Want to head up to the mountains and winter sports around? Just follow this guide on how to snowboard for some tips on getting started.

• Wear a Helmet to avoid head injury

• Dress the part

• And always remember have fun, and be safe

1. Wear your helmet properly. It shouldn't move around on your head and be low on your eyes. This is the only way it will prevent you from getting injured. It has to be snug but not too tight. You might look silly but when you fall and your board hits you in your head (yes it can happen), or you hit your head on the ground hard, you will be glad you had your helmet on.
2. Make sure your boots fit! They should be comfortable, but tight. If your boots are too big you will compensate by tightening them too much, which will cut off circulation.
3. Wear high socks. You want to stay warm while you ride, right? Tucking your pants into your boots or having the boots touch your skin hurts a lot after a day of snowboarding. Some riders prefer a thin pair of regular socks under a light pair of knee-high ski/snow socks.

Usually, if you are right handed, you will lead with your left foot and visa versa, but such is not always true. If you run on a hardwood floor and slide, you will naturally put a foot forward, that should be your lead foot. Another way to find your lead foot is to stand with your feet shoulder width apart and have a friend push you from behind, the foot you step forward with first should be your lead foot. But in the end just ride however is most comfortable. You will be able to adjust your footing later.

1. Start out with what is called a Bunny slope which is the smaller hill.
2. Sit down with your board perpendicular to the hill and put your boot into its binding. Make sure your bindings are on really tight. If you can move your foot while in the binding, it's too loose. And if you can pull your heel up off the sole, then your boots are too loose. Either one of these will cause you to have trouble making toe-side turns.
3. Stand up, and apply some pressure to your lead foot (the foot you want in front). Bend your knees and keep your back straight, so that you feel balanced. Applying pressure is not leaning your body! Just pretend that you're squashing a bug under your foot, that should do it.
4. Slow down by switching to your heel edge or your toe edge. At this point it is personal preference, although eventually you will learn to use both for turning.
5. Understand that your board is going to follow your body. So to switch to your heel edge from a normal (left foot forward) stance turn your torso to face downhill. As you do this apply a little pressure to your rear leg (the right one in this case), and distribute your weight.
6. Balance well. If you fall backwards then you've leaned too far back, but this is better than catching your toe edge in the snow and falling forwards. The more you lean back the faster you will stop.
7. Switching to your toe edge is very similar. You will turn your torso uphill, and at the same time apply pressure to your rear leg and place your weight over your toes leaning forward a little.
8. Control your turning. When you get to the end of the hill, go back to a foot forward stance and aim for the chair lift line. You control your turning the same way you switch to your heel/toe edges. Turn you torso and apply pressure to your legs. You have to have a steady amount of pressure on which ever side you are turning on.