Pre-Season Conditioning For Snowboarders

To prepare your body for the demands of carving, spinning and precise bodily movements, I have developed some key muscular conditioning exercises for you. Many readers have emailed me in the past year asking how to strengthen this or stretch that, and it is impossible to get to everyone. The following are solid basics that may help your performance, decrease your risk of injury and who knows make you look a little more stylish on the mountain. First, you need to know that muscular strengthening and conditioning are two separate issues. You can't condition through strengthening and, but you can strengthen through conditioning. i.e.: ever notice your higher endurance, flexibility and finesse sports have a leaner athlete as opposed to sports that require more strength?

A rider that is leaner, more flexible and muscularly conditioned is a better rider. Your main focus will be on leg, abdominal, lower back, hip and flexibility. Leg exercises that require you to work your legs individually are the best, since you never are muscularly using both legs at the same time when riding. Diagonal lunges, as opposed to lunges done in a straight line are a great start. This enables your hips to slightly rotate while performing the exercise. Fantastic for muscular simulation in snowboarding. Use enough weight (no more than 25lbs.) so that each leg gets tired after 20 repetitions. Do 2 sets of 15-25 repetitions on each leg. Next, you need to strengthen and condition the hamstring muscles. (back of the leg) These muscles are your main protection from knee injuries. Try and get to a gym to get on one of their hamstring curl machines or you can use an 8-10lb ankle weight. If you have to resort to the ankle weight, just stand holding onto something in front of you for support and bring your heel up to your backside by bending your knee. You will feel the exercise in the hamstrings. Do 2 sets of 25-30 repetitions on each leg. High repetition with moderate weight gives you optimal conditioning.

To condition your hips, lower back and abdominals, there are many exercises, but the following exercise is one of the best. The exercise is called trunk or "core muscle" rotation. If you can get a 5lb weight or medicine ball, this exercise works much better. Sit with your knees slightly bent. (under a couch or something if necessary at first) Holding the weight, lean back until you feel your abdominal muscles tighten up a little, then stop. Holding the weight out in front of you with your arms extended, rotate your shoulders and try to touch your weight to the floor, and then rotate to do the same with the other side. You need to do these with a slow, smooth twisting motion. Do 2 sets of 15-30 touches on each side. Keep in mind that doing some exercises for your arms, shoulders and upper back is also a good idea, but tackle these first. Get in some cycling, running or rowing at least four times per week as well. The better shape your lungs and heart, the better circulation you will have. This can mean staying warmer, which in turn equals no stiffness or soreness after riding.

Finally, you absolutely must stretch your body in order for it to react (twist, bend etc) when you need it to. The best time to stretch is while you work out, not after! Please talk to your physician if you believe there is any reason you should not do any of these exercises.

If there is anything you would like me to write about, let me know.

Best wishes and carve it up!

Chris Kaiser
Nationally Certified Strength and Conditioning Instructor
cbkexercise@worldnet.att.net