Help with a weakling.

[dirtyjerz]

hAlright so i've been teaching people of all sizes shapes ages and etnicities for about 80+hours now and my style and strategies are usually pretty basic with some other stuff that i throw in to make everyone's lives easier.

Every sunday morning at 10:00am i teach this same kid named Ryan. He's a good kid with good intentions and also EXTREMELY intelligent. Which i have found doesn't always give up the best snowboarders. All that aside, the kid is so weak SO weak like he can't stand up and hold his edge for more than 15 seconds and after 6 weeks of instruction he can't stand by himself, i still have to help him. On top of his inability to stand he can't turn for like anything and when he has to turn he falls directly on his face, never gets hurt but still its not good to watch.

Now i understand that everyone learns at different levels and has different learning styles, and that you're probably thinking that i'm just a horrible instructor. But i'd say that 9/10 of the people i teach will be able to turn with at least their front foot in by the end of my hour lesson. There's always the one that gets on the lift in 2 hours linking turns like it's nothing. but that 10% of people....

So, sorry for the long post. but

What do you reccomend i try to get the kid to turn on his own?

How should i get him up? (i've tried all 5 methods that i know)

Have any of you found the same problems with teaching weaker less athletic individuals.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

[snwbrder3384]

how old is the kid? he cant stand up on his toe edge?????

[snowboarding_bear]

show him some leg workouts that he can do at home to get his legs a little stronger...?

[DragonUSMC]

^yeah i was going to say... does the kid to anything athletic outside of snowboarding?

Otherwise have you looked at his gear? Are his boots right for him are the bindings fitting properly.

Snowboarding doesnt take much athletic ability and strength but I have run into people who think the pain of their muscles burning a bit is the equivalent to their leg being torn off.

Good luck with this one man... not a lot of choices when your dealing with a customer. especially in this situation.

[Leo B. Jibbins]

stop pickin him up, cause he knows if he falls, your just gonna pick him up anyways.

[snowboarding_bear]

try tellin him 2 do calf rises

or tell him to ride a bike a LOT (or go to the gym n ride a bike thingy for like 1hr a day)

[Spin240]

We like to refer to these type of people at my local mountain as "Hopefuls" or "Toxic Waste"... They can be any age old or young. Mostly they are people who have never actually used a muscle to its limit and these are the ones that you have to be the toughest with.

Sometimes if someone can't do something I make them stand still on their board on a flat spot and then I move their body into the correct position for toe or heel edge. Then I proceed to ask them "Is this uncomfortable?" YES.. GOOD.. Now hold it until I tell you to let go... Kind of sadistic but it at least makes them realize that they havent been using a muscle at all really, lol


Also stop helping him like NYDiplomat said... If they can't learn to do it for themselves then you teaching them is pointless.

[Enoduolc]

Ummm... you shouldn't teach kids that are younger than 3 weeks old... ha ha. I'd just take him to a flat area and have him skate around for ... forever. Then take him to something slightly angled... just baby him into it and let him do that crap by himself. I mean if he is crappy as you say he is, he should get a kick out of just skating around on the flat and he will be learning how to balance on the board.

Then take him to the lift. have him skate to the edge of the double black diamond, and push him off. Trust me this will work...

btw, I was just kidding about that last part.

[dirtyjerz]

Ryan is 9 years old, he has never played a sport in his life, but plans to play baseball in the spring.

His equipment all fits well and the way it should, he has a season rental from a local shop and it all seems to be new, low end stuff well suited for his needs.

I have quit helping him up until he's tried for 5 minutes with no success, then i drag the carcass (sp?) off the snow.

I've considered just starting right from scratch but his father watches the ENTIRE time and always questions my methods of teaching and how his progress is. (regardless of progress he still gives me 20 bucks)

My boss knows im a good instructor and i keep people coming back and make good revenue for the mountain, and he has told me not to treat him as a personal loss cause regardless of how he does i still get paid. which i guess is true but let's face it we're not in it for the money.

[GreatScott]

Does the kid seem like he wants to be doing it or is it the nazi parent trying to make sure that his boy don't turn gay or something?

[dirtyjerz]

Does the kid seem like he wants to be doing it or is it the nazi parent trying to make sure that his boy don't turn gay or something?

According to him he's the one who wants to do it, neither of his parents ski or snowboard nor are any of his siblings involved in snow sports.

[GreatScott]

That's pretty awesome that he hasn't given up.

Who knows... ten years from now he'll be pro and telling interviewers how awesome his instructor was when he first started because he never gave up on him even though it took him a while to figure it out.

