With the right snowboarding equipment and gear, it's easy to look like you know what you're doing. To really know what you're doing, though, it's essential to work on your strength and skills before and during snowboarding season. A variety of strengthening exercises will help turn you into a great snowboarder with regular practice.
Jump Squats
To learn how to get some air while snowboarding, start strengthening your legs. Start off with your legs shoulder-width apart and sit down into a deep squat, making sure your knees don't go past your toes. Jump up as high as you can, using your hands to reach to the ceiling, then land back on your feet and return to your deep squatting position. Do three sets of 10 reps.
Oblique Twists
Strengthen your core, as well as the muscles used to turn from left to right while snowboarding, with the oblique twist workout. Sit on the floor as if you were getting ready to do situps. Grab a medicine ball and place it in front of your chest with your arms slightly bent. Lift your legs off the ground and lean back slightly. While holding the medicine ball, flex your abdominals as you rotate your torso to the left, bringing the medicine ball down to the ground on that side. Lift it back up, then rotate your torso to the right and bring the medicine ball down to the ground again. That's one rep. Do three sets of 10 reps.
Calf Raises
Your legs take quite a beating up on the mountain. Calf raises increase the strength in your lower legs. Start off by placing your feet shoulder-width apart. Grab onto a wall with one hand while the other hand holds a 20-lb. weight. Lift your left foot slightly off the ground. With your right foot, push off your toes until your heel is above the ground. Pause for one count then lower your heel back down for one rep. Continue for 20 to 30 reps, then switch legs.
Muscles Used While Snowboarding
Snowboarding primarily uses your lower body and core muscles. Start off by focusing on your core muscles, such as your hips and abdominals. Use abdominal crunches, bridge exercises, abdominal presses, segmental rotation and plank raises to train your core. Other areas of your body to pay close attention to while training include your glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves and feet. Also focus on strengthening your wrists, shoulders, arms and neck, because these areas are prone to snowboarding injuries. Use balance discs or a Bosu ball to work on your balance and snowboarding stance as well.
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