Pre-season snowboard tips

Top Strength Training Exercises for Snowboarding

Source: http://strengthnspeed.tripod.com/

The best exercises for snowboarding work the body's postural or stability muscles. Exercising these large muscles of the body will help you ride stronger, prevent injury, and snowboard the entire day without fatigue.

1) Leg Press
The Leg Press is one of the best snowboarding-specific exercises. It targets quad muscles (legs), and also works gluts (butt) and hamstrings -- all important muscle groups for snowboarding. Try varying your foot placement -- moving them higher will work your gluts more. Also lighten the weight and spring off the platform, then slowly lower back down. This will help increase your power for jumps.

2) Seated Row
The Seated Row exercises your lats and other back muscles. Snowboarding uses a lot of support muscles in the torso and back, so it is important to keep them strong.

3) Lat Pull Down
The Lat Pull Down is another exercise designed to strengthen your large shoulder and back muscles for overall snowboarding strength. It is common to ignore the upper body when getting in shape for snowboarding, but your torso and arms play an important role in stability and balance during a snowboard turn. Keep them strong!

4) Abdominals
Abdominal (stomach) muscles get a lot of use in snowboarding, whether you're cruising around the mountain or pushing yourself up time and time again during those first few days. Abs can be exercised in a variety of ways -- from ab exercise machines to the simple sit-up. For additional challenge, try doing an ab workout using an exercise ball.

5) Leg Curl
The Leg Curl works the back of your legs. This exercise compliments the Leg Press, which works the top or front of your legs. The Leg Curl is a great exercise for the overall leg strength you need for snowboarding.

6) Calf Raise
Those long toeside traverses on a snowboard can really take a toll on your calf muscles. The Calf Raise exercise will help strengthen your calves as well as the muscles in your feet and around your ankles.

~ Kari Egan