As an extreme sports enthusiast, you will certainly realize that snowboarding requires a high level of fitness and stamina. Snowboarding workouts can help reduce the incidence and intensity of injuries.
Before venturing onto the slopes for a snowboarding fest, you have to make sure that your body can handle the strain involved in this sport.
You might be thinking that if you are physically fit, then you will not have to worry. However, it will be better to perform certain exercises that are beneficial for snowboarding to fully prepare your body.
And if you lack fitness, then you should take care to start snowboard workouts at least a few months before embarking on your trip. This will make you fit enough to handle the tough conditions your body will go through.
Even if there are a few weeks left in your snowboarding escapade, you should still make the most of it by undergoing physical training.
Here are the best workouts for snowboarding:
Best Workouts for Snowboarding
Described below are some of the circuit exercises that will help you with snowboarding.
If you want, you can do them separately as well. Three to four sets will suffice for each exercise mentioned below.
Wide Leg Squat Thrusts
Not only does this nice exercise engage your muscles, but it is also great for your lungs.
Jumping towards the front is more relevant since this is similar to the snowboarding stance. Hence, this is better than jumping forward while keeping your feet together.
- Begin with the high plank posture. Make sure your hands are right under your shoulders.
- Let your feet jump in the direction of your hands. While doing this, you will transfer almost your whole weight to your arms.
- While landing, make sure that your feet are wider compared to your hands. You should attempt to move your hands away from the floor during this time. Or you might do it right before your feet land.
- Once both of your feet land, raise your body to stand straight.
- Now do the reverse. Put both feet back on their starting point. Put both hands back on the floor.
Tricep Dips
Many people don’t realize how much they will have to use their arms for snowboarding. Hence, it pays to condition your arms.
Here is how you do this exercise.
- Sit down on the side of a low bed, sofa or chair.
- Keep your hands on the chair.
- Keeping your feet well in front, lift yourself using your hands placed on the chair. You can shift some weight towards your feet so that you feel comfortable.
- Keep both feet in the same position. Now lower your body so that it moves towards the floor. While doing this, your arms will bend.
- When your arms are bent at 90 degrees, you should now move your body upwards by straightening your arms. Sit down on the chair.
- You can make this exercise more challenging by spreading your feet further towards the front of your body. Also, make sure that your legs remain straight throughout the exercise.
Squat Jumps
This exercise will work well for snowboard surfers who like to jump high during their manoeuvres.
This exercise will improve your ability to maintain control when landing from high drops and jumps.
Also, constantly shifting from wide to narrow squats will challenge your glutes and legs.
- Begin in the squat position, with your knees close together. To keep balance, stretch your arms towards the front.
- Pull your arms back, and at the same time, straighten out both knees forcefully so that you jump up.
- When you are coming down, stretch your hands towards the front. But this time, widen your feet so that you can adopt the sumo squat posture.
- Repeat the sequence described above. However, you will change your stance from wide to narrow.
Plank Pushes
Planks happen to be great at engaging your core. They are also good for shoulder and arm conditioning. Hence, you can gain multiple benefits from planks.
Here’s how to handle plank pushes.
Begin with the low plank stance. Keep both elbows on the ground right under the shoulders.
Transfer some extra weight towards the left arm. This will take some weight off your right arm. Put your right hand in the same spot where your elbow was placed.
Push with your right arm so that it straightens. While doing this, put the left hand where your elbow was on the ground. The weight will now transfer to your hands. You will go back to the high plank stance.
Now do the reverse. But this time around, start with the right hand.
Skaters
Skaters require a combination of power, control and balance. Just what you need for tackling the toughest slopes.
Begin by transferring some weight to the left leg. Both your arms should be in the sprinter stance. That is, both arms will be bent at the elbow to make a 90-degree angle. Keep the left hand in this manner towards your back. At the same time, the right hand should be towards your front.
Push on the left leg so that you jump towards the side. Land on the right leg. At the same time, doing this, reverse arm positions.
You should try to do it to land on one foot without losing your balance.
Now do the reverse.
As you move through these snowboard exercises, be very careful about the performance and set/rep/time recommendations. And don’t forget to get the best exercise mat (ASIN: B01GSMN9WE) for you.
Our Final Thoughts
You should think about doing the best workouts for snowboarding so that you can become fit and strong enough for taking on the snow-covered slopes.
Being fit and working out regularly can help reduce the risk of injury. Besides, you will enjoy yourself more if you are fit enough to handle the strain of snowboarding.