Thinking about winter sports, a dilemma immediately springs to mind – is it better to put skis on your feet for the first time, or will it be easier with a snowboard? Which sport should we start with? Which of them will be easier? Read our article and after reading it you will make your decision easier!
Snowboarding is more likely to see young people, who like the craziness of the outdoors. Does this mean that it is better to start with a snowboard rather than skis? It turns out that children can ride skis from the age of three, while the board – from four and even six years
Why are there such discrepancies? Well, it’s all about the bent position and the need for strong balancing and body maneuvering, because that’s how we determine the direction and speed of the ride – unlike with skis, we don’t have poles for that. In addition, when riding a snowboard, or actually during a fall, we do not support ourselves with our feet, so our wrists are more likely to be injured. If we have problems with our knees, then, contrary to appearances, they will be less stressed on the board.
Learning to snowboard will also go much faster if you have previous experience with skateboarding or surfing. When skiing, it can be difficult to coordinate both legs and arms at the same time.
Safety issues are also important when choosing a winter sport. It is important to realise that falls can happen on skis and snowboards.
At the beginning of our adventure we can’t avoid it, but practice makes perfect. It is therefore important, especially before putting on skis, to prepare your body for the effort and strengthen it to protect the knee joints. When snowboarding you can use special gloves to stiffen your wrists, shorts and a back protector, commonly called a turtle, which will protect you from pain when you fall on your tailbone or back.
Every pastime involves incurring certain costs. For the winter sports in question, there are no significant price differences. Although a snowboard is cheaper, we have to add the cost of special boots and bindings, so it’s actually the same as for buying skis, which have boots already included in the price. The same applies to accessories and clothing – ski and snowboard are virtually the same price.
Whether you choose skiing or snowboarding, you can be sure that you will not only have a great time outdoors, but you will also burn a lot of calories and do a leg workout. Doing winter sports on a regular basis will help you burn unwanted fat and get rid of unwanted pounds, while sculpting your body and gaining muscle mass.
Main photo: visit almaty/unsplash.com
