# Getting in shape for riding.



## ThredJack (Mar 18, 2014)

So I have this copy of Focus T25(basically Insanity light), that I've been meaning to start. Now my question is, for anyone who might be familiar with T25 or other programs similar to it, how will this workout translate to snowboarding?

Obviously it'll get me in shape, but will it be the right kind of shape? Or will I be better off just changing my diet(which I'm working on doing regardless), and doing some kind of workout regimen that's designed with snowboarding in mind and then just running twice a week for cardio?


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## Ravaging Rami (Mar 11, 2014)

ThredJack said:


> So I have this copy of Focus T25(basically Insanity light), that I've been meaning to start. Now my question is, for anyone who might be familiar with T25 or other programs similar to it, how will this workout translate to snowboarding?
> 
> Obviously it'll get me in shape, but will it be the right kind of shape? Or will I be better off just changing my diet(which I'm working on doing regardless), and doing some kind of workout regimen that's designed with snowboarding in mind and then just running twice a week for cardio?


I don't know about any specific programs, but lots of cardio is always good for helping you last longer on the slopes. I would also say workout the major muscle groups in legs (Hamstrings, Quads, etc.) and I would also recommend working out your calves. Having strong calves makes a huge difference!


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## andrewdod (Mar 24, 2013)

Strengthen your core, do lots of abdominal and back workouts, do push-ups bench work lots of lunges, squats, leg presses, and calf raises. Also do total body workouts, such as split jerk, power cleans, snatches, dead lifts etc. those all help strengthen your core and entire body. These can be all split up over the course of a 4 day lifting week, you wouldn't get anything out of it if you did everything in one day.


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## CassMT (Mar 14, 2013)

i just scored a killer bowflex on craiglist , pretty stoked , my goal is to be in my best shape by Dec 7. bowflex and daily skating park are gonna be the ticket i think...and fewer croissant, damn i love fukin croisssant


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## ThredJack (Mar 18, 2014)

Ravaging Rami said:


> I don't know about any specific programs, but lots of cardio is always good for helping you last longer on the slopes. I would also say workout the major muscle groups in legs (Hamstrings, Quads, etc.) and I would also recommend working out your calves. Having strong calves makes a huge difference!





andrewdod said:


> Strengthen your core, do lots of abdominal and back workouts, do push-ups bench work lots of lunges, squats, leg presses, and calf raises. Also do total body workouts, such as split jerk, power cleans, snatches, dead lifts etc. those all help strengthen your core and entire body. These can be all split up over the course of a 4 day lifting week, you wouldn't get anything out of it if you did everything in one day.


I ca't be sure yet, until I actually start and see what kind of exercises are actually in it, but it sounds like this might do those things.


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## jimb0 (Jan 22, 2013)

You should be focusing on your core and girdle area. I snowboard and downhill mountain bike all summer, these are the areas that we work with all day on the mountain. 

I suggest exercises like deadlifting, kettle bell swings (which are amazing for your hips /flexors and hamstrings) light squats and other full body work outs. 

I did the insanity workout for two months and stopped. I also did the first P90 X for some years, they work if you stick to them and really try. But after trying kettle bells for the past two months I wont go back to anything else. It is full body, works the areas I need to be strong and flexible in and takes me about half hour to get done. Take a look at some workouts.


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## twowheeled (Jan 1, 2014)

you want to do plyometrics. That stuff is all jumping around, doing squats, fake skiing, etc. Perfect for getting into shape for riding.


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## 16gkid (Dec 5, 2012)

Squats and Cardio will get it done!


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

One thing that seems to get missed is isometrics. You are essentially holding a semi-squat for x minutes for each run. Neither explosive movement training nor strength training is going to specifically address that. I've been having thigh-burn issues the last couple of years, so this year during the off-season I'll be doing horse stance at least once during each gym session. I figure if I can get to the point of holding a full horse stance for 10 minutes, I can survive going down a run.


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## ThredJack (Mar 18, 2014)

So I gather I should still do the workout, and add some things to work the right areas. Like squats and such?


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## snowman55 (Feb 17, 2012)

Chase women. That's a great workout. Get a bonus workout if you catch one.


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## SnowDogWax (Nov 8, 2013)

andrewdod said:


> Strengthen your core, do lots of abdominal and back workouts, do push-ups bench work lots of lunges, squats, leg presses, and calf raises. Also do total body workouts, such as split jerk, power cleans, snatches, dead lifts etc. those all help strengthen your core and entire body. These can be all split up over the course of a 4 day lifting week, you wouldn't get anything out of it if you did everything in one day.


^^^^
Great info here, just add some High Intensity Interval Training for your cardio work.


