# specialized snowboarding exercises



## snowman123456 (Nov 15, 2010)

Being in reasonable shape doesn't really cut it for snowboarding based on my experience.

If you only snowboard once per year like myself then you really need to do specialized snowboarding exercises to prepare yourself. Last year was my first time and I didn't do any specialized training beforehand. After my first day snowboarding I felt like I had been assaulted in Central Park mainly because I was using muscles that I don't normally use.

Tonight I started focusing on torsion exercises. Torsion strength is key for snowboarding as I discovered last year. If your feet are strapped to a board then torsion is all you really have so you better be good at it. I've started doing torsion exercises on the FreeMotion machine. This works pretty well because you have complete control over the motions and muscles that you want to focus on.

One thing I'd really like to focus on is the motion of getting up on the board from the ground (both heelside and toeside). I don't live near snow or sand dunes so I'm limited in replicated training for this. How do you normally train for this? This is one of the key movements you need to be good at if you snowboard. However, it seems difficult to replicate in a non-snow/sand environment.

It seems like this could be a good niche for a piece of excercise equipment that is basically a strong rubber board with rounded edges and bindings and you just use it as a piece of exercise equipment to get up heelside and toeside. So does any sort of exercise equipment like this exist?


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## Toecutter (Oct 11, 2009)

How about strapping onto your board on a grassy hill (or your living room if you're self-conscious) and getting up from your heelside? If not, then just do sit-ups or other core workout.

To get up from toeside just stand up from a kneeling position. Everyone should be able to handle this one without training.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

sit ups, crunches, squats or lay on the floor with your boots, board on and a 10 pound bag of sand duct taped on to the board and wave the board around in the air above your body.

or just don't sit down to strap in.


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

snowman123456 said:


> Being in reasonable shape doesn't really cut it for snowboarding based on my experience.
> 
> If you only snowboard once per year like myself then you really need to do specialized snowboarding exercises to prepare yourself. Last year was my first time and I didn't do any specialized training beforehand. After my first day snowboarding I felt like I had been assaulted in Central Park mainly because I was using muscles that I don't normally use.
> 
> ...


Ever tried TRX?


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## skip11 (Jan 28, 2010)

Squats, bulgarian split squat, lunges variations, deadlifts, romanian deadlifts, anti-rotation abs exercise (pallof presses, etc), rotational abs exercises (cable woodchopper), and TRX exercises. Crunches are generally useless. Those will strenghten the main muscles needed for snowboarding. I guarantee you will notice a difference once you start focusing on those main exercises. I never get sore once after snowboarding. For specific balance skill, just go snowboarding, longboarding, or skateboarding. Nothing can best replicate the movements other than by doing the sport itself.


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## KnoxBoarderX (Aug 26, 2011)

I would do lots of core exercises like sit ups, and planks. I would also do lots of jumping squats and lunges. Push ups wouldn't hurt either.


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## grafta (Dec 21, 2009)

Getting up from sitting is harder on the flat so doing it on a hill would be counter productive perhaps? You could also do Tricep Dips to help get your arms stronger for the initial push up from sitting. Wall sit exercises can get a good burn goin in the legs and i;m guessing they'd maybe target some useful muscles.
I'm with skip11, nothing can really come close to actual riding when it comes to boarding fitness.


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## Toecutter (Oct 11, 2009)

grafta said:


> Getting up from sitting is harder on the flat so doing it on a hill would be counter productive perhaps?


 Starting on a hill would be easier for sure, which would be good to start with until he has the strength to get up from flat. It doesn't help much to start from a flat and fail each time.



> I'm with skip11, nothing can really come close to actual riding when it comes to boarding fitness.


 I totally agree, but the OP lives in TX (unless I'm confusing him with someone else named snowmanXXXXX) and only goes snowboarding a few days per year.


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## grafta (Dec 21, 2009)

Toecutter said:


> Starting on a hill would be easier for sure, which would be good to start with until he has the strength to get up from flat. It doesn't help much to start from a flat and fail each time.
> 
> I totally agree, but the OP lives in TX (unless I'm confusing him with someone else named snowmanXXXXX) and only goes snowboarding a few days per year.


I prescribe 1x glass of harden up, and perhaps go boarding more?

:laugh:

Sorry monday mornings are not my happy place


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## Toecutter (Oct 11, 2009)

grafta said:


> I prescribe 1x glass of harden up, and perhaps go boarding more?
> 
> :laugh:
> 
> Sorry monday mornings are not my happy place


Better yet, move out of TX to someplace with snow and chairlifts.


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## grafta (Dec 21, 2009)

Toecutter said:


> Better yet, move out of TX to someplace with snow and chairlifts.


