We all fall sometimes, and knowing how to fall properly can help you prevent injuries when you are snowboarding. It’s good to know how to fall, but you also need to understand that there is no way to reduce the risk of injury during snowboarding completely.
I’ve been snowboarding for nearly my entire life. I’ve been injured my fair share of times over the years, but I’ve also learned how to take a fall to reduce the chances of getting hurt.
This post will explain how to fall properly without hurting yourself when snowboarding. I’ll give you a few tips and tricks to help you absorb impact, so you can keep riding even after a nasty wipeout.
Let’s get started.
Contents
Initial Thoughts
Even though there is a way to fall correctly and reduce the chance of getting hurt, there is no way to prevent injuries completely. If you snowboard a lot, there is a good chance you will get injured at some point.
Accidents happen, and you don’t always keep everything you’ve learned in mind when you need to act quickly. So take this as a warning that even though learning how to fall properly will help, it won’t guarantee you won’t get hurt.
How to Fall Properly When Snowboarding
The key to falling properly when snowboarding to reduce the chance of injury is to absorb the impact rather than take it all in.
1. Wear a Helmet
The first step to reducing injury when falling is also the most simple. Wear a helmet. It’s an easy thing to do and will help you from getting a severe brain injury or something even worse than that.
2. Keep Your Body Engaged
Sometimes you can’t anticipate a fall. But if you can, you want to keep your body engaged to prepare for impact. Keep your legs bent at the knees and your body engaged so that none of your limbs are locked up when you fall.
3. Don’t Use Your Arms
It’s very natural to want to use your arms and hands to brace your fall, but it’s always a bad idea. Snowboarders sprain or break their wrists nearly every day by sticking their hands and arms out to try and absorb the impact of the fall.
Don’t do this. As you fall, keep your arms tucked in your sides and try to absorb the impact with your entire body by either rolling into the fall or starfishing if you are falling backward. This will spread the impact out over a larger surface area.
How to Fall Forward Snowboarding
When you fall forward, you will want to try and make somewhat of a somersault motion to absorb the impact better. Lean over your shoulder and try to get the side of your upper back to take the impact rather than your chest and face.
The video below will give you some other good tips and tricks to keep in mind for falling correctly on a snowboard.
FAQs
Here are a few quick answers to some of the most commonly asked questions relating to how to fall on a snowboard properly.
Does Falling on a Snowboard Hurt?
Falling on a snowboard can definitely hurt. But it just depends on how you fall and if you are able to brace the impact in any way. When the snow is softer, it generally doesn’t hurt as much as when the conditions are hard-packed and icy.
Why do I keep falling while snowboarding?
Falling is a natural part of learning how to snowboard. Even experienced riders fall, so don’t get too frustrated with yourself if you are falling a lot. You might want to consider taking a lesson with a good snowboarding instructor to help you improve.
How do you fall less in snowboarding?
The key to falling less in snowboarding is to practice more. But it’s also important to know that falling is also a sign that you are challenging yourself and becoming a better rider. Even professional snowboarders fall.
Do snowboarders fall a lot?
Most snowboarders do fall a lot. It will obviously differ from person to person, but you can expect to fall at least a few times a day if you are challenging yourself to become a better rider. Falling isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as long as you don’t get hurt.
Is it easier to fall on skis or snowboard?
Both skiers and snowboarders fall, and there really isn’t one that falls more than the other. It just depends on the individual’s skills on the mountain and what type of riding or skiing they are doing.
How to Avoid Falling Snowboarding
One of my snowboard instructors once told me when I was a kid, “If you aren’t falling, you aren’t learning.” So keep that good advice in mind if you are trying to learn how to avoid falling on your board.
There really isn’t one way to do this, and falling is a natural part of the learning process. But if you are falling more often than what seems normal, you might need to slow down and take things easy. Riding within your ability level is a good start to help avoid falls.
Final Thoughts
If you are a snowboarder, you are going to fall. And if you are pushing yourself to become a better rider, you might fall pretty often even if you have experience and high-level skills.
Keep the tips in this post in mind to help you avoid injuries on the mountain. While there’s no way to entirely eliminate the chance of getting hurt, knowing how to fall better can help.
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