch an edge and sends me hurtling painfully onto my bony bum! Recently, I have made a conscious effort to stay calm, keep moving and keep following through with my turns. Because of this, I have seen a drastic decline in my frequency of my falls. My bottom thanks me.

Many people have a similar reaction when they encounter steeper terrain. Speed feels scary! But in snowboarding, speed is your friend. You need speed to initiate turns, and to keep control of the board. Instead of slowing right down or reverting to your ‘safe side’, try maintaining your speed and turns in a controlled manner.

Armour Up

Another helpful trick is to armour up with protection. I’m talking mostly helmet and bum shorts, but wrist guards or knee pads may also be suitable. Knowing that you have some level of protection often really helps to reduce anxiety about falling or injuries.

Practise Falling

If you find that you are still scared of falling, get yourself on a nice soft beginners slope (a little dusting of powder is perfect, if you are lucky enough to get it!). Then fall down. Yes, deliberately! Start small and slow and practice falling in the best way possible. If you are on your heel side, put your arms straight out onto the snow and roll backwards to protect your bum. On toe side, you should cushion your fall with your forearms, instead of with your hands outstretched. Do this until you realise that you can control the way you fall, and that falling properly is really not a big deal.

Fear of ‘Other People’

You may be scared of bashing into other slope users, or you may just be worried about who is watching you and what they think about you. Firstly, no one really cares what you are doing! People are there to enjoy themselves and therefore are likely to be far too preoccupied with their own skiing/snowboarding to judge you! Remember: literally everyone was at some stage a beginner. Be careful and considerate, but focus on yourself and try to forget the crowds.

Trust Yourself (and Others)

I know it’s hard, but try not to worry too much about crashing into other people! Keep some space for yourself and remember that it is the responsibility of those uphill to stay out of the way of those downhill. You ensure that you stay away from those ahead of you, and trust that those behind you will afford you the same courtesy.

Finally, look where you want to go! It’s perfectly natural to want to look down at the snow, or look around to see if there are any other snowboarders/skiers in your vicinity. But when you turn your head, you also generally end up turning your snowboard. Looking where you want to go helps to keep your body in the right position on your snowboard, helping make those turns and keep your desired direction.

Snowboard More!

Ultimately, the best way to gain confidence is just to snowboard more. Don’t give up – I promise that it does get easier and it does become less and less scary! The more you snowboard, the more strength, skill and muscle memory you gain. With these gains in ability come gains in confidence. In the meantime, just relax, focus on your movements and enjoy yourself!