How to teach mountainboarding

With the sport of mountainboarding constantly growing, there is always people learning to ride and wanting to have a ride of your board. Below are some tips you should mention when people are first having a ride on a mountainboard.

STRAPPING IN
This is the most common mistake, as new riders are not used to mountainboard bindings. Here is a video by U.S rider Jon Diurba on how to use bindings correctly

It is important to emphasise to the rider that they shouldn't jump or step out of the bindings while riding. Staying in the bindings significantly reduces the risk of knee and ankle injury.

FALLING OFF
Tell the rider that if they are going to fall, lean back and put their bum on the ground.This is the safest way to fall off when learning.

STOPPING
Most new riders find it easiest to turn heelside, so the best way for them to stop is to turn bakc up the hill in a heelside direction. Tell the rider to get down low, grab the toeside edge of the board and lean back gradually.


These are some steps to ensure new riders can safely enjoy their first mountainboarding experience.

Staying On Board

Mountainboarding is a sport that can be very punishing on your body. Many others share my vision of wanting to ride for as long as there body is capable of, so I am going to give you some tips that I have learned over the many years I have been riding for.

1. Mentality

Many people who have begun mountainboarding, or haven’t been hurt mountainboarding, have the mentality that they are invincible and picture it is hard to get hurt. This is not the case, it is still important to minimise unnecessary risks if you don’t wish to get hurt or it’s just a matter of time before your number comes up.

• Never ride too far outside your limit.
• Practise inverted tricks into water or foam first (the first flips I tried into water I landed on my head)
• Wear pads
• If you don’t have a clear vision of a good outcome don’t try it.
• Don’t fall victim to peer pressure.
• Work up to things, try a 4 stair set before a 6 stair set.

2. Flat Landings

Flat landings are a killer on knees, back and ankles. Although sometimes they cant be helped I think it is important to try and minimise doing jumps, drops to flat landings. When I first started riding 7 years ago I did lots of flat landings, however now my body cant really hack it and I am only 21, so keep that in mind.

When you hit the ground for a landing something has to give, often it is the flex in the boards, however many boards these days are tough and it is your body that gives out. Try to place kickers on hills, do drops onto a slope.

3. Warm up

Warm up by stretching before you start riding and when u start riding do a few mellow runs before you get right into it.

4. Pad up

Always wear protective gear especially a helmet. If you love riding and would like to do it for a while, its best to minimise the risks that you can. Putting pads and a helmet on are very easy steps to minimise the risk of breaking bones etc.