Getting Over "The Fear"

[Snow Bunny]

I am new to sledding just this year, bought my very first sled in October. To give you an idea where I come from, I was born and raised in the city, never played motor type sports and most importantly never had the need to floor it or pin it, none the less up a hill covered in snow. The scariest boundary I've ever had to push was getting through post secondary school. I was a goody goody for most my life and always did things to the rule. Now with this whole new world of sledding that my fiance has introduced me too, I am noticing I have a lot of fear of the throttle and flooring it and just pushing boundaries of comfort. With all the great women sledders out there, and men, we all had to start somewhere. What I wanted to know is how were you able to get past the fear and pushing boundaries. I keep hearing throttle is your friend, but it scares the sh*t out of me. Any ideas?

 

[polarice]

I am new to sledding just this year, bought my very first sled in October. To give you an idea where I come from, I was born and raised in the city, never played motor type sports and most importantly never had the need to floor it or pin it, none the less up a hill covered in snow. The scariest boundary I've ever had to push was getting through post secondary school. I was a goody goody for most my life and always did things to the rule. Now with this whole new world of sledding that my fiance has introduced me too, I am noticing I have a lot of fear of the throttle and flooring it and just pushing boundaries of comfort. With all the great women sledders out there, and men, we all had to start somewhere. What I wanted to know is how were you able to get past the fear and pushing boundaries. I keep hearing throttle is your friend, but it scares the sh*t out of me. Any ideas?

well i was on my first sled at 7 ... and they werent the cushy rides of today ... tenative at first im sure but its like anything else the more ya do it the more comfortable you get when your doing it ... and if there is something that you dont want to do for whatever reason either watch someone or get them to show you how to do it and try it ..... ride within your abilities and as you get more seat time you can expand your horizons... hope this helps .....

 

[EMANAARON]

I am new to sledding just this year, bought my very first sled in October. To give you an idea where I come from, I was born and raised in the city, never played motor type sports and most importantly never had the need to floor it or pin it, none the less up a hill covered in snow. The scariest boundary I've ever had to push was getting through post secondary school. I was a goody goody for most my life and always did things to the rule. Now with this whole new world of sledding that my fiance has introduced me too, I am noticing I have a lot of fear of the throttle and flooring it and just pushing boundaries of comfort. With all the great women sledders out there, and men, we all had to start somewhere. What I wanted to know is how were you able to get past the fear and pushing boundaries. I keep hearing throttle is your friend, but it scares the sh*t out of me. Any ideas?

Just pin it!!! Haha practice. Pin it on flat ground.

 

[DownhillBill]

well i was on my first sled at 7 ... and they werent the cushy rides of today ... tenative at first im sure but its like anything else the more ya do it the more comfortable you get when your doing it ... and if there is something that you dont want to do for whatever reason either watch someone or get them to show you how to do it and try it ..... ride within your abilities and as you get more seat time you can expand your horizons... hope this helps .....

x2, practice practice. Watch other people riding and dont be afraid to ask questions!! Were all friendly people!....well most of us..:d

 

[thunder44]

I understand your fear. My husband would tell me "just pin it"I was too afraid to pin it and everytime I did, I seemed to have no control. Well with practice and a few misshaps. You do get over the fear and understand the throttle is your friend. You will too. Go out in a big field hold the throttle wide open see how fast it actually goes. I found in the powder , you don't get that much speed and you need all you can get to keep moving. It was an awesome experiance once I got it. It is so much easier to do than explain for me. I am sure with all these great female riders on here someone will give you some great tips. I just found this helped me get over the fear. The rest just came with practice. Don't ever give up. It's the best sport in the world.

 

[SledMamma]

I am new to sledding just this year, bought my very first sled in October. To give you an idea where I come from, I was born and raised in the city, never played motor type sports and most importantly never had the need to floor it or pin it, none the less up a hill covered in snow. The scariest boundary I've ever had to push was getting through post secondary school. I was a goody goody for most my life and always did things to the rule. Now with this whole new world of sledding that my fiance has introduced me too, I am noticing I have a lot of fear of the throttle and flooring it and just pushing boundaries of comfort. With all the great women sledders out there, and men, we all had to start somewhere. What I wanted to know is how were you able to get past the fear and pushing boundaries. I keep hearing throttle is your friend, but it scares the sh*t out of me. Any ideas?

This is a BIG question, and a very personal one at that. I come from a background similar to you-- in high school I was the captain and coach of our debating team, I had a career in modelling because I am tall and skinny, I never played sports, and I didn't grow up riding on motorized vehicles. My husband however, is the opposite of all of these things, and is talented in just about every athletic area imagineable. The desire to learn and grow in this arena comes from him. I did grow up with three brothers and have never been particularly girly, so that does help a little.

