Snowboarding has quickly become the world’s fastest growing winter sport especially with the 2010 Winter Olympics showcasing American boarder Shaun White and Australia’s Torah Bright. Now everyone's getting into it!

Don’t let the cooler weather keep you inside - give it a try! Here are 10 tips for a fun day at the mountain:

1. Speak to a pro at your snowboard shop. With years of boarding experience, they can advise you on your stance and recommend a good board for starting out. Some shops will let you try a board for the day before purchasing or offer a rent-to-own option; be sure to ask.

2. Snowboard boots should fit comfortably but snug. Proper fit allows you to wiggle your toes when you bend your knees and lean forward; when standing up straight your toes will be at the end of the boot but should not be cramped. Cramped toes are cold toes; make sure you have space to move them around and for warm air to be trapped.
3. You can expect some falls in the beginning so wear a helmet. Wrist injuries are the most common injuries beginners experience but wrist guards can help. You may also want to try out a tailbone protector to prevent some bruising on your tush.
4. Choose waterproof, loose fitting clothing for unrestricted movements. If you are boarding during the day, wear tinted goggles or sunglasses to protect your eyes from the glare off the snow.
5. As with any sport, strength and flexibility helps you perform better and reduces the risk of injury. A strong lower body and core in particular, will help when snowboarding. Gently stretch your legs, shoulders, neck and arms before and after boarding and be prepared to use muscle groups you may not have used in awhile.

6. For your first time out, hire an instructor to show you the proper way to balance, stop, and control your board. You won't believe the difference this makes to your success!
7. To become comfortable with your board, try some of the movements in your home or at the bottom of the mountain. To familiarize yourself with some of the moves visit:
   www.mystead.com/learn-snowboarding.html and
   www.abc-of-snowboarding.com/learn-snowboarding/.
8. To get to and from the chair lift you will need to learn to push yourself (skate) with one foot strapped in. Begin by strapping in your front foot. Use your back foot to skate by taking short steps as you push behind your heel edge (the edge at the heel side of the board) with your free foot.
9. Falling is inevitable while learning and can be half the fun. Try to fall uphill keeping your hands in a fist as you fall to minimize the impact on your body and wrists. If you fall downhill, do not tense up, just relax and roll with it.
10. Don’t overdo it the first few times out; take a break when you are tired or starting to feel frustrated. Remember you are out to have fun on the slopes so try to maintain a positive attitude and a smile!

Have Fun and Enjoy the Snow!

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