by Emily Kane

Created on: January 23, 2008

There are specific muscles used when snowboarding that can make you, or break you, when it's time to get on the hill and shred. If you don't prepare before your first trip, it can potentially ruin any epic day if your body can't withstand the work.

The first muscle, the main powerhouse for your legs: your quads. Any intense riding would be virtually impossible without the help of this muscle so it's important to strenghten and maintain. There are many ways to do this and one excellent route is with a squat press. Since snowboarding requires use of this muscle for long periods of time, rather than explosive movement, it's essential to train your muscles to function in this situation. A good example of this is to set the weight at a comfortable setting for you, so that by the end of a set of 15 reps, you'll feel some burn. Doing two sets of these will help in getting to your snowboarding goals.

Another key muscle to consider is your calves; we probably spend as much time on our heel edge with our quads, as we do on our heel edge. Calf raises are one of the best ways to achieve any improvement in muscle strength. If you don't have access to a machine specific to this don't worry, you can perform this exercise almost anywhere. For maximal benefit however, it's important to add resistance such as free weights when standing on your toes after some experience.

Balance is one of the most important components of snowboarding for obvious reasons. A few exercises to improve your balance will involve a Bosu ball and a balance board. You can find these at most gyms, or stores with fitness equipment at decent prices for the most part. Standing on top of the Bosu ball upside-down and performing squats is an excellent way to not only improve your balance, but work out your quads as well. Free weights may be used to accompany this exercise for extra resistance, however, I do caution that getting on and off the Bosu ball while upside down is usually really difficult. In light of this I recommend first timers not using weights, also to always have a wall close by and to be aware of people around you. Using the balance board is difficult to master, and you should be able to feel your ankles after a good attempt. Working your way up and increasing the amount of time on the balance board will increase your stability in riding. I would suggest using a balance (wobble) board versus a rocker board seeing that a balance board more of a balance demand versus the rocking motion of only two dimensions.

To help achieve any balance goals it's also important to have core strength. Core meaning your "powerhouse" center which is mainly your abs, but also in small part obliques. This will be important especially when attempting any tricks in the park because it'll help keep you stable with your landings or when sliding rails. The balance exercises will help you with your sense of kinesthesis (the ability to feel movements of the limbs and body parts) but having a strong core will give you the strength to hold yourself in the correct positions to dominate the hill. If you follow these guidelines you'll be ready to hit the slopes in no time and enjoy the rest of the season.

Learn more about this author, Emily Kane.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.