I do think that fear in our lives is healthy, so I challenge myself to be scared and to overcome it in healthy doses as much as I can. We can grow old and grow stale, or we can continue to push ourselves and learn daily. I am highly motivated by the fact that I know my 3 little girls are watching my every move. I would hate to think that I taught them to back out of something on account of a little fear.

The truth is that I am ready to puke every time I go to the mountains. But I swallow that nervousness and just let the beauty of the mountains calm me. I ride and photograph for Team Thunderstruck, as well as Sledbetties, and they go into some pretty crazy places. Being a beginner rider, that takes some pretty big "sucking it up" on my part! I try not to over-think it and just get over each challenge as it comes.

Learning that throttle is your friend is no easy task. I suggest starting in terrain that is non-threatening and the consequences aren't life or death. Open fields work well. Play with the throttle and get used to what it feels like. Then add little things bit by bit: standing up, standing on one side, throwing your weight into turns etc., The great thing about snow is that when you fall off, its usually pretty forgiving. My rule of thumb is that when I think I am going fast enough, I try to go "5 more faster" than that. Slowly but surely, you will move out of your 'throttle comfort zone' and find yourself getting faster.

This will sound geeky, but I do practice. I take the sled out and make myself little jumps, or I pick obstacles and stick to a line as best I can. My husband plays the "follow me" game and then leads me through the trees. Then we switch and I lead. It helps.

Look at where you want to go! Don't look at where you DON'T want to go (ie; the trees) or at the ground 5 feet ahead of your skis, or you will end up in the wrong spot. Ride 50 feet ahead of yourself so that your brain has already began to process what is coming next and preparing your body to do what it has to. When you look where you want to go, your body will angle and shift in that direction too, and you will be ahead of the 8-ball in terms of maneuvering your sled.

Give yourself a break. There are good days and bad days. Some days I can rip circles around everyone and everything, and other days I am so busy over-thinking and talking myself out of things that I can't seem to function the throttle. That is life and that is learning and you can't let it stop you from trying.

Determine what type of rider you are/want to be and don't be afraid to stick to that. There are no laws stating that if you have a sled you need to climb every damn chute you can find. Some people like to ride fields and ditches and carve powder- that is fun too. Some like the mountains but stick to the low-angle and open terrain and the cabin. Nothing wrong with that. Some like the bigger challenges. Stick up for yourself and what you want from sledding, otherwise you will start to resent the whole experience.

Most of all- have fun and smile dammit!!

 

[drew562]

x2, practice practice. Watch other people riding and dont be afraid to ask questions!! Were all friendly people!....well most of us..:d

Just bought my girlfriend her first sled also (crossfire 800r). She's rode quads before but is also scared of the throttle. I sled in front of her so she can see me as i over exaggerate my movements as we cross grader banks ect she loves to see what and how I do technical stuff. I helps her. I also double her in front of me and show her the lines that require the least body
Language. We went for a beer and supper to darwell bar by my house. 1 beer and she was doing 20 mph faster on the lake on the way home. Lol. I don't recommend drinking though. Seat time is what u need. It's better to be wary then over confident

 

[PINKalicious]

Just like sledmamma said i too get scared every time out, as she has seenlol.
But no matter if i laugh, cry or get sick that day or the next day I will not give up. I always try to be the best I can be and have fun doing it. I will not be suppressed by my self or anyone else for that matter. I know my limits and with each ride out I try to break past them. There is always tomorrow!
I do have to say that people I choose to ride with make me a better rider they push me when I need it and are there when I am having a melt down! The point is we have all been there and what ever your level is at, that you feel safe at is what matters. Take the time to watch an learn, ask for someone to show you or let a few go ahead and copy what they do you will find your sweet spot and have fun while your at it! I learn something new EVERY time i go out weather it is about my self or the others i am riding with that day...that is the best feeling learning it and then the smile that comes over you and others around you when you "get it"...is priceless!

 

[white6]

ditto what others have said.. its a learning process and hopefully your fiance has some good patience, it helps!

my boyfriend has been teaching me how to 'mountain' ride and hes been incredible. very patient. we spent nearly 2 hours one afternoon teaching me the basics of counter steering in a field type spot. he got on my sled, went slow and showed me what to do and talked me through it as he did it. then i got on and he did the same thing. id make a circle, hed critique, id make a circle, fall off, laugh, get up again. and we continued this for an hour.

the biggest thing iv learned is your not going to get any better just watching, you have to TRY and PRACTICE! watching other riders and asking how they do it is a great tool. you can see how they pick there lines, when they hop to one side or the other, etc. I know it helps me a lot to watch my boyfriend. Its inspiring per say haha dorky i know

but the best is what corrisa said.. "when you 'get it' its priceless" .. take every accomplishment no matter how small as an achievement. some days will be frustrating and your learning will feel slow, so when you get something, even just the jist of it, be happy. some days im waving my arms cheering that I did something, cause it was my goal to do it that day haha just the difference of sidehilling both feet on the boards to sidehilling with your body pulled back and one leg hanging off is a small but great accomplishment.