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## andrewdod (Mar 24, 2013)

Donutz said:


> One thing that seems to get missed is isometrics. You are essentially holding a semi-squat for x minutes for each run. Neither explosive movement training nor strength training is going to specifically address that. I've been having thigh-burn issues the last couple of years, so this year during the off-season I'll be doing horse stance at least once during each gym session. I figure if I can get to the point of holding a full horse stance for 10 minutes, I can survive going down a run.



Wall sits will help you in that department as well. Another good exercise for snowboarding. I never really do them, because I don't have an issue there, but maybe that's because the mountains I ride are barely over 4,000 feet vert. 



ThredJack said:


> So I gather I should still do the workout, and add some things to work the right areas. Like squats and such?


Yeah, you'll probably find it has you doing a lot of body weight stuff. Do the body weight stuff until it's easy and then add weight. Most importantly use proper form. Don't just wing it. Study the video, and watch proper youtube videos done by pros on how to do the other things. You can get seriously hurt if you just jump into it. 



SnowDogWax said:


> ^^^^
> 
> Great info here, just add some High Intensity Interval Training for your cardio work.


Thank you man.


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## thatkidwho (Feb 15, 2014)

Jump rope.


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## cav0011 (Jan 4, 2009)

So i do T25, its excellent for snowboarding fitness (not as good a something purely dedicated to it) anyhow there are tons of body wieght squats and lunges, squats where you stay low for long periods of time, jumping, rotations etc. 

The workouts are hard on your calves and dont do a ton for the upper body (really only 1.5x a week) however they really focus on the lower body and cardio. If you are crunched for time it is a solid plan.


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## DToay34 (Oct 30, 2013)

I did one leg workout a week to get ready for my snowboarding adventures this year. Lunges really seemed to help. I also tried to do cardio every other day. I did a lot on the elliptical and added in treadmill and bike to mix things up. All these things seemed to help me quite a bit.


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## mikeg (Oct 30, 2012)

andrewdod said:


> Wall sits will help you in that department as well. Another good exercise for snowboarding. I never really do them, because I don't have an issue there, but maybe that's because the mountains I ride are barely over 4,000 feet vert.


Definitely wall sits. Try to get up to ~2minutes, then just keep adding time. I think I was up to around 6-8 minutes when I was sailing back in school.


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## ThredJack (Mar 18, 2014)

cav0011 said:


> So i do T25, its excellent for snowboarding fitness (not as good a something purely dedicated to it) anyhow there are tons of body wieght squats and lunges, squats where you stay low for long periods of time, jumping, rotations etc.
> 
> The workouts are hard on your calves and dont do a ton for the upper body (really only 1.5x a week) however they really focus on the lower body and cardio. If you are crunched for time it is a solid plan.


Sounds good! My main goal right now is to lose weight, and build my stamina. Plus, I hate working out, so the quicker it's over the better. Hence why I got T25.

I will take the wall sits into account though. Maybe not now, but once I get used to T25 kicking my ass.:laugh:

As for things to add for my core.... would yoga be good?


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## Patrick1229 (Jan 3, 2014)

ThredJack said:


> Sounds good! My main goal right now is to lose weight, and build my stamina. Plus, I hate working out, so the quicker it's over the better. Hence why I got T25.
> 
> I will take the wall sits into account though. Maybe not now, but once I get used to T25 kicking my ass.:laugh:
> 
> As for things to add for my core.... would yoga be good?



Dude im suprised no one mentioned yoga till now. Yoga might be more important than any other thing you do when it comes to boarding. Yoga is strength and flexibility. Add that to a good 3 - 4 day a week strength and cardio program, and youll become so much more durable. If you wipe, youll take it much easier. Yoga 1x a week is going to help out bigtime. 

Problem is, yoga takes forever lol. 

+1 on the plyometrics. 

Also do a lot of pull ups, wide grip reverse grip close grip, pull ups will make you strong.


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## twowheeled (Jan 1, 2014)

yea, yoga is tough but real good for stretching out after a few days of riding too. And if you do it regularly it will help your flexibility tons. Problem is you look so gay doing it.


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## ThredJack (Mar 18, 2014)

Patrick1229 said:


> Dude im suprised no one mentioned yoga till now. Yoga might be more important than any other thing you do when it comes to boarding. Yoga is strength and flexibility. Add that to a good 3 - 4 day a week strength and cardio program, and youll become so much more durable. If you wipe, youll take it much easier. Yoga 1x a week is going to help out bigtime.
> 
> Problem is, yoga takes forever lol.
> 
> ...


I've actually never done a pull up in my life. I've TRIED, many times, but never actually got more than one half assed would insult to pull ups to call that a pull up.:laugh: I always found it odd, I'm not, by any means, the strongest guy in the world but I'm no weakling either.

I'm gonna start doing push ups, sit ups, pull ups (once I get a bar), and wall sits. That kind of stuff I don't mind, cause I can watch tv while I do them.

Then yoga once a week on the Wii, and T25. I should be good by next season!


