The bunny hill is the nearly flat run closest to the parking lot at every ski resort in the world. Bunny hills are designed for first timers to have a relatively safe place to learn how to use their bindings, control their edges and use chairlifts.
The temptation of the bunny hill is to get stuck in an endless loop of taking one more run before moving to the advanced runs.
Catching edges forever
The problem with waiting until you are ready to move up is that you may never be ready. You can refine and practice and focus, and you'll still occasionally lose your balance and fall. The non-intuitive truth of snowboarding is that it is actually easier to stay in control at higher speeds. At reaaaaally low speeds, it's tough to stay on one edge or the other.
Learn the basics, then get to the steeps
The bunny hill has an important role. It's good to practice getting on
a lift a time or two before adding the pressure of a long line of people. For snowboarders, it's valuable to practice the mechanics of skating with just the front foot strapped in. But beyond that, my recommendation is to get off the bunny hill and move to the blue runs.
Novice snowboarders have to ask themselves what it was that drew them to the sport in the first place? What was the picture in their heads that motivated them to drive to the mountain? Images of spraying powder? Lofty rodeo flips over enormous table tops? Staying on the bunny hill won't get anyone closer to those goals. You're more likely to stick with the sport if you can try the more challenging runs because you'll have a lot more fun.
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| Maybe I should have stayed on the bunny hill just a little longer. This jump (twelve years ago) landed me in the emergency room. |
Are you on a bunny hill in your career?
At my previous employer, I was part of a group of applications engineers that worked at the corporate office who were preparing to move out to various cities to work as field engineers. It was interesting to see how quickly some of us would take the chance to move out to the field, while others would cling to their positions at headquarters as long as they could. They wanted to take advantage of the training opportunities at the office before heading out by themselves. I saw for myself that no amount of training could ever prepare someone for life in the field. But I learned a lot faster when spending all of my time at the customer's lab than I ever did in a classroom.
I have photographer friends that dream of going pro, but don't feel like they're ready yet to offer portrait sessions to people. Rather than practicing exposure controls forever, wouldn't they learn faster if they had to deliver something to someone after the shoot?
Other people I know fantasize about starting their own company or moving into a less stable industry for whatever reason. In some ways they're stuck on the bunny hill endlessly waiting to have enough money saved up, or enough contacts on LinkedIn, or waiting for the economy to turn around. Of all of the business owners I've ever met, I've never heard anyone say, "You know, this is great, but I wish I would have stayed at that big company for just a little bit longer..."
Are you stuck on the bunny hill? Are you missing out on the chance to explore the rest of the mountain?
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