Skiing was at one time the most widely celebrated snow sport, making trips to the mountain resorts fun and entertaining. Soon snowboarding made a grand entrance, using only one wider board and athletic dexterity. Having made its way to becoming an Olympic sport, snowboarding may be exhilarating and rewarding, but to prevent injury, your hamstrings must be able to take the impact that jumps and steering require.
Lunges
Lunges are leg exercises that effectively build your hamstrings, increasing your leg strength and endurance, according to the ABC-of-Snowboarding website. To do a lunge, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides. With your right foot, step forward, bending your right knee; drop your left knee downward without touching the floor. With your right foot, push yourself back to your starting position, then alternating legs. Do 15 to 20 repetitions with up to three sets per leg.
SingIe-Leg Dead Lifts
To warm up and strengthen your hamstrings further, follow the examples of Olympic silver and gold medalist Gretchen Bleiler. According to an interview with Blieler in "Marie Claire," single-leg deadlifts are ideal for helping snowboarders strengthen their hamstrings before hitting the slopes. Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart, holding a 20-lb.dumbbell in each hand. Lighter dumbbells can be used by beginners. Slowly lift your left leg up, leaving your right foot firmly planted on the floor. Bend your right knee with your back remaining straight, acting as if you are placing the dumbbells on the floor beside you. Keeping a firm grip on the dumbbells, lift back to starting position and alternate legs. Do 20 repetitions per leg for three sets.
Lateral Squats
Lateral squats help with strength and balance, warming up your hamstrings to effectively heal after injury or prevent snowboarding injury from occurring. According to the authors of "Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation: A Sport-Specific Approach," lateral squats are more effective for snowboarders when using a weight bar of up to 30 lbs. To begin, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a weight bar securely on your shoulders. With your right leg, slowly step outward, bending at your knee in a side squat. Make sure that your left knee remains straight, allowing only your hip to move. Hold the side squat at a 90-degree angle for the count of five and then push up to your starting position. Alternate legs, repeating the exercise for 15 to 20 repetitions per set of three.
Stretching
Although strengthening your hamstrings is important to snowboarding, so is keeping them flexible. This reduces risk of injury during snowboarding and exercise. According to ABC-of-Snowboarding, exercises such as yoga and gymnastics are ideal for stretching your hamstrings and providing the flexibility you need on the slopes. Flexing your feet periodically throughout your routine will also help stretch these muscles, according to the authors of "Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation." Stretch before and after exercising and snowboarding.
References
- ABC-of-Snowboarding: Snowboarding -- Training Exercises
- Marie Claire: Get an Olympic Workout
- "Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation: A Sport-Specific Approach"; Ralph M. Buschbacher, Nathan D. Prahlow, Shashank J. Dave; 2008
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