THIS

10char


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## carverboy (Jan 3, 2011)

All the exercise mentioned will help but I find it's a lot more constructive time spent riding my MTN bike. It works your core and builds the leg strength and it's 100x more fun than working out. And yeah there are MTB trails in texas.


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## Tom Watson (Oct 6, 2011)

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We have all the info on how to rule the slopes from day one to advanced. Join us on the run that will change your life! Become better snowboarding.
Snowboard Bindings:thumbsup:


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## Toecutter (Oct 11, 2009)

carverboy said:


> All the exercise mentioned will help but I find it's a lot more constructive time spent riding my MTN bike. It works your core and builds the leg strength and it's 100x more fun than working out. And yeah there are MTB trails in texas.


Mountain biking is great for leg strength and cardio but I find it doesn't work the core all _that_ much. Even singlespeeding, where I'm standing up and cranking a lot, works my back extensors but doesn't get my abs. Definitely fun though.


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## HoboMaster (May 16, 2010)

Road biking targets your core a little more so then mountain biking I think because you are bent over. It really depends on how aggressive you ride, the more aggressive you are the more you use your entire body. I know if I'm powering up a hill climb I'm targeting a lot of upper-body muscles.

Honestly though, biking in any form is great exercise and is actually FUN. Can't bring myself to do repetitions or go to a gym when I can go have fun and get the same effect.


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## C.B. (Jan 18, 2011)

I really think the single best workout for snowboarding is wakeboarding.


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## dreampow (Sep 26, 2011)

I have a pull up bar in the park near my house. Whenever I go past I do some pull ups (different variations).

For the core muscles I hang from the bar and raise pull my knees up to my chest then with that locked in position I rotate backwards so hanging upside down in a ball (a bit like your in the middle of a backflip). I then go back to a hanging with the arms and repeat that as much as I feel. For the back core muscles I hang down from the same bar and raise my legs behind me as high as I can, as if trying to touch my back with my feet. Basically like a method air without the board on but it still works the back and core if you repeat.

Squats and air chair (pretending you are sitting with no chair) work the legs and build up the muscles you need there.

The park overlooks the forest so I never feel bored listening to birds and enjoying the view. 

As others said no substitute for actual snowboarding but it helps.

I just enjoy outdoor activities and being in shape all year round. Just fun to get the blood pumping and the muscles working.


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## CheeseForSteeze (May 11, 2011)

Snowolf said:


> General fitness and flexibility exercises are all that is really needed. I tend to disagree with the theory that to be a good rider, one needs "snowboard specific" workouts. For stamina, general aerobic fitness and cardio is key. For core strength and flexibility Yoga is terrific. Just being in good general fitness is really all it takes in my experience. I think a lot of people tend to overthink this.


+1 on this

Yoga is one the best things I've ever done for myself. I don't practice once a week like I used to, but it _will_ fix knots and kinks in your body that aren't actual tears. For those of you who think it's "gay", yea well maybe. There are a lot of hot girls wearing those tights and it fixes your body. Worth it. Renato Sobral, one of the greatest MMA submission grapplers to fight practices several times a week.

Most general strength and condition programs can be modified to make it much easier to do line after line (snowboarding, c'mon guys - working out won't make you better at railing coke) without breaking. I took my strength/muscle mass regiment and simply dropped some of the weight and upped the reps just a little bit and I feel great out there. Awesome stuff.


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## Toecutter (Oct 11, 2009)

Nice core on Gretchen B.:

ESPN the Magazine -- The Body Issue - ESPN


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## snowman123456 (Nov 15, 2010)

*I found a great solution!!!*

I was at the gym tonight and I found a great solution for what I'm looking for! One poster said if it's hard for you to get up on your snowboard then you're simply out of shape. I disagree. Last year was my first time snowboarding and at that time I was riding my mountain bike 50 miles/week - so reasonably in shape. 

However, when you ride your bike your knees don't typically bend more than 90 degrees so you don't work some of the muscles that you would normally work if you bent your knees more. You can do leg presses and this helps a bit. However, the element of balance is key. For example, you can bench press a lot more on rails than you can free form because the rails manage the balance for you. Likewise, getting up on your snowboard is a more complex motion than typical gym exercises.

I came up with a great solution at the gym tonight. If you've ever used a FreeMotion machine before you know great it is for targeting different muscle groups, especially the FreeMotion Dual Cable Cross: FreeMotion Dual Cable Cross

So I've created 2 exercises: 1 for getting up toeside and 1 for getting up heelside. Get one of the mats to make the ground softer and put it at the base of the machine. 

heelside:
-------------
Do this exercise facing the machine. Find a good weight level that will provide a good amount of resistance for letting you gracefully decline to the ground on your rear. Then use your leg strength and leverage the negative resistance of the machine to help you get up. Adjust the weight as needed and reduce weight as you get better at this exercise. 

toeside:
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Do this exercise facing away from the machine. This helps replicate the gravity of getting up toeside facing down a hill. Put a padded bar through the handles of the machine and put the bar under your arms. From a standing position use the negative resistance to slowly lower yourself to your knees on the ground. Then try to get up from your knees by rolling back from your toes onto your feet. Use your leg strength and leverage the negative resistance of the machine to help you get up. Adjust the weight as needed and reduce weight as you get better at this exercise.

