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PMcGugan 
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Post subject: Snowboarding Standards?
 Posted: Jan 04, 2011 - 02:43 PM
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First post: Dec 23, 2010
Total posts: 63
Location: Glasgow
Status: Offline
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This is something I have been dying to know since I started to get to grips with snowboarding.
Most folks consider there are three levels of snowboarding standard.
1. Beginner, 2. Intermediate and 3. Advanced
(Allbeit some stores and board size calcs consider there to be five. 1. Beginner, 2. Improver 3. Intermediate 4. Advanced 5. Expert.)
I guess what I and others are potentially looking for is a concencus. When can we consider ourselves more than a beginner. What constitutes an Expert, Come on, pipe up! What are your thoughts, What do you consider yourself to be ?
My example,
Have been riding a little short of a year now and most of that has been the monthly trips to the local fridge (roughly) at Xscape in Braehead. Went up north for 2days in Feb last year and basically spent most of the day on my tail, but, I have progressed a good bit since then. (However, will this be reflected on the mountain this season he wonders).  Say 50hours (staggered) slope time in all.
I got myself a new board for Intermediate to Advanced level so that I can grow into it but how much growing are we talking about I wonder.
As well as linking those turns, I can get myself a good bit of speed and throw the board about with quite a bit of confidence. Carving I think is the term. I am starting to look pretty fluid with it too. Things generally get a bit hairy when the board leaves the snow, need to get that balance in order. I can, however, throw a 180 (not pretty to look at yet though) and can Pop the board some as long as neither are done travelling at any real pace. My first attempt at a kicker saw me land flat on my back laughing my head off at it's comedic value but I concealed the fact that I had hurt myself (not seriously or anything) but enough to make me hesitant.
Looking for a bit of street cred here . My mates are talking about going up to Aviemore at the end of Jan and they have never seen me ridin and neither have I seen them. They're asking what standard I am. I labelled myself as an Improver or should I have stuck with the stand 3 and remain in Beginner status.
What do I need to master to move on to the next level? |
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nickmotture
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Post subject: RE: Snowboarding Standards?
Posted: Jan 04, 2011 - 02:58 PM
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First post: Jan 09, 2006
Total posts: 10414
Location: Washington DC USA
Status: Offline
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| its a sliding scale there aren't three defined standards, you dont just one day stop being a begginer and start being intermediate. Its also relative, i consider myself to be quite advanced at general riding but when i ride with some of my mates i feel like a begginer. People like to catagories and labels but in reality they arent of much use and are far too vague to actual mean anything. |
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RickBower
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Post subject:
Posted: Jan 04, 2011 - 03:08 PM
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First post: Dec 14, 2004
Total posts: 316
Location: cheshire
Status: Offline
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It's a subject I almost posted about last week.
Almost everyone that's been riding a year or even a few months claim to be intermediate. The problem is the more I thought about it the more dificult it is to quantify.
I class myself as an advanced rider, but in park only intermediate, sure I can bust a few tricks but you have only got to watch a DVD to see what advanced means in terms of park.
Everyone learns at a different pace, for me an intermediate rider can ride extremely smoothly, carve, ride switch confident and throw in a few grabs too.
Thing is none of this really matters (which is why I didn't post about it) the best rider is usually the one that not only rides well but has the most fun. |
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If you can't join 'em, beat 'em !
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charlie
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Post subject:
Posted: Jan 04, 2011 - 03:13 PM
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First post: Oct 11, 2004
Total posts: 8993
Location: York
Status: Offline
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I like to categorise people as:
1) Beginner
2) Alright
3) Good
4) Awesome
5) Gnarly
Don't make me quantify those levels because it's all in my head. I'll say this though, I don't think I'll ever get past good and most people never will. |
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nickmotture
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Post subject:
Posted: Jan 04, 2011 - 03:14 PM
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First post: Jan 09, 2006
Total posts: 10414
Location: Washington DC USA
Status: Offline
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charlie
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Post subject:
Posted: Jan 04, 2011 - 03:22 PM
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First post: Oct 11, 2004
Total posts: 8993
Location: York
Status: Offline
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nickmotture wrote:
6) Rad to the power of sick
That is reserved for Terje and Jeremy Jones (the non-twort one). |
_________________
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Photography
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kerb
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Post subject: RE: Snowboarding Standards?
Posted: Jan 04, 2011 - 03:25 PM
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First post: Mar 04, 2009
Total posts: 303
Status: Offline
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Filled in a holiday booking form a while ago and it had skill graduated from one to nine. Nine levels was going a too far, but I think this was more meaningful than simply beginner, intermediate, and advanced. There is a very big difference between a beginner who has never ridden, and someone who might still call themselves a beginner after three weeks.
Other point to note is that you can be good at different types of riding. I would consider myself leaning towards advanced on piste (was keeping up with guide on last trip and he was caning it on skis), but beginner come intermediate on powder, and total and utter beginner in the park. |
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ace_mcgraw
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Post subject: RE: Snowboarding Standards?
Posted: Jan 04, 2011 - 03:45 PM
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First post: Feb 20, 2007
Total posts: 4912
Location: That snowboarding hotbed, Norfolk
Status: Offline
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That's all very true. I've been riding for half my life now (15 of my 31 years), and I can cane it down any piste, pow and tree runs no probs at all so you could call me good.
But I've never done any off piste that's particularly difficult, and I can't do tricks off a kicker or on a rail (Although I'm gradually getting better!), so people seeing me try that would label me a complete beginner!
But I wouldn't worry about too many labels. Just practice and concentrate on your riding, and have fun with it! |
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PMcGugan
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Post subject: RE: Snowboarding Standards?