your throttle comfort will come with time, and with deeper snow as you come to realize how much you need it. after you've dug out 5 times that day bc you were too shy on the throttle, itll be the only thing you can think about when you feel er start to dig down. even in a climb i might be running 3/4, but if i get uncomfortable i grab it all and just let my body react to its movements.

seat time and practice is the only solution. take a learning attitude to the sport and make sure you're always having fun. I try to scare myself once a ride, but always once a trip. then next time i wont be so scared of a similar situtation. its super rewarding when your nearly crying in your helmet bc your so scared/nervous to try something, then do it and think 'wow that was kinda easy!.. what was i being like that for?!'

hope you stick with us in the sport.. you'll become obsessed

 

[powderpilot]

I think I heard one of the Sledbetties say "Get over scratching your ride"

I call my throttle the panic button. I honestly believe that you will get into less trouble 90% of the time by hitting the gas as oposed to the brake. In time you will learn when to use either, or sometimes both, like trying to dig yourself in so you don't roll in a tight turnout.

I was in a little wreck this weekend where the "panic button" saved me big time. My buddy was riding behind behind me on the trail, and we were cruising at about 50-60km/hr. He decided to try and pass me on the inside of a corner and pinned it. He started to drift out in the corner and nailed me. His left ski hooked up behind my right ski and actually lifted me and my sled off the ground. I pinned it and got pushed off the trail into a creek-ditch, and rode it out. I found a place to pull out and back up onto the trail, and went back to check on my buddy who had cartwheeled his sled and was laying there with his sled on its side. If I had hit the brake, or even panicked and let off the throttle, I could have ended up in worlds of pain.

 

[Taminator]

I think I heard one of the Sledbetties say "Get over scratching your ride"

I call my throttle the panic button. I honestly believe that you will get into less trouble 90% of the time by hitting the gas as oposed to the brake. In time you will learn when to use either, or sometimes both, like trying to dig yourself in so you don't roll in a tight turnout.

I was in a little wreck this weekend where the "panic button" saved me big time. My buddy was riding behind behind me on the trail, and we were cruising at about 50-60km/hr. He decided to try and pass me on the inside of a corner and pinned it. He started to drift out in the corner and nailed me. His left ski hooked up behind my right ski and actually lifted me and my sled off the ground. I pinned it and got pushed off the trail into a creek-ditch, and rode it out. I found a place to pull out and back up onto the trail, and went back to check on my buddy who had cartwheeled his sled and was laying there with his sled on its side. If I had hit the brake, or even panicked and let off the throttle, I could have ended up in worlds of pain.

LOL Glad you're ok.


....helmet cam on????? bwahhahahah. I think you need that baby on at all times.

 

[Taminator]

"Feel the fear, and do it anyways" :d

I grew up playing with boys, have been involved in every sport imaginable and have always had a need for speed and power...I love conquering fears and adrenaline plays a big part of keeping me happy...so this might be easier for me than some of you who were 'nerds' in school. :d

I think that peeps gotta realize too that 'throttle' doesn't always mean 'fast'...you need the throttle/track speed to be able to use your body movements and momentum to carrry you through the technical moves. Once you get the feel of how you can manipulate your throttle/sled and use it for purposes other than flat out ground speed...you'll get over the fear of using that throttle and think of it more as a technical tool than a speed tool.

You won't be a good technical rider unless you learn how to use the throttle, your body positioning and counter-steering...they go hand in hand and once you get over what your head tells you and just do it, you'll be amazed at what you can do.

Women have a natural hesitation, I see it in every peice of vid I watch...no matter how experienced or good the rider is, there is always a hesitiation...sometimes very slight, but it's there. Bust through that 'moment' and learn to ride with the fear and use it to your advantage. I know myself, I've gotten in some pretty iffy situations that had I had time to think about it, I would have been DONE...but by using the fear of death to my advantage I am able to pull off some nice moves, ones that make you darn proud when you pull them off...that in itself is worth every moment of fear. And as you pull these off, the hesitation will subside more and more. You'll go from taking 30 seconds to pull off a move, to a mere 1 second before you bust it!

Oh...and stop thinking of it as 'fear' ...it's 'adrenaline' at it's finest and there's nothing better!!!



PS- will you be at the Revy Ladies Ride???? That would make a world of difference for ya.

 

[powdergirl]

I dont have a fear of speed but being out of control I do. My biggest fear was falling off, last year I hit a rock with my quad and went flying 20 feet in the air I didnt want to continue but I got back on and it hasnt stopped me since. I have learned get throwen off my sled doesnt hurt as much as the quadding. Im still learning my throttle but it really can be your friend. The main thing is to get past the fear and dont let it stop you. I was taught that do whatever you are comfortable in doing but it is always good to push yourself go with people that will help you, the point is to grow even the pros learn something new every ride. Sledmama said it well I did the same thing growing up but the only thing different was I was on a sled and quad since I was 2.
Practice practice practice and enjoy it.

