Just because all the snow has melted from your favorite mountain slope doesn't mean you have to hang up your snowboard for the summer. Various types of indoor training facilities can keep you occupied during the off-season. Most of these indoor snowboarding courses are open year-round.
Indoor Facilities
In the early days of the sport, snowboarders would have to use training methods such as skateboarding and weightlifting to maintain their skills in the off-season. Snowboard parks that are built indoors allow riders to practice high-flying maneuvers regardless of the weather conditions. Indoor snowboarding parks are often equipped with an overhead lighting system to keep the obstacles illuminated during nighttime rides. Many of these indoor snowboarding facilities feature industrial machines that create large deposits of artificial snow.
Terrain Park Obstacles
If you get bored with the mellow slopes of the indoor snowboard mountain, head over to the terrain park for a little more excitement. Similar to outdoor facilities, indoor terrain parks house a variety of ramps and rails. According to Transworld Snowboarding, the Burton indoor park in Beijing, China features large sloping ramps carved from large mounds of snow. Some indoor facilities feature lightweight plastic or fiberglass ramps covered with a thin layer of snow.
Trampoline
Many snowboarders use an indoor training technique that involves bouncing on a trampoline. The trampoline helps recreate the feeling of boosting off a snowboarding ramp and allows you to practice difficult flips and trick variations. According to the Windell's indoor training facility, trampolines used for snowboarding are lined with large foam pads to prevent serious injuries in the event of a fall. Practice your tricks on the trampoline to increase your consistency and style.
Snow-less Courses
Depending on the size of the indoor course, blowing enough snow to cover the slopes and the terrain park can take weeks. To cut down on costs, certain indoor snowboarding parks have developed a specialized snow-less slope. According to the Woodward at Copper Training Facility, the snow-less slope is covered with a slick layer of carpet. The underside of your snowboard can easily slide over the soft carpet as you ride between the obstacles of the terrain park.
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