the end of winter is near, will you be prepared to to pick up where you left off next season? Most of us on here stay active during the summer, but your body needs to stay strong so you’re ready for those first turns on the snow next season!
Fitness is key to snowboarding, and ensuring you keep your strength and balance even on the off months. We’ll show you some quick and simple moves you can incorporate into your workout to help build up your endurance, strength, and balance for the winter season.
Exercise #1: Jumping Squats
With a jump squat your feet should be a bit wider than shoulder-width apart. Squat down with the intention of using all your energy to drive you vertical or “up”. As you jump up, pull your knees with you and bring your hands to your knees and tap. When you land, you should land softly. Try to land lightly using the method of landing first with your toes, then with the ball of your foot, and lastly heel.
Exercise #2: Lunges
️♀️ You have the option to do these with added weight. If you are using weights make sure your body is warm before adding more weight. You don’t want to pull anything!
While keeping your back straight, step forward with your lead leg. Once lead leg hits your visual marker, inhale and allow knee to bend until it reaches a 90 degree angle. Exhale and forcefully push through the heel of the lead leg until you’ve reached the starting position once again.
Exercise #3: Core Twists
Keeping your core strong is important in snowboarding. It supports your spine and helps with things like balance!
Be Sure To Keep Your Alignment Correct
Elevate your upper body, begin on the floor with your legs extended (creating a V shape). Then while gripping your hands on a medicine ball, kettlebell, or dumbbell- begin to twist from right to left, holding the position on each side for a couple of seconds. All while keeping your core tight or “engaged”.
Exercise #4: Standing Calf Raises
For these use weights! Hold a dumbbell in each hand. It’s always a good rule of thumb to start with lighter weights, and work your way up to heavier ones. Get two dumbbells of the same weight, and stand with your feet about shoulder width apart.
Set Yourself Up For Success
Have yourself positioned an arms length away from something to keep you stable such as a chair or wall.Let your arms hang along the sides of your body. Make sure that your arms are below your shoulders, and keep a firm grip on the dumbbells.
Lift your heels up. Shift your weight onto the balls of your feet while keeping your legs straight. Continue to keep your arms alongside your body.. There is no arm movement involved, as the weights are meant to train your calf muscles.While your legs should be straight, it’s a good idea to keep a micro bend in your knees to avoid locking them up.
Exercise #5: Pushups
For a beginner snowboarder you may find yourself on the snow a lot picking yourself up! pushups will strengthen your chest, arms and shoulders. Straighten your body behind you. Keep your feet as close together as possible, and always keep your hips low. Imagine that your body is a board. Tightening your abs and glutes will help you keep proper form. If you are struggling or unable to do more than one or two push-ups this way, try one of the following to build strength:
- Knee Pushups: Follow the instructions above, but keep both knees on the floor. Be sure to use your chest, shoulders, and triceps to lift yourself, not your hips or back.
- Pushup Position Hold (Plank): Follow the instructions above, but rather than going up and down, hold yourself in the starting position. Aim to be able to hold this for at one minute.
- Bridge Position:This is the same as the push-up position, but instead of using your hands to hold yourself up, use your forearms. Place them on the ground, shoulder width apart.
Exercise #6: Tricep Dips
Because why work the other parts of your arm but not the Tri’s!? After that first day back on the hill my triceps generally burn. So condition those too!
Get Yourself Set Up Right
Sit on the edge of the chair and slowly walk your feet forward, lowering your body toward the floor. Don’t allow your buttocks to touch the floor. Keep your hands clasped to the chair and bend your elbows behind you at a 90-degree angle. Exhale and straighten your arms, slowly pressing your body up. Inhale and return to the starting position.