 

[Murminator]

I dont have a fear of speed but being out of control I do. My biggest fear was falling off, last year I hit a rock with my quad and went flying 20 feet in the air I didnt want to continue but I got back on and it hasnt stopped me since. I have learned get throwen off my sled doesnt hurt as much as the quadding. Im still learning my throttle but it really can be your friend. The main thing is to get past the fear and dont let it stop you. I was taught that do whatever you are comfortable in doing but it is always good to push yourself go with people that will help you, the point is to grow even the pros learn something new every ride. Sledmama said it well I did the same thing growing up but the only thing different was I was on a sled and quad since I was 2.
Practice practice practice and enjoy it.

AAAAWWWWW Sara who is baby in front of you??

 

[powdergirl]

im sitting infront of sledderglen

 

[Snow Bunny]

Thank you all for your helpful and inspiring responses. Everything that everyone has said has come out of my fiance's mouth once, twice or a million times. Damn why does he always have to be right. He is very patient with me. We do a lot of the "follow me" game. I seem to do quite well when I am following and copying him. Its always those times that I get out of a predicament that I myself put me in. Everytime I go and break my own trail and try something new is when I get into trouble and lose confidence in my abilities. I will be riding all nice and then my sled starts to go one way and I want to go the other way, then my initial reaction is stop. This is where my problem is and now I'm stuck or gravity has caused it to roll to one side. I can't stop, keep moving and keep momentum going, but do you think my brain thinks that. I am like you SledMamma and Corissa, almost every ride out, whether it be mountains or just around home, I have trouble eating before and therefore holding the food down on the way to the hill. I work myself up too much for nothing. Then as soon as I start up the ole girl and sit down and ride off, I am fine, actually excited. Then the nerves of "can I do this" start to come. I think I have to stop thinking too much and just do it. I tend to make the situation seem harder than it is, I love my brain. I truly love being out and riding, seeing and being in places I've never imagined in my wildest dreams. I am not done trying yet, I just have to try harder, use the adrenaline to my advantage and have fun. I would love to come to the ladies ride, unfortunately I cannot get the time off. When is it next year, maybe I can book holidays for that time next year. Hahahah yah a little far in advance I know. Maybe I'll be rockin it by then. Thanks again all, I'm still open to any tips as well.

 

[powdergirl]

Thank you all for your helpful and inspiring responses. Everything that everyone has said has come out of my fiance's mouth once, twice or a million times. Damn why does he always have to be right. He is very patient with me. We do a lot of the "follow me" game. I seem to do quite well when I am following and copying him. Its always those times that I get out of a predicament that I myself put me in. Everytime I go and break my own trail and try something new is when I get into trouble and lose confidence in my abilities. I will be riding all nice and then my sled starts to go one way and I want to go the other way, then my initial reaction is stop. This is where my problem is and now I'm stuck or gravity has caused it to roll to one side. I can't stop, keep moving and keep momentum going, but do you think my brain thinks that. I am like you SledMamma and Corissa, almost every ride out, whether it be mountains or just around home, I have trouble eating before and therefore holding the food down on the way to the hill. I work myself up too much for nothing. Then as soon as I start up the ole girl and sit down and ride off, I am fine, actually excited. Then the nerves of "can I do this" start to come. I think I have to stop thinking too much and just do it. I tend to make the situation seem harder than it is, I love my brain. I truly love being out and riding, seeing and being in places I've never imagined in my wildest dreams. I am not done trying yet, I just have to try harder, use the adrenaline to my advantage and have fun. I would love to come to the ladies ride, unfortunately I cannot get the time off. When is it next year, maybe I can book holidays for that time next year. Hahahah yah a little far in advance I know. Maybe I'll be rockin it by then. Thanks again all, I'm still open to any tips as well.

Your on the right track youll get there. i use the follow me game with anyone that i am following behind on the trail to see how they react to certain situation and it works after you have done the same move time after time its like your brain knows when to use it.

 

[GP_Storm]

I'm also new to sledding. Hubby just bought me a 96 yamaha vmax 600. Only rode it twice since we bought it. I'm not going throttle crazy or climbing hills by no means...just getting used to the machine. I haven't driven a sled in 20 years.

I'm just nervous and I'm sure the more I ride the easier it will get.

 

[summ-it-up]

so the sdi is giving you a run for your money huh? don't worry its a very forgiving sled! she'll get you out of places you didn't know you could get into!

 

[mxz sledhead]

Practice makes perfect the more you ride the better it get I always say ride hard ride often and yes throttle is your freind! my family says there going to write that on my tomb stone