Posted: Jan 04, 2011 - 04:04 PM
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First post: Dec 23, 2010
Total posts: 63
Location: Glasgow
Status: Offline
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Personally I don't give a monkey's. I am where I am and I am gonna get down the slope one way or another but would be nice to think I will look the part .
No-one wants to consider themselves a beginner after a year especially if they have invested in some decent kit. Folks all shouting 'All doh and no flow'. Which would also be inaccurate, (no doh either)
Everything is graded so I needed to pitch myself.
When I initally thought about standards, I was looking at new boards and the slope maps and wondering what I should and shouldn't consider, working on the principle they as well as the boards, are graded. Figured the terms for any standard should be loosely mapped to a particular compentancy.
I am a bit wary as a result of a bad leg break a few years ago (no snowsport related) so, I will know when I see it, but I am unlikely to look at anything other than a, less than daunting, Intermediate run for example. Anything much steeper than Xscape is going to rattle me initially but I hope to be churning these out before the day ends. |
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PMcGugan
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Post subject:
Posted: Jan 04, 2011 - 04:08 PM
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First post: Dec 23, 2010
Total posts: 63
Location: Glasgow
Status: Offline
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nickmotture wrote:
6) Rad to the power of sick
Ahh! Sounds more like 'Dread to the power of Puke!' |
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AdamA9
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Post subject: RE: Snowboarding Standards?
Posted: Jan 04, 2011 - 04:10 PM
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First post: Nov 04, 2010
Total posts: 978
Location: Hove
Status: Offline
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It depends what type of riding you're talking about. Most people can get down the piste okay, but then chuck a few trees in your way or deep powder and it's a different story. Then you have park too. I've been riding about 5 years, but would only call myself intermediate, but then I'd be at the lower end of intermediate (if there were one).
I've watched many DVDs and seen some of the skill of someriders, how smoth them move, and just how tight they keep it together. I on occasion look like an uncontrolled moron, but in my head I'm a pro. It's one thing linking turns and getting down a piste, it's quite another doing it correctly and with any style that deserves you the right to call yourself an intermediate/expert
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Craiga
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Post subject:
Posted: Jan 04, 2011 - 04:26 PM
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First post: Jan 27, 2009
Total posts: 18
Status: Offline
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I'd agree with RickBower, it's about having fun above all else, so who cares, as long as you get off the hill with a massive smile.
However, there are a lot of people on the slopes, that ride fast and think they are good riders, when their technique is not so solid.
As mentioned by other people there are loads of different types of riding and someone who is amazing at freestyle could sh1t their pants looking down a steep drop-in from a ridge through rocks.
It's about being as good as you want to be at the things you love doing and enjoying it.
Not sure if this helps, but from a general coaching perspective (not really freestyle), you'd tend to roughly look at something like this. It's no way definitive, but is useful to workout what someone can do when speaking to them.
Level 0
Beginner
Pre-requisite: None
Level 1
Intermediate
Pre-requisite: At least one week of snowboarding AND able to perform comfortable turns on blue and red slopes but less confident on blacks.
Level 2
Intermediate II
Pre-requisite: Comfortable riding all gradients on piste, link at least 8 switch turns on blue slopes
Level 3
Advanced
Pre-requisite: Able to carve on blue slopes and have some jump experience. Able to make short radius turns on blacks and have a comfortable level off piste. Some mogul experience
Level 4
Advanced II
Pre-requisite: Able to carve on red slopes and can spin off a jump. Should be able to make high speed large radius turns on blacks and ride steeper off piste. Comfortable in moguls.
Level 5
Expert
Pre-requisite: Able to ride anywhere on piste switch and go off a jump switch as well. Should be able to make high speed short arc turns on blacks and comfortable off piste everywhere. Ride a narrow corridor in moguls.
Level 6
Expert II
Pre-requisite: Be able to rip with style and control everywhere on and off piste. You know who you are!
Happy rippin. |
Last edited by Craiga on Jan 04, 2011 - 04:40 PM; edited 3 times in total
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AdamA9
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Post subject:
Posted: Jan 04, 2011 - 04:33 PM
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First post: Nov 04, 2010
Total posts: 978
Location: Hove
Status: Offline
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| Accoding to that ^^ I'm between 3 and 4... Anyway, have fun kids, it's not about points, it's about having fun. |
_________________
Bananarama
Nearly New GoPro HD for sale
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dunx
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Post subject:
Posted: Jan 04, 2011 - 05:10 PM
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First post: Oct 07, 2004
Total posts: 9314
Location: Herts, UK
Status: Offline
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See related post about weight ranges:
www.snowboardclub.co.uk/PNphpBB2-viewtopic-t-43822.html
When snowboards are aimed at a particular level, it makes some sort of difference, at least in the eyes of the manufacturer and can act as a guide for the purchaser.
As for the OP's original point, when riding as a group I think how good you are matters even less. If you can ride the whole mountain, then you can ride as part of a group, even if you're having to wait or be waited for here and there. I always try to hook up with people who are "slower" than me, just so I can grab a rest every once in a while!
I'd put myself down as anywhere between 1-9 depending on what I'm riding, where I'm riding, how much I drank the night before and whether I'm "feeling it" or not. |
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charlie
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Post subject:
Posted: Jan 04, 2011 - 05:16 PM
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First post: Oct 11, 2004
Total posts: 8993
Location: York
Status: Offline
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| Good point Dunx, doesn't matter how you get there so long as you have fun. I hate riding with a 'fast' group, I like to ride really quickly now and then but doing it all the time is boring. You miss all the fun bits if you just go everywhere at mach 10 |
_________________
Official SCUK crash test dummy.
Photography
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