How Many Snowboarding Lessons Do I Need?

The most exciting part about taking on a new hobby such as snowboarding is being able to get up on a snowboard and showing the world what you’re made of.

As much as we would love to think that it is a simple matter of getting on the snowboard and going, there’s a bit more that goes into it that needs to be understood when you have just started snowboarding. To help you along the way, snowboard lessons will do you the world of good.

Of course, this leads to the question of "how many snowboarding lessons do I need?".

Now, we know that you are probably of the opinion that you’ll be able to grasp the concept in no time, and maybe your confidence is valid.

However, not everyone is able to nail the activity the first time. Lessons are effective in teaching you how to get up and moving, however, practice and experience take time.

It’s a learning curve, and with the correct snowboard instructor to teach you, you will reap the benefits very quickly.

Learning to snowboard should be fun, and with a snowboard lesson or two, you will be well on your path to success. In the same way that you book lessons to board, you can also book lessons to learn to ski as well as other snow related sports.

You cannot expect to ski in the snow or snowboard down mountains without any guidance or assistance – you are a beginner and will need to reach out for help.

So, let’s make it simple. A snowboard lesson or two can give you an idea of what to do. It’s up to you to decide if you need more and find a way to get some regular practice in to build on the basics provided by the lessons. We have taken the time to research the “correct” number of snowboard lessons you should look into to feel comfortable enough to get up onto the board – and stay there. It’s the same as with any other sport, including skiing – you would take ski lessons to learn, wouldn’t you? Guys and girls cheap snowboards are slightly different so make sure you get the one right for you.

How Many Lessons Do I Need To Invest In?

Spoiler alert, you will need more than one lesson.

Snowboard lessons are available as both a private lesson and group lessons. The type of snowboard lessons you choose will depend on what you are comfortable with. We recommend starting out with private sessions and moving on to group lessons when you have built up your confidence.

To start with, there are a few factors that will influence the number of snowboard lessons you will need. This includes your fitness as well as your natural ability to snowboard. Something else to consider when giving a snowboard a try is your experience in other winter sports such as skiing. Both skiing and gliding on a snowboard rely on the same common principles and you may find experience in one affecting the performance in the other.

The Average Figures

In most cases, it will take about six hours to start snowboarding at a beginner level. This means that the snowboarding lessons will be made up of sessions that will add up to six hours in total, so two three-hour sessions or three two-hour sessions. This could even be a full day lesson, although this can be quite taxing on your body. Once again, your fitness level will come into play here as it will influence the time you are able to spend practicing. Ideally, the first day will be spent getting to know the basics with the second day, or the second half of the day depending on the length of your session, focusing on you making it down the mountain with your new skills guiding you every step of the way.

Even with the recommended average of six snowboarding lessons, everyone is different, and you may need to spend a bit more time learning. If for some reason you are a superhuman, you will find six hours to be a bit much. At the end of the day, it’s all about putting yourself out there and discovering what you are capable of. From there, you will be able to gauge if you need more lessons or not – and don’t forget to rest in between it all. Best case scenario, you should be sliding down the mountain within a week, if not less. Once again, this estimate of a week will depend on a whole load of things.

Can I Learn In a Day?

Keeping the above in mind, the way in which the lessons are structured will definitely play a role in determining how many snowboarding lessons you will need. You will also need to find time in your schedule for these classes, which may result in the duration of the learning sessions potentially vary.

It’s not a matter of how many days it would take, but rather, how many hours. This aside, it is possible to learn within a day, however, it will depend on how many hours you will be busy, your past experience, and your fitness level. Full-day lessons are available and make it possible to learn in one day. As a beginner, it will be more realistic to say that you will learn how to snowboard within a week or so. This gives you more than enough time to get to know your snowboard as well as the snow covered surface you will be sliding down.

What Will Influence How Many Snowboarding Lessons Do I Need?

In addition to taking snowboard lessons, there are other aspects that will influence your ability to join the world of extreme sports and similar sports. Your age when you start learning is the first thing. Younger individuals may find it easier and more fun as they are able to learn quickly and as a result become more comfortable. Of course, this isn’t always the case.

The next thing that will affect your snowboarding potential is experience in similar sports such as skiing or wake boarding and other board sports. Learning to snowboard is fun and you may find that a technique in other boards sports may overlap into the world of snowboarding, which may mean that you already have a solid understanding of the basics. You may find that your first day on the board is a lot like riding a bicycle, making snowboarding all the more easier.

Your skill level and fitness level will also play an important role in snowboarding. Not only do you need the endurance for a day on the slopes, but your core strength needs to be next level and help you get going a lot faster. Skiing is the easiest way to gauge whether you are physically fit and able to take up snowboarding. If you are not physically fit or lack physical strength, you may need more snowboarding lessons than someone who is fit.

What Type Of Lessons Works Best?