[Baz3001]

Or he'll still be being pulled up off the snow by a now middle aged dirtyjerz :D

[GreatScott]

Or he'll still be being pulled up off the snow by a now middle aged dirtyjerz :D

lol........................

[snowboarding_bear]

id just keep trying n every now n then make him workout his legs instead of tryin 2 snowboard

[Enoduolc]

Just don't have him do like squats or deadlifts. Not good to do that before like age 14 or 15. Probably get him skating or something thats a great way for a kid his age to work out his legs. That will definately help with his balance too.

[IceCoastChick]

I don't think I've had this to the extent of hthe person not getting it after several lessons but here are my suggestions:
-With one foot strapped, have him stand in an area with a subtle pitch to it so he has to be on his heel edge to not move. Have his foot off to the back with his board in front of him sort of drastically on his heel edge (he'll have to lower it when he puts his foot on-show him how his toes are still slightly picked up) Then tell him to put his other foot in the middle right up against his other binding and stand there and count to 10 (1 one-thousand..two-...etc) Have him repeat it till he finds a sweet spot for bending his knees etc. If you need to hold his hands a little and let go a little each time. The key is to make him stand in place for awhile just so he gets used to his balance.

-If he has 2 feet strapped in, bring him to a slightly steeper pitch than before.You may need to help him get up, tell him to put his hands on his knees like he's playing baseball and is in the infield. Usually I have my kids put their hands on their knees and keep their "toes out of the snow" when I want them to stop. Also make sure he's not looking down, stand below him and have him look at you. You're there if he needs to grab onto you.

If you want to sneak in some strength exercises, if you're on the lift..have him spell the alphabet with his free foot.

Hope this helps, let me know how it works out this saturday!

[GreatScott]

Screw it all. Buy the two person snowboard and shred the mountain with him.

[dirtyjerz]

I don't think I've had this to the extent of hthe person not getting it after several lessons but here are my suggestions:
-With one foot strapped, have him stand in an area with a subtle pitch to it so he has to be on his heel edge to not move. Have his foot off to the back with his board in front of him sort of drastically on his heel edge (he'll have to lower it when he puts his foot on-show him how his toes are still slightly picked up) Then tell him to put his other foot in the middle right up against his other binding and stand there and count to 10 (1 one-thousand..two-...etc) Have him repeat it till he finds a sweet spot for bending his knees etc. If you need to hold his hands a little and let go a little each time. The key is to make him stand in place for awhile just so he gets used to his balance.

-If he has 2 feet strapped in, bring him to a slightly steeper pitch than before.You may need to help him get up, tell him to put his hands on his knees like he's playing baseball and is in the infield. Usually I have my kids put their hands on their knees and keep their "toes out of the snow" when I want them to stop. Also make sure he's not looking down, stand below him and have him look at you. You're there if he needs to grab onto you.

If you want to sneak in some strength exercises, if you're on the lift..have him spell the alphabet with his free foot.

Hope this helps, let me know how it works out this saturday!


hands on the knees... never tried that before. i was taught to "put your hands up like your boxing". it's also new to us now. but to have the kid turn their torso down the hill which doesn't seem like it would work, but hey. good idea with the counting to help him get used to staying in that squatting position for the entire time. when i see him SUNDAY i'll let you know.

[Enoduolc]

lmao @ greatscott.

[IceCoastChick]

I use the hands on the knees thing because they never want to bend their knees enough. If they aren't putting their hands on their knees enough I have them grab their pants right at their knee caps, anything to keep their knees bent.

[dirtyjerz]

I think this kid might've given up on snowboarding, he wasn't there this week or last week, i made this thread to get help for this week's encounter. Thanks everyone, i used some of your advice for some other students and a majoarady of it was greatly successful.

[tooch]

... but his father watches the ENTIRE time and always questions my methods of teaching and how his progress is.

that's your problem.
talk to your boss and have him/her suggest to the dad that it would be better if he waited in the lodge. we started all our kids at 3. tried for a while by ourselves, but it doesn't work. you're way better off having someone else teach your (young) kids, preferably without you standing over everyone's shoulder.

[dirtyjerz]

that's your problem.
talk to your boss and have him/her suggest to the dad that it would be better if he waited in the lodge. we started all our kids at 3. tried for a while by ourselves, but it doesn't work. you're way better off having someone else teach your (young) kids, preferably without you standing over everyone's shoulder.

yeah they have some ropes set up that keep the parents away from the actual teaching area, but they're still in plain sight of the lesson, i really don't mind, as long as nothing happens that i can't explain.

[tooch]

YOU may not mind, but it's getting in the way of the kid's progress. classic case of helicopter parent. gotta get him away from there.