Common Mistakes Beginners Make (and How to Fix Them Fast)

by Jordan Darcy

Let’s be real, everyone sucks at first. Whether you’re learning how to link your turns or just figuring out how to get off the lift without causing a scene, the beginner phase is humbling.

But here’s the good news: most beginner mistakes are totally fixable.

You don’t need better gear or superpowers, you just need better habits and a little bit more self-awareness.

Here’s a breakdown of the most common beginner ski and snowboard mistakes, some quick hacks to correct them so you can level up faster, ride safer, and actually enjoy yourself out there.

1. Leaning Back (a.k.a. Riding the Back Seat)

The Mistake: Skiers and snowboarders naturally lean back when they’re scared—it feels safer. But it makes everything harder.

• Snowboarders lose edge control and catch heels

• Skiers lose steering power and shred their quads

• You feel out of control, because you are

The Fix:

• You need an action/athletic stance, every sport has one and every athlete has one.

• Think nose over toes (snowboard) or shins into your boots (ski)

• Bend your knees, but keep your hips centered. This acts as your brace or shock absorber.

• Keep your hands in front of you to balance your upper body

The truth? You’ll feel less out of control when you lean forward and commit to your turns.

2. Stiff Legs = No Flow

The Mistake: Tensing up and riding with locked knees makes you unstable, especially in choppy snow.

The Fix:

• Stay in an “athletic stance”knees bent, soft ankles, loose hips and commit.

• Absorb terrain with your legs like shocks on a bike

• Imagine dancing with the mountain, not fighting it

The more relaxed you are, the better you ride.

3. Ignoring the Edges

The Mistake: New riders often slide around on a flat base. This is how you catch edges, skid out, or feel like you’re always falling sideways.

The Fix:

• Learn to engage your edges by tipping your skis or board

• Practice controlled edge-to-edge turns on mellow slopes

• Snowboarders: Feel that heel-to-toe roll. Skiers: Get comfortable carving both inside and outside edges

  
  

Edges are your friends. Flat bases are not.

4. Looking Down, Not Ahead

The Mistake: Eyes locked on your skis/board or directly in front of you = zero awareness and slower reactions. It's not like you drive and look down or ride your bike and look down.

The Fix:

• Always look 10 – 15 feet ahead of where you are

• Scan the terrain so you can anticipate bumps, people, and turns

• Remember when you are connecting to a turn, just like when you are driving, yield to the right of way.

• Your body follows your eyes, so look where you want to go.

  
  

Lift your head. The line is up there.

5. Bad Lift Etiquette

The Mistake: Beginners often fumble the lift either by panicking during loading/unloading or not knowing the basic rules.

The Fix:

• Watch others and follow instructions from lifties.

• Keep your poles or board facing forward

• On the way off, stand up, glide, and move out of the way quickly

  
  

Own the lift game. It’s your gateway to the goods.

6. Choosing the Wrong Terrain

The Mistake: Pushing too fast into steeps, moguls, or terrain parks before your body’s ready. Cue the panic turns, knee slams, and long walks back.

The Fix:

• Master greens, then move to blues. Own the basics before chasing clout.

• Don’t be afraid to repeat the same runs to build muscle memory

• Ride for you, not for your group’s pace or for IG.

  
  

Progression = confidence → control → more fun.

7. Wearing the Wrong Gear

The Mistake: Cotton hoodies, rental boots that don’t fit, no goggles, frozen hands = instant sufferfest.

The Fix:

• Dress in layers (base, mid, shell)

• Invest in a good pair of gloves, socks, and goggles

• Rent decent boots if buying isn’t an option, fit > brand. That means the gucci stuff is not necessarily what's best for you. Shop around and buy what works for you.

  
  

Warm, dry, and comfortable riders learn faster.

8. Skipping Lessons Because of Pride

The Mistake: Trying to learn from your friend who “used to instruct” (but mostly just yells “lean into it, bro”). That is the make or break of you snowboard experience, you aren't really saving money because the cost to fix the bad habits will be expensive later down the line.

The Fix:

• Book a real lesson. Even a half-day with a certified instructor works wonders.

• You’ll build better technique from the start and avoid bad habits

• Trust us, it’s cheaper than paying with your body and ego

Final Thoughts: Be a Beginner Like a Boss

We’ve all fallen in the lift line at least once. We’ve all caught an edge and tomahawked under the chair at least once. It’s part of the ride.

But the fastest way to shred with confidence is to be intentional about your learning. Fix the little stuff early, and the big stuff (like steeps, pow, trees, and tricks) gets way easier.

So bend your knees. Look up. Laugh at your falls. And ride like you’re getting better every run because you are, as they say you get better the more you do something.