First post: Mar 30, 2012
Total posts: 94
Location: Hull. East yorkshire
Status: Offline
Went down today, just used up my free hour. Used their stuff this time just so i get my confidence. Mine next time. The boards are fine for me, but the bindings ! So glad to have my own set up next time.
Also no sweaty helmet.. Just a freshly washed beenie. Much better.
Did ok, much more confidence . Felt in control on top section but with a bit of digging in to slow things down, and letting a bit more speed build up on the bottom section .. A couple of falls but you have to push yourself to progress. So long as i remember to keep a bit more weight on my front foot , it feels good.
Did give switch a go. Ended up on my arse with snow up my back.. On lesson three i went switch a couple of times and felt no real difference to my left lead.. But now, only 2 hours later , shows how much progress i made on my decent side i guess.
Love it. Starting to realise both the peace and adrenaline you get on a good run down.. Shame its only 175 meters! I cant imagine a full run on a proper slope . Must be amazing.
Spacedeck
Post subject:Posted: May 12, 2012 - 02:10 PM
First post: Feb 14, 2012
Total posts: 104
Location: Huddersfield, UK
Status: Offline
Well after a month of bad weather we finally come accross a rarity! The sunshine. My original plan of going walking in the moors didn't work out so I took it upon myself to go snowboarding.
It did feel strange getting ready to cause I hadn't been in so long and plus I was worried I may have forgotten what to do.
Well it did work out pretty well, only managed an hour today as they was booked up so took the hour and enjoyed it (most off it). It was all great, I did three runs and never failed it. Pretty happy I never fell but the board did come to a stop sometimes before I did the next turn.
I was enjoying it, then these kids turned up but they moved to the small slope as learners. Then me being me I end up falling, I don't know why but if anyone is around at all I feel a little more pressure like all eyes are on me waiting for me to mess up.
I only fell once or twice though but it wasn't a bad day at all, enjoyed myself and just so happy I don't need retraining lol.
Spacedeck
Post subject:Posted: Nov 30, 2012 - 07:12 PM
First post: Feb 14, 2012
Total posts: 104
Location: Huddersfield, UK
Status: Offline
I have it booked for 9AM on the 8th of December which is a Saturday so I am guessing it is going to be pretty dead then. this is just to get me used to being on snow and see if I need refreshing on snow but it should be pretty straight forward.
I'm hoping they tell me that I should be able to head straight onto the main slope.
mini.
Post subject:Posted: Nov 30, 2012 - 07:35 PM
First post: Jun 16, 2008
Total posts: 1794
Location: a world of my own, but mostly sheffield.
Status: Offline
laughing a little at you here Spacedeck.
9am on a weekend in december, unlikely to be "pretty dead"
weekends are heaving with people! if you want quiet look at late evening midweek
First post: Feb 14, 2012
Total posts: 104
Location: Huddersfield, UK
Status: Offline
*WARNING LONG POST*
You've been warned. Firstly can I just state I have started an actual blog up which I've reposted everything I've already posted here including my new blog from today. I know this is very long and people may not want to read it or even get bored so I don't mind if you read it all or not, it's up to you. But please just sit back, grab a cuppa and enjoy cause I never thought I could ever write and write without stopping.
My latest blog post on my site includes a picture of the progress card of which she filled out for me.
Chill Factor - What Level Am I?
Now I need a little time to just sit back and reflect on everything I’ve embarked upon. Everything seems to have gone through smoothly except for the ‘no pain no gain!’ It’s been around 5 or 6 months since I last went snowboarding so I am feeling a little nervous. It feels like it’s been forever!
8th December 2012
Chill Factor – What Level Am I?
I live in Huddersfield, England which isn’t that bad of a location when you have to get to places like Manchester. Chill Factor is located on the outskirts of Manchester near the Motorway which gives very easy access for everybody.
Over the course of last week I was continuously talking with my mate about what lessons I should be taking or what I should do next. I have a serious confidence issue so I was under the impressions that for me to progress onto snow I would need to retake a whole course again to be able to adapt to the different environment. This was my mind set anyway, but my mates mind set was somewhat the opposite of mine. He was forever telling me that “if you learn to snowboard on dry, you will pick up snowboarding on snow easy”.
We started to look into the different options, I was looking at the Learn To Snowboard In A Day at Sno!zone in Castleford’s Xscape. He was looking at other options and possible just different level 3 & 4 lessons. Then suddenly he has an idea that maybe Chill Factor in Manchester is a better option for me. We looked into it and as ever, it all looked pretty expensive.
