Learning to snowboard ain't easy: You spend half your time on your butt, spend most of your day on the kiddie runs, and leave the mountain sore.
But for some -- namely the men and women who 'board for a living -- a day on the slopes is just another day at the office. Allow them to help you turn your frustration into fun with these five tips.
TURN BETTER
Arielle Gold, halfpipe snowboarder and member of Team USA for the 2014 Olympics:
"A lot of people try to do the 'falling leaf' where you fly sideways and don't try to turn. Keep your knees bent, look where you're going, and make toe-side and heel-side turns. It'll help you learn and keep you on your feet." (Here are 9 staying warm tips that Winter Olympians discovered through intense training in frigid climates.)
FOLLOW THE 10-DAY RULE
Scotty Lago, professional halfpipe rider and bronze medalist at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics:
"People get bummed out when they first go snowboarding. They try maybe five times, and then they're like, 'I'm sore, my wrists hurt, I'm not good at it.' Stick with it: There's pretty much a 10-day mark. Once you hit that 10-day mark, you're not falling, and you start to have fun. You get better really quick from there." (The plan that keeps you strong, energetic, and healthy like you were at 25! Try Keep It Up today.)
PICK THE RIGHT BOARD
Seth Wescott, two-time Olympic champion in snowboard cross:
"You have to start with your foot size--it amazes me how much people don't pay attention to this. If you have toe/heel drag, you're going to have a horrible snowboard experience. I see people on boards that are too narrow for them all the time, and especially for larger guys, it's really important to get a wide board."
EXAGGERATE THE KNEE BEND
Gretchen Bleiler, American halfpipe snowboarder and Olympic silver medalist:
"For some reason, we always think we're bending our knees more than we are. But if you saw a photo of what you're actually doing, it's not it at all. Pretend like you're sitting on a chair to gauge how bent your knees should be." (Try these smart exercise swaps to relieve knee aches, or ward off more significant joint injury.)
BALANCE!
Nate Holland, Professional snowboard cross rider and two-time Olympian:
"If you're having trouble, make sure you're staying on an edge of your board--if you just stay flat on your board, you'll usually catch an edge and you can fall that way." (Take these self-tests to check if your muscles are out of balance.)
And while you’re at it, watch this video to learn these 2 simple muscle-imbalance self-tests you can use to identify problem areas.
