So, your first day on the track. You look unrealistically cool – the new equipment shines under the slanting rays of the winter sun, and you are no different from a real professional. But there is one problem. If you haven’t exercised properly, you will not be in for a pleasant surprise. Therefore, in order not to be trapped, use simple exercises and come to the opening of the winter season fully armed!

Author: Lauren Brooks

Autumn is the perfect time to prepare for winter sports. From year to year, the autumn months are filled with an exciting anticipation of the beginning of the season, because the first snow, and, therefore, the first exit on the track, awaits you literally at the next turn of the calendar. It’s been about eight months since your last snowboarding or skiing, and you can’t wait to climb the slope and plunge down.

So, the first day on the track. You look unrealistically cool – the new equipment shines under the slanting rays of the winter sun, and you are no different from a real professional. But there is one problem. If you have not trained properly, you will not be in for a pleasant surprise.

Within a few minutes your legs will burn with fatigue, your heart will jump out of your chest, and even a driven racehorse will not envy your breath. Be careful, because in this state, your chances of being seriously injured are greater than ever. And get ready for the fact that the next day you will turn into a wreck, and it will seem to you that it will stretch for the entire winter season.

Whether you are a beginner or a pro, you will need a specific training program to prepare for the winter season. The main goals are strength, endurance, flexibility and coordination. The main task is to get ready for going out on the track to fully enjoy the dizzying snowboarding!

Master a few key exercises, and your communication with the snow-covered slopes will become much better and longer, in addition, the risk of injury will be significantly reduced. This resource outlines a four week training program to help you prepare for your downhill. So let’s go!

Four week plan

Jump squats

The jump squat is the best way to build leg strength and explosive power for snowboarding. These qualities will be especially useful during the clean execution of the big jump, which you have long dreamed of mastering. You should start the exercise in a deep squat, hold your hands in front of you or on your belt. From this position, we sharply push off with our feet and jump out as high as possible.

Pancake turns (medball)

Pancake turns (medball) strengthen the muscles of the trunk and at the same time contribute to the development of turning skills on a snowboard, because turns back and forth with the participation of the abdominal press are an integral part of the descent from a snow-covered slope. We sit on a gymnastic mat, take a pancake (medball) in our hands and hold it at the level of the abdominal press; the arms are slightly bent at the elbow joints.

We slightly tilt the body back and tear our legs off the floor. We turn left and right and touch the pancake (medball) on the floor on each side. Remember to keep your core muscles tense throughout the side-to-side turns.

Power push-ups

This exercise will help you strengthen your upper body muscles, while the explosive technique used in strength push-ups will prepare you for the inevitable falls on the track. Starting position – we rest on the floor with socks, hands at a distance slightly exceeding the width of the shoulders.

The head is on the longitudinal axis of the body, the eyes look at the floor. While inhaling, we slowly lower ourselves as deep as possible so that the elbow joint is located just above the plane of the back. As we exhale, we vigorously push off the floor, straightening our arms. If it’s hard, start with an emphasis not on your socks, but on your knees.

Rise on toes

The position of the feet on a snowboard with a predominant emphasis on the toes creates a tremendous load on the calf muscles. The Calf Raises are an exercise that will help you strengthen these muscles, as well as the muscles in your foot and ankle. For safety reasons, this exercise is best done in a squat rack. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and turn your toes slightly outward. Keep your back straight, knees slightly bent. This will be your starting position. For more range of motion, you can place a wooden support under the toes of your feet. Gently lift your heels as high as possible, rolling gently onto your toes, straining your calf muscles. Hold at the top point before going down.

Walking lunges

Lunges are a great way to strengthen your leg muscles in anticipation of the upcoming snowboarding season. From a standing position, we take a giant step forward and go down so that the knee of the back leg practically touches the floor. In this case, both knee joints should be bent at an angle of approximately 90 degrees. We push off and complete this step, after which we continue in the same spirit, alternately changing legs.

Pull-ups on the bar

Many people ignore the upper body muscles in preparation for the winter season. A strong back, meanwhile, will give stability, improve coordination, and help maintain balance. As a result, your turns will be flawless and look really cool. We grab the bar with a straight grip, hands shoulder-width apart. It remains to pull the body up as high as we can.

Cycling or exercise bike

Cycling is a non-core sport that is great for snowboarding enthusiasts. The bike contributes to the development of superhuman endurance of the leg muscles, thanks to which you will be able to cover distance distances without stopping every 30 seconds.

Four week workout plan

I recommend sticking to the proposed training program for four weeks.

Monday

Wednesday

Friday

If minute sets are too hard, shorten your work steps to 30 seconds or lengthen your rest time. Reduce the pause times as your functional fitness improves.

Be sure to do exercises on all muscle groups with which you worked in your workout. Hold each stretching position for 30-45 seconds.

Conclusion

By following this simple program for the next four weeks, you will be in great physical shape to kick off snowboarding season. And remember, you have to think about safety first!

I wish you a great season, see you on the slopes!

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