Snowboarding 101
I’ve been skiing since I was about 5 years old,
so naturally I figured I’d be pretty comfortable
doing just about anything that involves strapping
a board to my feet and pointing it downhill. So it
was with a fair bit of confidence that I tried
snowboarding for the first time last month.
I mean,how hard could it be? The logic is the
same as skiing, and kids as young as 7 years
old are snowboarding – going down the hills at
break-neck speed (literally) without any problem.
And so, I proceeded to punish my body by
twisting and turning – and falling – down the hill.
Within an hour, I was drenched in sweat and
exhausted. I was slowly but surely getting a bit
better, despite the snickers at my falls from
those 7-year old kids going up the chair lift.
There must be a better way.
Fortunately, I had already made an appointment
for a lesson with a qualified instructor for the
afternoon. Sandy was his name, and fortunately
he wasn’t some 7 year-old kid – I’d put him at
about 17. Much better.
But what a difference! Within 2 runs, he had
changed my style to the right way, and had me
doing exercises to improve my balance and
technique. By the end of the lesson, we had left
the beginner hill and made our way to the
steeper hills where the other snowboarders
congregate. Average age – 16. (Boy, do I feel
old!). But I was able to get down the hills faster
and with more confidence (and less pain) now
that I was doing it right!
So what does this have to do with CAD?
Nothing. But it has everything to do with the
value of training. Whether it be AutoCAD,
Autodesk Inventor, Land Desktop, Architectural
Desktop, or… snowboarding, proper training is
the best and most cost-effective way to go faster
and do your job with more confidence!