Snowboard Fitness (works for Skiers too!)

When Snowboarding first hit the scene a few years ago, skiers resented the invasion of what they considered wild, rude, adolescent snowboarders on their slopes.

Luckily, most of that resentment has passed, with boarders and skiers now coexisting peacefully. In fact, many die-hard skiers have turned in their skis, saying, “once you get on a board, you never go back.”

The National Sporting Goods Association reports that snowboarding is the fastest growing winter sport and estimates that, since 1988, the number of snowboarders has increased 77 percent, whereas the number of skiers has fallen 25 percent.

Although snowboarding is still dominated by males ages 15-25, this also is rapidly changing. Recent surveys show that females and older persons are increasingly more likely to take up the sport. For example, the male-to-female participant ratio dropped from 9-to-1 in 1989 to 3-to-1 in 1995.

Snowboarding has become an activity that mono and dad and the kids can all do together. The downside of all these hip baby boomers picking up the sport is that their bodies aren’t quite as resilient and forgiving as they were when they were younger. This has led to many people hitting the slopes unprepared for the sport and its risks.

Over the next nine installments, you will be introduced to a number of sports-specific exercises that will condition your lower body and torso, and help to improve your flexibility, agility and balance. The snowboarding season is quickly approaching so let’s get started immediately.

Power pushups

This exercise will strengthen your upper body and, because of the impact involved, it will also prepare your body for the falls you will most likely experience.

Stand a few feet away from a wall. Position your hands on the wall a few inches wider than shoulder width apart. Make sure that your elbows are directly in front or to the inside of your wrists.

Slowly push back, extending your arms so that hands leave the wall. Let gravity bring you back to the wall and contact it in a controlled fashion. Perform eight to 15 repetitions.

As you get stronger, you can increase the intensity of this exercise by slowly moving into a floor power pushup (knees then toes).

This range-of-motion exercise is very helpful to snowboarders because it’s important that you have the flexibility to look back up the hill to check your blind spots.

In addition, when you fall, your torso will often rotate, causing injury if your body is not conditioned to withstand the ballistic stretch and force.

Stand with your back to the wall, positioning yourself about a foot or so away. Keeping your abdominals contracted and maintaining perfect posture, slowly rotate to your right while reaching your left hand across your body to touch the wall. Hold for two to three seconds. Repeat to the other side. Complete eight to 15 reps each side.

The squat will effectively prepare you for the snowboarding stance.

Start by standing with your feet somewhere between hip and shoulder-width apart. Hold a barbell (or hand weights) in front of you so that it rests on your chest. Set your posture by contracting your abdominals, pressing your chest out and up and your shoulders back and down. Slowly squat while keeping your kneecaps pointing forward - avoid allowing your knees to collapse inward. Keep your weight equally distributed on both feet.

Lower until your upper thighs are parallel to the floor or to a comfortable position. You’ll notice that your upper body will come forward slightly while your buttocks travel backward. Now slowly stand back up. Use a resistance that will allow your muscles to fatigue in eight to 15 repetitions.

In Installment No.1, you were introduced to three new sport-specific movements for snowboarding. Now we’ll add to your repertoire.

But first, let’s examine the injury rates associated with snowboarding. Many people have taken up snowboarding because it’s easy to learn and they can advance their skills quickly. It’s also been noted to be associated with a lower risk for injury in comparison to skiing. This is true and false, depending on the type of injury you’re examining.

Compared with skiers, snowboarders have a much higher risk of wrist injuries (23 percent versus four percent) and ankle injuries (17 percent versus five percent) but a lower risk of knee injuries (16 percent versus 38 percent).

The location of snowboarding injuries from greatest percentages to least is as follows:

• Wrist 23 percent
• Ankle 16.7 percent
• Knee 16.3 percent
• Head 9.2 percent
• Shoulder 8.3 percent
• Trunk 7.8 percent
• Elbow 4.4 percent
• Other 6.5 percent

Although advanced snowboarders may try more dangerous manoeuvres, such as jumps and other tricks, beginning snowboarders are the most frequently injured. Almost one quarter of snowboarding injuries occur during the first season of snowboarding. A typical first snowboarding experience consists of a cycle of brief rides followed by falls; since falling is the leading cause of snowboarding injuries, the beginning snowboarder is at high risk for injury.

This is why this training program includes a number of exercises that force you to absorb some impact with your upper body so when you do fall (and you will), your body will be ready for it.

This exercise will condition your upper body, lower body and balance.

Position yourself behind your step with your right foot on the step. Keep your right kneecap facing forward and your weight distributed evenly on both feet. Hold a set of hand weights, resting on your shoulders.

Slowly step up, extending your right knee into a fully upright, balanced position while simultaneously pressing your arms up over your head. Hold this upper-end position balancing for about two to three seconds. Now slowly lower yourself down into a deep or comfortable lunge position. Perform eight to 15 reps each leg.

This exercise will strengthen your back and torso muscles.

Start standing and holding hand weights. Set your posture by contracting your abdominals, pressing your chest out and up and your shoulders back and down. Keeping your knees only slightly bent, slowly bend forward at the hips until you can go no further without having to bend your knees even more. Keep your back straight throughout the entire exercise. Contracting your glutes (buttocks) and hamstrings (back of the thigh), slowly extend back until you are fully upright. Remember to keep your abs contracted throughout the entire exercise. If you experience any back pain while performing this exercise, lighten the weight or discontinue it immediately. Perform eight to 15 reps.

This exercise will condition your triceps muscle to be able to push you from a seated position on the side of a hill into a standing position on a board. It will also condition your upper body to withstand some of the forces associated with falling backwards on your board.

