Build Long-term Snowboard Fitness: Rider Maintenance Workout

Snowboarding is all about having the most fun. That’s why many of us started standing sideways in the first place, not to get a workout. But there’s no denying that snowboarding requires a little bit of athleticism, and whether you identify as "athlete” or not, building long-term snowboard fitness allows us to increase, or at least maintain having fun, well into crusty old age. We call this maintenance, and its all about strengthening joints, building resilience, and reducing long-term wear on our bodies so we can stay in it for the long-haul.

Burton’s quick snowboard maintenance routine includes six simple exercises you can be complete in under twenty minutes. Do this maintenance workout a couple times a week if you want to ride forever and ever, now and down the line.

1. Dead-bugs: 1 minute
2. Glute bridges: 1 minute
3. Bird-dogs: 1 minute
4. Slow tempo squats: 2 minutes
5. Side planks: 1 minute
6. Heel raises: 1 minute

1) Snowboard Fitness Maintenance: Dead-bugs

The first exercise in our snowboard fitness maintenance workout is the dead-bug, a core stability and strength movement that doesn’t require any equipment aside from a comfortable flat surface. The dead-bug targets the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, and obliques (your abs) to stabilize the spine and pelvis. Dead-bugs are great for beginners as well as those rehabbing (some) injuries as they are joint-friendly and maintain a neutral spine position without flexion or extension.

How to Do Dead-bugs: Step-by-step Instructions

Time: 10 Reps/side, 1 Minute

Step 1: Begin by laying on your back with both arms extended straight out toward the sky (or ceiling).

Step 2: Raise both legs so that your knees are directly above your hips with your calves at a 90-degree angle to your thighs.

• Engage your abdominal muscles, flattening your lower back so that it contacts the floor and maintain this engagement throughout the movement.

Step 3: Lower your right arm while simultaneously extending your left leg so that your elbow and knee are almost completely straight.

• Do not let your arm or leg touch the floor.

Step 4: Bring your arm and leg back to the starting position, pausing to take a breath and then performing the same movement with the other arm and leg.

Step 5: Repeat.

2) Snowboard Fitness Maintenance: Glute Bridges

The glutes are one of the great underappreciated muscle groups, as many of the movements we think of as “leg” movements actually require significant gluteus recruitment. Glute bridges are a great way to target and strengthen the three gluteus muscles - maximus, medius, and minimus - while also targeting deep core muscles, opening the hip flexors for improved hip mobility, and aligning the pelvis and spine. Like all of the other exercises in Burton’s snowboard fitness maintenance workout, glute bridges don’t require any equipment and are great for beginner and experienced riders alike.

How to Do Glute Bridges: Step-by-step Instructions

Time: 15 Reps, 1 Minute

Step 1: Begin laying flat on your back with your knees bent at roughly 90-degrees so that your heels are roughly 10 inches from your glutes.

• Your feet should be flat on the floor, roughly hip-width apart.

Step 2: Place arms on the floor slightly pointing away from your body, palms facing down.

Step 3: Engage your core, squeeze your glutes, and lift your hips upward toward the ceiling so that your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees.

Step 4: Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement before slowly lowering your hips back to the floor.

Step 5. Repeat.

3) Snowboard Fitness Maintenance: Bird-dogs

One common thread among all the exercises in our fitness maintenance workout is core strength and stability, and the bird-dog is one of the best exercises to achieve this. Bird-dogs target the transverse abdominis, multifidus, and obliques, three muscles that , when strong, provide spinal stability which is crucial for all snowboarders, regardless of experience. Additionally, this exercise trains balance and coordination while engaging the posterior chain; glutes, hamstrings, and upper back. Finally, this is another exercise that keeps the spine in a neutral position without flexion or extension, a benefit for anyone with a tender back or who may be recovering from a variety injuries.

How to Do Bird-dogs: Step-by-step Instructions

Time: 10 Reps/side, 1 Minute

Step 1: Start in a tabletop position with knees and hands on the ground, back neutral (flat).

• Your shoulders should be aligned directly over your wrist, hips aligned directly over knees.
• Make sure to keep your core actively engaged, gently pulling your bellybutton toward your spine.