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## SnowDogWax (Nov 8, 2013)

Most people who have trouble doing pull-ups have a leverage disadvantage, short legs and a long torso with longer arms is one example. Another is muscle insertion points play a big part. Strength does play a part. Just start doing some negative pull-ups only, take between 5 & 10 seconds to go down. Start with 3 working your way up to a set of 10. Will help your upper body development big time.


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## cav0011 (Jan 4, 2009)

I always suck at pullups also. Its primarily because my muscle to wieght ratios are "off" but thats because I do a ton of leg work and have very long arms and rarely work out my lats.


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## Patrick1229 (Jan 3, 2014)

When i started i could do two pull ups, but i used a chair to "assist" me. Over the course of a few months and regular training im up to about 25 pull ups in a row. 

Its tough but they are great for your shoulders and back too


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## drstone (Feb 17, 2012)

im a gym rat and ive always been pretty interested in comming up with the best workout to help with snowboarding. i try to focus on agility, balance, and generic strength exercise.

every second day i do weight training, cycling through push, pull and leg days.
i used to do a generic bro split but i find the ppl is better for gainz.
and each push pull and leg day i alternate between highreps/lower weight and lower reps/heavy weight. seems to help.

every other day(except after leg day when i just do stretches) i do stuff to work on balance, agility and cardio. so jump squats, single leg lunge jump and plyometric type stuff. i do abs on cardio days, sue me. round it out with some hiit on the treadmill or bicycle. also mess around trying to get a good high jump. so just jumping as high as you can on both legs and getting someone to try and measure it. when doing any kind of jumping focus on explosive power!! this is the key to get better at your ollies and pops. 

when i can i try to get out my old ass board and hop on my buddies trampoline. once or twice a week

i generally think a sprinter type physique is best when it comes to snowboarding. lots of endurance, decent muscle mass and core strength and explosive leg power


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## ross1998 (Dec 27, 2013)

Although I don't do anything snowboarding specific, on leg days I like getting a partner and a medicine ball, stand 5 feet away from partner, throw the ball to him and he throws it back but every time you catch it you gotta do a squat with the ball and then throw it back, and do 50-100 reps.


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## SnowDogWax (Nov 8, 2013)

Patrick1229 said:


> When i started i could do two pull ups, but i used a chair to "assist" me. Over the course of a few months and regular training im up to about 25 pull ups in a row.
> 
> Its tough but they are great for your shoulders and back too


25 pull-ups is like King Kong:eusa_clap:


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## Patrick1229 (Jan 3, 2014)

SnowDogWax said:


> 25 pull-ups is like King Kong:eusa_clap:


Tarzan


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## SnowDogWax (Nov 8, 2013)

ross1998 said:


> Although I don't do anything snowboarding specific, on leg days I like getting a partner and a medicine ball, stand 5 feet away from partner, throw the ball to him and he throws it back but every time you catch it you gotta do a squat with the ball and then throw it back, and do 50-100 reps.


After you do10 throw backs. Switch and do 10 two hand shooting basketball throw backs as you come up from your squat. Progression is add a jump. Will act as an overhead press. Great exercise for snowboarding.


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## jmp123 (Feb 19, 2014)

SnowDogWax said:


> After you do10 throw backs. Switch and do 10 two hand shooting basketball throw backs as you come up from your squat. Progression is add a jump. Will act as an overhead press. Great exercise for snowboarding.


could also try doing wall balls and then you dont need a partner


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## SnowDogWax (Nov 8, 2013)

Local tennis court has a 20 ft cement wall, everyone use it for tennis. It's my medicine ball partner…


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## ThredJack (Mar 18, 2014)

SnowDogWax said:


> Most people who have trouble doing pull-ups have a leverage disadvantage, short legs and a long torso with longer arms is one example. Another is muscle insertion points play a big part. Strength does play a part. Just start doing some negative pull-ups only, take between 5 & 10 seconds to go down. Start with 3 working your way up to a set of 10. Will help your upper body development big time.


This actually describes me pretty well. I have short legs.


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## SnowDogWax (Nov 8, 2013)

ThredJack said:


> This actually describes me pretty well. I have short legs.


ThredJack

You ever board at 7Springs:thumbsup:


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## ThredJack (Mar 18, 2014)

SnowDogWax said:


> ThredJack
> 
> You ever board at 7Springs:thumbsup:


At the risk of walking right into a horrible joke: No.


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## SnowDogWax (Nov 8, 2013)

OK…. your location is Pennsylvania, thought you might have hit Seven Springs ski resort in PA,


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## ThredJack (Mar 18, 2014)

SnowDogWax said:


> OK…. your location is Pennsylvania, thought you might have hit Seven Springs ski resort in PA,


Oh no, I'm almost five hours North East of that. It is on my list of eventual visits though.


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## SnowDogWax (Nov 8, 2013)

One of my season passes is at Seven Springs…


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