How hard is it to learn how to snowboard?

In: Lifestyle › Recreation

Snowboarding might be difficult to learn, depending on the athleticism and coordination of the individual. There are two types of stance-direction used by snowboarders. A "regular" stance places the rider's left foot at the front of the snowboard. "Goofy", the opposite stance direction, places the rider's right foot at the front, as in skateboarding. Regular is the most common. There are different ways to determine whether a rider is "regular" or "goofy". One method used for first time riders is to observe the first step forward when walking or climbing up stairs. The first foot forward would be the foot set up at the front of the snowboard. Another method used for first time riders is to use the same foot that you kick a soccer ball with as your back foot. This is a good method for setting up the snowboard stance for a new snowboarder. However having a surfing or skateboarding background will also help a person in determing their preferred stance. However, not all riders will have the same stance skateboarding and snowboarding. Most experienced riders are able to ride in the opposite direction to their usual stance (i.e. a "regular" rider would lead with their right foot instead of their left foot). This is called riding "fakie" or "switch".