Get in the Best Shape for Winter with this Snowboard Fitness Routine
Do you want to shred for longer? This Fitness Routine can help you.
Before I started Ride Easy I was (and still am) a personal trainer, TRX and VPR master instructor, and owner of my own gym. One request that I get from clients daily is something along the lines of “give me the fitness routine to get in shape for X”.
Over the years, I’ve trained many snowboarders, even becoming one myself. All that magic out on the snow doesn’t just come from thin air. It starts with a lot of hard work in the off season. If you’re fit when you turn up to the slopes, you’ll be less tired over the course of the day, and ultimately enjoy yourself more.
Keep reading to learn how to use this take home Fitness Routine to whip you into shape for the best shredding of your life!
P.S If you’re a visual person, watch the accompanying video here.
Overview — Fitness Routine
This is a body weight Fitness Routine, so you can do it anywhere, even at home! That means you have 0 excuses not to get it done.
That said, it’s also challenging to complete. There are 5 exercises, and you run each for 45 seconds, with 15 seconds of rest in between. 1 set takes 5 minutes to complete, you’ll be doing two sets back to back for a total of 10 minutes.
Pro tip: if it’s too difficult, try running the Fitness Routine with 30 seconds on/ 30 seconds off splits. If it’s too easy, try 1 minute on/ 15 seconds off, or 1:30 on / 30 seconds off.
I suggest you do this Fitness Routine once every two days. If you go to the gym regularly, use it in place of an abs set because it works many similar muscle.
Exercise 1: Crab Walk
Goals
- Strengthen wrists to protect yourself when falling
- Practice opening up your chest with shoulders back to get better posture when snowboarding
Setup
- Sit on the ground and lean back with fingers facing backwards, knees bent, feet facing forwards
- Lift your bum off the ground and look up, like a crab.
Instructions
- Crab walk forward to the end of the room
- Crab walk backwards, without turning around. Repeat
Pro tips
- Make sure you’re tensing your core as you walk to protect your back
- Your shoulders shouldn’t be hurting. If they are, slow your feet down, or stop.
Exercise 2: Moving Squat
Goals
- Improve your balance whilst in your stance
Setup
- Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, hands straight out
Instructions
- Squat down low, and hold the position.
- With your feet in place, sway your arms, knees and body randomly for 5 seconds.
- Straighten and then squat down immediately and repeat.
Pro tips
- Make sure that when squatting your back is straight
- If this exercise is too tough, just do squats for 45 seconds.
Exercise 3: Neck Hold
Goals
- Protect your neck against whiplash from falling
- Stop your neck from hurting when in your snowboard stance.
Setup
- Sit on the ground with legs crossed.
Instructions
- Interlock your fingers and place your hands on your forehead. Press your head forwards against your hands for 3 seconds.
- Repeat, but place your hands behind your head, and press your head backwards for 3 seconds.
- Place one hand at the side of your head, and press your head repeat on the other side.
Pro tips
- Make sure the force against your hands is coming from your neck. Don’t press your hands against your head, they’re just there to provide resistance.
Exercise 4: Side Lunge
Goals
- Work on mobility and strength of your quads, glutes and inner groin- particularly important to prevent injury!
Setup
- Stand with your feet about wider than your shoulders, arms straight out.
Instructions
- Lunge to one side, so that your body weight is over one leg. The bent leg should be at 90 degrees and your other leg straight.
- Return to center and shift your body weight to the opposite side.
Pro tips
- Keep your toes facing forward.
- If it’s too easy, hold a dumbbell or a backpack with both hands and continue lunging with your hands straight out in front of you.
Exercise 5: Forward/Reverse Burpee
Goals
- Great cardio exercise to increase your fitness and also improve your mobility.
Setup
- Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, making sure there’s plenty of space in front and behind you.
Instructions
- Drop to the ground, place your hands on the ground and push your feet out.
- Bring your feet back in and jump up.
- For the reverse burpee, roll onto your back, roll back up, and then jump. Repeat.
Pro tips
- Try to roll back and forward again without putting your hands on the ground, to really engage the core.
So that’s it guys! Don’t forget, if 45 on/15 off is too easy, just repeat the exercise with longer or more reps. In case you missed it earlier, here’s the complete video right here:
And check out our other videos here!