Practice indeed makes perfect. It is day 2 of my journey into learning the waves of snowboarding. Day 1 was a very palpable reality check. In fact, I think had I not learned the tough lessons on day 1, I might have had taken this extreme sport very lightly. You can preview my experiences of the first day here, along with a vlog that documented my challenges. Honestly, I am still surprised I did not make it to the Ukrainian equivalent of Snapchat's infamous "Epic Fails".
I did a few things differently this time. For one, I was in a much better place mentally. I was prepared for what was yet to come. I had a plan. The plan was not to be an idiot.
Diving head first into a slope without having a drop of knowledge about the sport is not only ignorant but also very risky. I learned that the hard way. The bruised fingers, bad shoulder, and beat knees were a solid reminder that "back to basics" isn't a phrase for show. It is the ultimate truth a beginner has to believe in, no matter what field it is being applied to.
Kharkiv Switzerland is much more packed than Extreme Ski. The slopes are much steeper and overall it is not the best place to practice. I went to the neighboring Extreme Ski this time around, and spend a good 1-2 hours practicing "skating" and "gliding". That is it. I also found the equipment and slopes to be of a higher quality.
If you already know skiing or snowboarding then Kharkiv Switzerland is the better option. At Extreme Ski, the rent for the board, helmet, and shoe took me back 300 UAH. It is almost double what you'd be paying at Kharkiv Switzerland per hour. The plus side is that it isn't as crowded and the slopes are mostly undisturbed. The entry fee is also a little higher. In Kharkiv Switzerland, it is either free or 50 UAH an hour on the slope. At Extreme Ski, it is 150 UAH an hour with the lift fees varying between 50-200 depending on which one you take and for how long.
The overall experience at Extreme Ski was much better and more informative. The guy at the rental kiosk actually took his time with me instead of handing me whatever he could reach first. He tried his best to provide me with the right equipment I needed.
For example, the board. I didn't know there were different kinds of boards before meeting him. He suggested I take the W shaped board since I was a beginner and it has the most control. The other boards have either a flat bottom, a protruded bottom, a dipped bottom, and other variations of my W shaped board, called camber.
I was also given a shoe that had almost a hundred buckles on them, but all of which could either be tightened or loosened with one move. The idea behind that was (rough translation) "to know my feet", as in to know what I like the most. Which places I like tighter, and which places I like a little loose.
The helmet was a big difference. You can see the obvious difference between last week's helmet and this week's. This one almost covered all of my face and felt like a cushion around my head. It had a lot of padding around the back. The last one was a more sporty, aerodynamic helmet. It would only be put to use if I actually knew how to ride.
After almost 2 hours of simply going back and forth on the flat "slope" at Extreme Ski, I felt a lot more confident. I can say I have a pretty good grip on this part of the skill. Skating with one foot buckled to the board and pushing with the other, then sliding on the slope with both feet on the board.
I do not want to undermine my own persistence of practicing the same move for hours, but I think the board had a lot to do with it. I did feel very much in control, unlike the last time.
I am not sure if the flatter slopes can be considered a slope, but I have seen instructors teach others on here, too. So, yeah, I guess they are beginner slopes. Once I had the sliding down, I decided to venture into the more will Kharkiv Switzerland. It is just over a few minutes away. But lemme tell you, with a sore leg, that walk can feel long. Daddy long legs long.
Over there I spoke to the instructors. I did tell you last time I am 100% hiring a professional coach. I could probably learn snowboarding by myself with the help of baba google, but I want to learn this the right way. I tried skating and gliding on the "beginner slope" at Kharkiv Switzerland and I could really see the improvement. What an exciting moment!
I signed off on a 5 lessons plan, spread out over 2 weeks or 1 month depending on how my body reacts and my schedule. The course costs just about $100 without the slope, lift, and equipment fees. So 150-200$ including everything? Yeah, around that. I was told that I should get a good hang of snowboarding by the 3rd class and should be able to do it on my own, including J turns, falling leaf, edging, and all that stuff by the 5th class. The coaches are all board certified trainers, and most of them speak English, which is very comforting to know.
Oh, I also dared go down the slope at Kharkiv Switzerland. It took me a quick few seconds to realize I should still stick to the beginner slopes.
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