Stay in snowboarding shape in the summer

Submitted by Hannah on April 17, 2012 at 3:10 pm

The sun comes out and the lifts shut down, but those muscles you’ve created from all your winter shredding can be kept all year long. Staying in snowboarding shape during the off season can leave you ready to hit the slopes as soon as the snow comes. Here are some tips to stay ready for winter, even in the summer:

Mountain Biking
Mountain Biking is a great cure for the summer blues. It’s a good workout for your legs and as an added bonus it keeps you close to the place you call your winter home — the mountains. Many of the same mountains you shred in the winter are available for mountain biking in the summer. Check with your local hill to see if they offer summer lifts.

Riding other boards 
Keep in touch with the feel of a board by trying one with wheels or one in the water, such as a surfboard, skateboard, wakeboard or mountain board. Nothing can compare to the feel of fresh pow underneath a freshly waxed board, but it can keep the boarding cravings under control until snow can be found. And hey, many new boards now mimic the way a snowboard feels, so it will be like you never left.

Aerobics
Endurance is important. Come winter time you don’t want to be about to hit a sick kicker and feel the gnawing pain of fatigue. Running and hiking can help with your endurance and keep your heart going. A good cardio workout is important to keeping in shape.

Anaerobic (Strength training)
If you are lazy or just low on cash and can’t hit a gym very much this summer, here are some things you can do in your own home to strengthen your muscles so you can nail a backside 360 without breaking a sweat or worse, a bone. Pull out some old soup cans or weights and do lunges and squats. These will help strengthen your quads which is important in pulling off a sick trick or just casually maneuvering down the hill. You can also do some calf raises to keep the burn off when your flying down toeside. Your core and arms are just as important when being impressive on the mountain. Make sure you spend some time doing push ups, crunches and planks.

Any abs, arms or leg exercises you can do will help. Stay strong and fit and maybe the pain of snow-less days will subside with time. But, if you can’t quench your summer frustrations by working out, try strapping in anyway. Salt Boarding

Because let’s be honest — nothing feels as good as being strapped into your favorite board.