Save 10% on skiing and snowboarding in April when you book your April Monthly Lift Pass before the end of March 2024. Find out more >>

Book Online

How Long Does it Take to Get 'Good' at Snowboarding?

26 January 2023

A lot of people wonder how long it takes to get good at snowboarding and if it’s something they can learn in an hour. Unfortunately, there is no real answer as people learn at different rates and other factors such as age and fitness have an impact. 

As everyone picks things up at different rates you can’t set an expectation of how long it will take you to get good at snowboarding. Another factor is that peoples perception of what a ‘good’ level is.  

 

What is a ‘good’ snowboarding level? 

Many people would consider a good level of snowboarding to be someone who is competent enough to control their speed and be able to turn consistently – this equates to The Snow Centre’s Level 5 standard. This does not mean that after a couple of lessons you will be at this standard, if having snowboard lessons at The Snow Centre we recommend you book one lesson at a time as you might pass Level 1 and 2 in one lesson but might need to take Level 3 lesson multiple times. Our snowboarding lessons for adults are guaranteed to get your skills to tip-top condition.  

A ’good’ level at snowboarding is when you are competent enough to hit the main slope on a Lift Pass with no issues. We always recommend some time to practice on a Lift Pass to freshen up your snow legs before going on a snowy holiday as there is nothing worse than getting to the mountain and looking at the run ahead of you and thinking you won’t be able to make it down. 

 

How long before you’re ready to snowboard on the mountain? 

If you haven’t been to the mountains before and are planning a trip you might be wanting to know if you’ll be ready. If you have had snowboarding lessons prior to your trip you might be more inclined to try green and blue runs, you might even try a red run or two. It is definitely a better idea to have lessons before you go at your local indoor slope like The Snow Centre in Hemel Hempstead or dry ski slope as it means you can experience more of the mountain whilst you are out there and make your holiday a more enjoyable experience. 

If you have not had any lessons you probably won’t want to try anything steeper than a green run. Have a read of our Top Tips to Read a Ski Map for more information on what the different coloured runs mean. There are ski schools at every resort so if you’re going out with no experience or want some help look into booking some lessons whilst you are out there. 

The feeling of snow under your snowboard on the mountain can be different to the one of an indoor slope and very different from a dry slope so can get some getting used to. You will also notice the conditions of the snow will vary, some runs will be more compact than others whilst some will be more powdery, depending on how high up you are on the mountain you will notice difference the lower you get, towards the end of the day you will notice certain runs will be more cut up than others as more people have used it. The weather has a big impact on the grounds condition, when it’s sunny the runs will be softer and slushier and when it’s colder the runs will be harder and more compact – this is when you will have to rely on using your edges more to get nice grippy turns. 

 

Top tips on how to get ‘good’ at snowboarding quickly: 

  • Keep fit / get fit 
  • Take some lessons 
  • Listen to your instructor 
  • Don’t take large breaks between your lessons 
  • Practice on local slopes year round 
  • Look into getting your own gear 
  • Watch ‘how to’ and ‘tip’ videos 
  • Get someone to film you so you can watch it back 
  • Take lessons on the mountain as well or hire a guide 
  • Only go at the level you are comfortable with 
  • Take refresher lessons or snowboard recreationally between trips 
  • Snowboard with people who are marginally better than you 

The Snow Centre in Hemel Hempstead is just 30 minutes from London and offers Snowboard Lessons and Ski Lessons for all abilities to get your ready for your trip – be sure to check them out.  

Our Partners