Snowboarding Course - Skating

Mastery of skating from one place to another is a useful skill in Snowboarding. You will have to skate when you are making mid-mountain transfers from lift to lift, crossing the flats from the base lodge over to a lift, or when trying to get moving again if you get caught on a 'cat track'. Practicing this useful technique will also help you get the feel of gliding the board forward on the flat before you attempt the same motion on a gradual slope.


Here are some tips on how to skate:

• Attach your front foot to the Snowboard Bindings, and leave your back foot free.
• Make a skating motion by placing your front foot in front of you while using your back foot to move forward. Skating/Sliding on your Snowboard with one foot attached is something you need to learn and would do often in Snowboarding. Every time you need to enter or exit a lift or travel short distances on a level or uphill slope, you will need to skate.
• Try skating around but make sure that your back foot should never be ahead of your front foot. Make sure to only make small steps with your back foot.
• As you improve, you will learn how to take bigger steps and really kick with your back foot.
• Also, make sure to keep your front leg slightly bent with most of your weight on your front foot. It will help keep your balance.
• As your skills improve, you will be able to make some speed. You will also be able to place your back foot on your Snowboard Stomp Pad or press it against the back of your Snowboard Binding if you don't have a stomp pad. Then, try to keep both feet on the board as much as possible. Try to crouch and get up while sliding on the board.

You might not be comfortable with skating at first. Try practicing it and soon enough you will be good at it. Skating demands more balance and attention to the terrain so keep on practicing and you will soon be able to skate with ease.

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