But I came across a lesson which only came out at £30 and this was a lesson named What Level Am I? the name of the alone is enough to explain what it is all about. So mind now set on this course, I get it booked through their website with was an ease to use. There were very limited lessons available for me to take. It’s the start of a new season; people are taking up new sports such as snowboarding so a lot of the calendar was booked up. I managed to book a lesson in for a week on Saturday. It was a good idea as I had to dig out all my clothes and have everything rewashed.
So Saturday has come about, we had arranged that I would be picked up around 7:30AM to make sure we get there in time for my lesson start time at 9AM. He had brought all his snowboarding gear, boots, bindings and board with so to have a go on the main slope while I’m doing my lesson. The traffic was calming and very quiet for the morning; the snow covered all the fields to the sides of us as we drove down the Motorway. The moon was out and it looked really peaceful in a sky which was almost cloudless.
We arrived into Manchester around 8 which was a bit too early, so we drove around trying to find breakfast. Nothing to be seen we headed off in another direction and past the Trafford Shopping Centre. We took a wrong exit which placed us back onto the Motorway, so we had to get off at the next exit and double back. In the end we just went the Chill Factor and had a drink and a bite to eat in Costa Coffee before heading for the slopes.
I collected my tickets and headed off through to collect my board and boots. This is where I had decided to make a change and try a 152 board. Back when I learned on dry I had started on a 150 but then was given a 154 once or twice. The 150 board felt really good and manoeuvrable at the time but after I was given a 154 board to try, the 150 board felt a little too small but the 154 felt a little too big. So I wanted to try something in between so at Chill Factor when he asked me if I had a board length preference, I stated I would like to try a 152 which he granted my request. I was still rocking the same size boots. A good thing to note is that at Chill Facotr they seemed to only use one brand for the boots and snowboards (from what I could see anyway) and this brand was called Head (correct?). The boots fit much better than anything I’ve used previously, the board felt like a nice size and I was pretty happy with how things had gone so far.
Time passed as I waited for my instructor came. My instructor for today was called Victoria. She took us onto the baby slope to get us used to being on snow, we went down on toe and heel edges pretty good. My first couple of runs I kept my legs a little too straight which she noted and mentioned this to me. Before we headed out I had explained to her that I learnt to snowboard on dry and she was very understanding having tried to ride on dry before herself. The next stage she wanted me to slide slip going left and right down the hill. This was a worry for me as the whole stage of this for me was skipped when I learned previously. She explained what was needed and it all worked out okay.
By this time a lot of starter and infant lessons was going on at the baby slope so it was becoming a little crowded. We moved to linking our turns. I didn’t want to hurdle into anyone around me due to children being present so for the first two runs Victoria kindly offered to give me a hand, keep hold of both hands she managed to safety get me to the bottom of the hill, on the second one we did this one handed. So after two runs she said I should try on my own but she will be there to guide me. So to the top of the slope I went. I started my run, taking things nice and easy and controlling the board to the bottom. The run after I maybe took a little bit too much speed before I made a turn and I wasn’t slowed down enough. I could have ran into a group of learners if I wasn’t careful but I have always been able to control things the way I like. So I managed to bring the board back around to the side and then I’’, hit by another obstruction. Coming off half way up the lift was a child and an instruction. They was walking out onto a black mat so I got to the mat and failing to completely stop my board I ended up on my backside. I moved over a little, stood up and carried on to the bottom of the hill.
From here on we had decided the slope was too crowded so we moved over to the main lift where she would teach us how to use the poma lift. While making our way over to the main slope, I took the opportunity to try and find out what she thought my level was. She said I had good stance and control and what I lacked mainly was confidence. Now at the poma lift she explains how we use this lift having never use one before. We got straight on the poma lift without any issue although the bar you hold onto felt a little slippery. We came off about a quarter of the way up and from here we would take ourself down the hill to the bottom. I was worried but I always also confident about doing this run. I knew she was always going to be there to help me get through this. So I made it to the bottom alive, the turning was good along with the speed. This turned out to be the last run of the day for us as the lesson was only to last 50 minutes but I feel it did go over that as she forgot about the time.
We go back inside and which she explained to me which she feels I would benefit from. I am doing everything right but it’s just the practice and confidence I need to build so she suggested I book myself in for a Improvement course.
My experience from today has been amazing, the snow feels nice but much different to dry. Turning on snow feels easier and quicker. I have a lot of respect for instructor Victoria as she was very understanding and very helpful. I would like to thank her for the time and help she gave us.
If you are undecided where you would like to learn then I would highly recommend going to Chill Factor. I will now be booking myself in for the Improver course and hope to be hitting the slopes soon on my own.
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