We have already mentioned the availability of a private lesson as well as a group lesson, here we will discuss this in a bit more detail. Private lessons involve one on one time with an instructor. The first few days will be the most challenging and the right instructor will be able to guide you through these difficult beginner stages. You will more than likely need more than a one hour lesson, especially on your first day.

Private Lessons

Private lessons are a great way to work on your new skills, and if you happen to fall in the snow, there will be less of an audience to see it. Riding down the mountain is stressful enough, the last thing you need is the pressure of a group watching you as you learn the basics. It also means that you learn at your pace without having to worry about keeping up with a group. You may even find yourself learning snowboarding faster this way. Once you have become comfortable with snowboarding down a mountain covered in snow, a group lesson can help you take your board experience to the next level.

Group Lessons

Group lessons are the more cost-effective option for obvious reasons but may lack the one-on-one time needed with an instructor. You will still learn how to snowboard, but it may take a few more lessons than a private session would. The benefit of joining group lessons is being able to interact with other people – and maybe even make a friend or two - that are in the same boat as you and help you get used to snowboarding around people – something that is bound to happen while you are on the mountain. You may even find yourself considering a new habit and ski down the mountain at some point in the not-so-distant future.

Our recommendation is to start with one or two private classes to get the hang of things and then to work on bettering your new skills in group sessions.

How Should The Boarding Lessons Be Broken Up?

Lessons should be booked close to one another. Attending one session and waiting a month for the next one will not assist you. You will spend more time trying to remember the first session than you would practicing. This is why booking lessons closely together works well. Everything is still fresh in your mind, and you can work on muscle memory. The idea is to get going as soon as possible.

If there is a gap between lessons, use this time to practice what you have learnt. This will help you improve your skill and hopefully reduce the number of lessons needed to start snowboarding on your own. So put on your snowboard goggles and start practicing. 

A key thing to remember is that your mindset is everything. Don’t be disheartened when you fall or if you don’t get it right the first time you are out on the mountain. Specific things will take time to learn, and you won’t be doing tricks or link turns just yet. However, with time, you will be able to do tricks and show off while with friends. Do not let other people at the resort throw you off your game, you are learning, and they also had to start somewhere. And just in case you need a plus of confidence, a great snowboard outfit like this can make you fell comfortable in your learning process.

Additional Ways To Boost Your Skill

Sometimes, your friends could be good snowboard instructors. They have been there and know how hard it can be. A friend will also understand you a lot better than an instructor would and offer more helpful tips for learning the technique and helping you make your way down the mountain. Take each day as it comes and practice your technique whenever you can. They can teach you their favorite tricks which can be added to your ever-expanding list of skills – although we recommend leaving the tricks until you are a bit more experienced.

YouTube videos may also be your best bet when it comes to understanding the basics before reaching out to snowboard instructors and booking a lesson. This will give you an idea of what to expect so that you are not shocked at your first lesson and then again when you head out on your board.

Is It Possible To Learn Without An Instructor?

The truth is, snowboarding is not one of the most difficult things to learn, but it does require a lot of practice and time to get the hang of things. The first few days will be tricky, and you may fall down quite a bit – and that’s okay. We recommended investing in a pair of wrist guards as well as in a good quality helmet to prevent injury should you end up taking a tumble.

An instructor will definitely make a difference during the early stages of your snowboarding career; however, it is possible to start snowboarding without the help of one. It is not necessarily a bad idea, however, it may result in you learning some bad habits that would otherwise have been avoided at a snowboard lesson.

Not only will a good instructor have the tips needed to make it easier, but they can also be a great motivator. When you chose to go the route of learning without instructors, this is something that you will need to figure out yourself. You will need to power through the difficulties and motivate yourself to keep going until you are finally making your way down the slopes. Looking into an instructor may cost money, but it will save you a lot of time and frustration, giving you the opportunity to enjoy the experience a lot more.

It will also equip you with the correct skills from the beginning instead of having you battle it out until your figure it out. Of course, this is a lesson in itself.

The Truth About Snowboard Lessons

Everyone is different and it is difficult to gauge just how long it will take to grasps the concept and relevant technique. Some people are able to learn in a day while others may require a few extra days and that is completely okay. The only way to determine how many lessons you will need is to book your first one and see how it goes. And even after the lessons, you will still need to put in the time and effort to build your skills and become a master of the slopes. The lessons to get before you can navigate a snowboard are not set in stone – or even snow. The things that go into snow sports and allow you to ski or snowboard in the snow are based on individual circumstances.

One huge tip from our own experience, is to choose a slightly shorter snowboard from the sale, at the beginning as it will be much easier to handle and get your turns going.

So, when you think about it, the entire snowboarding experience is a lesson. No two runs will ever be the same and you will learn as you go.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Fred Felton          

Content Creator / Editor

Fred Felton is a copywriter, editor and social media specialist based in Durban, South Africa. He has over 20 years of experience in creating high end content. He has worked with some of the biggest brands in the world. Currently Fred specialises in the winter outdoors space, focussing on skiing and snowboarding. He is also a keynote speaker and has presented talks and workshops in South Africa.