Snowboarding is an Olympic sport that is quickly gaining popularity as a global trend. A record number of people have tried the sport. It's one of those activities that anyone, regardless of age or experience level, can enjoy. All you need is a strong desire to learn and a good set of snowboarding equipment and a few exercises to prepare for snowboarding just so that you don’t suffer from leg pains after snowboarding, knee pain from snowboarding, or snowboarding leg cramps. Snowboarding, which combines balance and speed above the white snow, is a sport that will pump adrenaline through your veins. 

Snowboarding's Origins in History  

Modern snowboarding as we know it began in 1966 with the invention of a toy called a snurfer by Sherman Poppen, a Michigan-based engineer. Snowboarding took on its modern shape in the 1970s and began to gain popularity around the world 

Beginner's Advice 

If you're new to snowboarding, you should start with the fundamentals. 

Make sure you have all of the snowboarding equipment you'll need to ride safely down the slope. It is recommended to purchase basic and inexpensive equipment for this purpose so that if anything goes wrong while learning or falling while boarding, there will be no financial loss however that does not mean that you compromise on quality in terms of gear. 

Wear bright clothing if you're going down any kind of slope so that other people on the slopes can see you. It will be difficult for others to notice you if you wear dark clothing while boarding; therefore, wearing light-colored clothing will make things easier for you! 

Snowboarding necessitates physical strength because you must run up the slope every time you fall. It also necessitates a high level of concentration because it is easy for people to lose their balance and fall when riding at high speeds. For beginners who start at the base of the mountain on smaller hills, running up the mountain is part of the process. However, a lot of beginners head up the ski lift to the top and take the green runs down. It is also recommended to have a selection of muscle recovery tools on standby for relief from any sort of soreness.  

Snowboarding can be done in a variety of locations that provide suitable boarding conditions, such as fresh powdery snow or hard-packed ice. It is up to the rider to determine which condition they seek when riding, but experienced riders warn that jumping on hard-packed ice with a regular deck can be deadly! 

5 Exercises Every Snowboarder Should Do 

If you’ve often wondered how to improve snowboarding, it is important to keep your body in peak conditions as Snowboarding, much like other sports, is physically demanding. Here are a few quick snowboarding conditioning workout suggestions to keep your legs in shape for groomed runs or deep powder.   

Standing Single Leg Bends: When you snowboard, your legs are your workhorse, so getting a good leg workout is crucial. For example, if you want to exercise your right leg, lift your left leg in the air and slowly bend your right knee before returning to the starting position. 

The Basic Plank: You might ask yourself how to improve snowbaording turns. Since snowboarding involves a lot of your core muscles for balance during your turns, you want to maintain that strength for the entire snow season. 

Tricep Dips: You're going to fall a lot as a novice or beginner snowboarder. When you fall, you'll be relying on your triceps muscles to help you get back to your feet. A triceps dip is the simplest way to work this area of your arm.  

Hip Rolls: Knee control is greatly aided by hip strength. This exercise aims to reduce the likelihood of knee pain by strengthening the hip muscles, which include the glutes. It's also ket when learning to traverse downhill on a snowboard 

Walking Lunge with Rotation Exercise: This exercise will warm up your glutes, quads, hamstrings, and abdominals. It prepares your body to move in all directions at once, reducing the risk of common snowboarding injuries. 

Common Injuries While Snowboarding 

Any sport can result in an injury. Snowboarding, on the other hand, is considered an extreme sport, which increases the risk of injury. Broken wrists, elbow injuries, knee injuries, concussions, and other orthopedic injuries can occur while snowboarding. Although there are more injuries associated with snowboarding, the impact of snow skiing injuries can be far more severe.  

Sprains: After falling off their board and landing awkwardly, snowboarders frequently sprain their ankles or wrists. A sprain can also occur if the boots are not secured properly. 

Fractures: Snowboarders frequently suffer wrist fractures after landing and putting all of their weight on the bone, causing it to break. 

Dislocations: A fall on an outstretched hand or a twisting fall are the most common causes of shoulder dislocations. 

Contusions: Falling on hard snow or icy patches can cause bruising deep within the tissue or even the bone.   

Knee Injuries: These are common among snowboarders as a result of the impact of landing after jumps or falling while twisting. 

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness: Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness is muscle pain that occurs after a session of snowboarding and it usually takes 24-48 hours to subside. The pain was previously thought to be caused by lactic acid build-up however it is caused by small muscle tears that heal after a workout, according to research. 

For more information and Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness treatment, be sure to check out our blog article on DOMS by clicking here: A Guide to DOMS: Definition, Causes, Recovery and Prevention – SPRYNG (spryngme.com) 

Recovery After Snowboarding 

After a long day of shredding snow, there are a few things you can do to make the next day a little more comfortable for your muscles.  

Apply Ice: Ice should be applied at regular intervals throughout the day and night to reduce muscle inflammation. Replace the ice with a hot water bottle or a soak in a hot bath after a day or two. 

Stretch & Massage: Stretching your legs and muscles, as well as gently massaging the affected areas, will help you relax and feel better, but it will not completely relieve the pain you will experience. 

Keep Yourself Hydrated: Drinking electrolyte-rich, low-sugar sports drinks with no caffeine will help. Your muscles may be sore from an electrolyte imbalance if you did not drink enough water while snowboarding. Sports drinks keep you hydrated while you're snowboarding and help you rehydrate afterward, which can help with muscle soreness. 

Calf Muscle Recovery Tool: After snowboarding you will experience soreness in your legs particualrly your calves as that is where the pressure in while snowboarding and they are also the muscles you will be using often as you shift your weight to turn while in session. An active calf compression wrap like SPRYNG is a fantastic way to relieve the soreness in your calves. SPRYNG improves blood circulation to the entire lower body and greatly reduces leg pain after snowboarding by reducing blood pooling in the legs. Click here to learn more about SPRYNG and its advantages: https://spryngme.com/pages/the-science-of-spryng 

Foam Rollers: Foam rolling is thought to help with muscle tiredness and pain, as well as enhancing physical performance. It also aids in the prevention of stiffness, which minimizes the risk of injury, enhances joint mobility, and allows muscles to relax.  

For more quick tips and trick on efficient recovery after snowboarding, be sure to click here: Leg Pain and Recovery - A Snowboarder’s Guide – SPRYNG (spryngme.com) 

 Snowboarding is supposed to be enjoyable, so make the most of it. While the first few days will be challenging and frustrating, stick with your practice. You will eventually get there with time and you'll never look back once you get hooked! 

References: 

1. https://snowgaper.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-snowboarding/ 
2. 5 Exercises Every Snowboarder Should Do | ACTIVE 
3. How to Train for Snowboarding | REI Co-op 
4. 5 Tips To Remember To Relieve Muscle Soreness After Skiing | Skiing And Snowboarding (wordpress.com)