Start by sitting on a bench or chair with your hands positioned on the bench about shoulder width apart. Now lift your buttocks off the bench and position it just in front of the bench.

Keeping your shoulder blades together, shoulders pressed back and chest lifted up and out, slowly lower your body weight down towards the floor. Keep your hips close to the bench. Be sure to keep your elbows right over top of your wrists and lower no further than a 90-degree angle at your elbow (upper arm parallel to the floor).

Perform eight to 15 reps. to make the exercise more intense, straighten your legs; less intense, bend your legs.

Installment No.2 discussed the injuries associated with snowboarding. Aside from performing these and the last installments of exercises, there are a number of other things that you can do to decrease your chances of suffering from an injury.

Top 10 snowboard safety tips

1. The board should be secured to the front foot by a security leash. This will keep you and others safe.
2. Before changing direction, especially on a backside turn, look behind you and check your blind spot. Collision injuries are common.
3. Do not sit down in the middle of a slope or trail. Stop only at the side of the slope or trail and kneel or stand facing uphill in order to see oncoming traffic.
4. When not attached, your board should be faced down with the bindings in the snow.
5. The rear foot should be detached from the bindings when loading, riding and unloading the chairlift.
6. Wear protective gear: Wrist-guards and helmets are recommended.
7. Avoid icy conditions at speeds beyond your control.
8. Listen to your body; if you’re really tired, don’t do one more run.
9. Make sure your board, bindings and boots fit correctly.
10. Most importantly, if you’re a beginner, take lessons.

This exercise will condition your upper body, lower body and your balance.

Start with one leg positioned in front of the other in a stride position and hold handweights at your sides. Keep your abdominals contracted and maintain good posture. Your front knee should remain over the top of your front foot throughout the entire exercise and this front leg should take the majority of your body weight and be your working leg.

Start by slowly lowering into a lunge position until your front upper thigh is parallel to the floor or until you hit a comfortable position. Now slowly extend back upward pushing off the front leg until you are fully upright and balanced on the front leg. While pushing upwards, simultaneously lift your handweights to the side until they are at shoulder height. Hold this upright balanced position for two to three seconds. Then slowly lower back into the lunge position and release your arms to the side. Perform eight to 15 reps on each leg.

This exercise will strengthen your upper body and increase its ability to absorb impact.

Lie on your back on a bench holding a medicine ball (any other type of ball can be substituted).

Lift your feet off the floor so they are suspended in the air and keep your abdominals contracted. Keep your elbows close to your body and throw the ball up towards the ceiling. Catch the ball in a controlled fashion and repeat. Do this for 30 to 90 seconds.

This exercise will strengthen your back and torso.

Get onto all fours - hands and knees. Be sure that your hands are positioned under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Keep your abdominals contracted throughout the entire exercise and your back stable.

Now slowly, while not moving your back and keeping your neck neutral, lift one arm and the opposite leg. Think about lengthening your limbs rather than lifting as high as you can. Try not to excessively lean your body into the supporting limbs. Repeat eight to 10 times on each side.

Before you hit the slopes, you’ve really got to think about your clothing. Big and baggy definitely is where it’s at.

A few years ago, I knew my gear met p to the snowboarding standards when the gate attendant tried to ring me up at the youth rate and a group of 14-year-olds were giving me “the eye”.

One thing’s for sure, snowboarding does make you feel young again.

This exercise will condition your upper body and balance.

Stand upright on one leg with perfect posture and hold a pair of handweights in front of your thighs. Keeping your arms straight and maintaining perfect posture, slowly lift the weights to the front of your body to the level of your shoulders. Perform eight to 10 reps while balancing on each leg.

This exercise will increase the strength and power in your legs and condition them to withstand impact.

Stand in the stance you use on your board (right or left leg forward, head looking down the mountain towards your lead leg, knees bent). Jump as high as you can into the air and land in a controlled fashion, returning back to your snowboard stance. Repeat eight to 15 times one way and then repeat facing the opposite direction.

This exercise will improve your balance and co-ordination.

Position two handweights upright on the floor on one side of your body and two handweights on the floor on the other side (note: you can perform this drill with any four items). Stand on one leg while maintaining perfect posture. Slowly bend down while balancing and pick up one handweight from one side, stand up right and then lower the handweight to the other side. Pick up another handweight and lift it and lower it to the other side. Repeat this drill for one minute while balancing on one leg and then one minute on the other leg.

You may decide to buy new snowboarding gear. Before doing that, I’d suggest you rent a number of times. This will allow you to try out all the options to decide what works best for your style and body.

Be sure to try out hard boots vs. soft boots and click-ins vs. strap bindings. It is a personal- and performance-based decision.

Speak to an experienced staff at a reputable dealer who will be able to answer your questions and help you choose the equipment that will suit your needs.

Add the following exercises to your repertoire.

Wobble board training

Find yourself a wobble board (piece of flat board attached to a semi-circle piece) to help improve your balance. The idea is to stand on the board while keeping it level to the floor. If you can’t get one, balance on a log, beam or curb.

Front-back jumps

This exercise will the strength and speed in your legs and condition them to withstand impact.

Place a rope or string on the floor. Face the rope. Now slightly adjust your stance so that you are in your snowboard position (right or left leg forward, head looking down the mountain toward your lead leg, knees bent).

Now jump forward and over the rope, landing in a controlled fashion, and returning back into your snowboard stance. Now jump backwards. Continue this drill jumping front and back over the rope. Work on speed rather than height. Continue for 30-60 seconds facing and then repeat facing the opposite direction.

courtesy of The Province & Sherri McMillan

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