Most people simply don't use this full range of motion/balance on a daily basis so this is a great training exercise. I did these exercises tonight and my legs felt almost *exactly* like they did after my first snowboard experience last year. My legs were like "WTF just happened?!" and I was waddling around like an 80 year old lady. I'm surprised I haven't read anyone recommend these exercises because they do mimic the actual motions very closely.

I plan to keep doing these exercises as much as possible when I go to the gym and I believe when I go snowboarding at the end of the year I'll be able to easily and consistently get up on my snowboard from heelside and toeside....


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## C.B. (Jan 18, 2011)

i really think your way overthinking this snowboard fitness thing. If you have a hard time standing up on a snowboard you are not very physically fit.


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## ThunderChunky (Oct 1, 2011)

Just a little hint on getting up from heelside. Move your board closer to your but and it makes it way easier to get up.


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## dreampow (Sep 26, 2011)

If my 61 year old friend can do it it, you don't need special exercises. She is no sports woman and she was able to stand by herself pretty quick. Flexibility and your posture in relation to the board is where you problem lies IMO.

As someone said whilst still sitting on the ground suck your knees up and get your weight over the board as you try to stand.
Practice at home on a piece of tarp. Its actually easy if you set up right.


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## snowman123456 (Nov 15, 2010)

Different people are good at different things. *In high school I could run a 5 min mile but my 100 yard dash time was terrible - I don't this meant I was out of shape - I just wasn't built for sprinting.

In college I had 6-pack abs and could leg press 600 pounds but I was terrible at squats - I don't think this meant I was out of shape - I just wasn't good at squats.

I'm 6'2" and 210 pounds so I'm probably not the ideal size for snowboarding but I do enjoy it and want to get better at it. *Some people need to train more than others for some things. *I think if I do these exercises at least twice/week then I'll have better strength, flexibility, coordination and balance. *I think all of these things will help make me a better snowboarder.


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## Toecutter (Oct 11, 2009)

ThunderChunky said:


> Just a little hint on getting up from heelside. Move your board closer to your but and it makes it way easier to get up.


...and grab the edge of the board in between your feet with your aft hand to pull yourself toward the board as you roll up.


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## Toecutter (Oct 11, 2009)

Back when I was a kid people considered eating salad to be gay. Yoga is not gay. 

Pilates, that's gay, but not yoga.


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

for getting up heelside, I came up with a system (by accident) that works for me. If I can get my butt off the snow _at all_, I immediately rotate the board 90 degrees clockwise (I'm regular) so the tail is under my butt. After that, getting up is easy.


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## grafta (Dec 21, 2009)

snowman123456 said:


> I was at the gym tonight and I found a great solution for what I'm looking for! One poster said if it's hard for you to get up on your snowboard then you're simply out of shape. I disagree. Last year was my first time snowboarding and at that time I was riding my mountain bike 50 miles/week - so reasonably in shape.
> 
> However, when you ride your bike your knees don't typically bend more than 90 degrees so you don't work some of the muscles that you would normally work if you bent your knees more. You can do leg presses and this helps a bit. However, the element of balance is key. For example, you can bench press a lot more on rails than you can free form because the rails manage the balance for you. Likewise, getting up on your snowboard is a more complex motion than typical gym exercises.
> 
> ...



Huh? sounds like you are using the machine's resistance to lower yourself to the ground rather than your own balance. that doesn't make sense to me.

Umm, why would you get up on your toeside facing down the hill? i guess if you want a challenge :laugh:


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## C.B. (Jan 18, 2011)

I really feel like it would be a better use of your time for you to just strap into your board and stand up a couple times everyday, rather than using some cable workout weight thingy.

From the sounds of it your using the machine to help set you down and pull you up? idk i guess i really don't understand


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## snowman123456 (Nov 15, 2010)

C.B. said:


> I really feel like it would be a better use of your time for you to just strap into your board and stand up a couple times everyday, rather than using some cable workout weight thingy.
> 
> From the sounds of it your using the machine to help set you down and pull you up? idk i guess i really don't understand


Doing the exercise slowly builds a more controlled strength. Professional weight lifters will tell you it's better to use a lighter weight with a more contolled motion than a heavier weight with a jerkier motion.


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