Step 2: Extend your left arm out straight while simultaneously extending your right leg straight back.

• Keep your hips level, actively reaching forward with your extended hand, all while keeping your back flat.

Step 3: Briefly hold this position before returning to tabletop position and then repeating the movement with the opposite arm and leg.

Step 4: Repeat.

4) Snowboard Fitness Maintenance: Slow Tempo Squats

Squatting is something we do over and over while snowboarding, so we hope you aren’t surprised to see a squat in this fitness maintenance workout. Squats target multiple lower-body muscle groups including glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves, all of which support a variety of functional movements. Like most of the exercises in this guide, squats also engage the muscles of the core but with the added bonus of encouraging healthy movement of hips, knees, and ankles (when done correctly).

How to Do Slow Tempo Squats: Step-by-step Instructions

Time: 8 reps, 5 sec down, 2 sec hold, 2 sec up

Step 1: Assume a comfortable standing position.

• Feet should be shoulder width (or slightly wider apart). Point your toes slightly outward (from 5 to 15 degrees) and hold your arms slightly forward, with your elbows bent.

Step 2: Tighten your core, as if you are preparing to absorb a punch to the stomach.

• Keep your back straight and don’t allow it to round forward.

Step 3: Begin to squat, pushing your hips backwards while simultaneously bending at the knees, as if you are sinking down to sit on an imaginary chair.

• As you sink down, make sure that your knees track over your toes – don't allow them to collapse inward.
• Do this portion of the movement slowly, taking 5 full seconds to come to the bottom of the squat.

Step 4: Lower until your thighs are parallel to the ground (or as low as you can comfortably go)

• Ensure that your feet – heels and all toes - stay planted flat on the ground. Do not rock onto your toes, or heels.
• Hold at the bottom of the squat for 2 full seconds.

Step 5: Press down through your heels to stand up, maintaining a flat back.

• Take a full 2 seconds to come from the bottom of the squat to standing.
• Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement to keep them engaged, but don’t arch your back.

Step 6: Repeat.

5) Snowboard Fitness Maintenance: Side Planks

Core, core, and more core, that’s one of the ways we maintain snowboard fitness now and as we get older. Side planks help us in that quest, building strength in the obliques, transverse abdominus, and quadratus lumborum, all of which help stabilize our torso. Side planks also strengthen our shoulders, glutes, and hips.

How to Perform Side Planks: Step-by-step Instructions

Time: 30 Seconds per side

Step 1: Begin by lying on your side with your hip resting on the ground, top leg stacked on top of your bottom leg.

• Bend your lower arm at the elbow, and rest on your forearm with your hand extended at a right-angle to your torso.

Step 2: Engage your core, “pulling” your bellybutton toward your spine but keeping your back straight.

Step 3: Press into your arm (the one supporting your weight) lifting your hips up so that your body comes into a straight line and hold for 30 seconds.

• Don’t allow your hips to sag; if they do, release, rest, and perform the movement again for as long as you can maintain a straight alignment of your body.

Step 4: After 30 seconds, lower your hips to the ground, roll over and perform the side plank on the other side of your body, holding for 30 seconds.

6) Snowboard Fitness Maintenance: Heel Raises

Otherwise known as calf raises, heel raises round out our selection of snowboard exercises for long-term fitness. This exercise targets the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles, two little known but very miportant muscles which play a crucial role in ankle control. Strengthening these muscles improves your ability to hold an edge, so don’t ignore this one.

How to Perform Heel Raises: Step-by-step Instructions

Time: 20 Reps, 1 minute

Step 1: Begin in a standing position, back straight, with your feet hip-width apart and toes pointing forward.

• It may help to be close to a wall or other solid object in case you need help balancing.

Step 2: Shift your weight onto the balls of your feet, lifting your heels as high as possible.

• Focus on sqeezing your calf muscles while your heels are raised.

Step 3: Pause at the top, holding for 1-2 seconds.

Step 4: Slowly lower your heels back to the ground. Repeat.

• Don’t just drop down, lower slowly for the best training effect.