If you regularly snowboard, you know how much of a thrill and how much fun snowboarding is. Snowboarding is an extremely popular winter sport that so many look forward to immediately when the temperature drops. Not only is snowboarding extremely fun and a great activity to participate in during the winter months, but it is also an unbelievable way to get exercise, while soaking in beautiful views of the mountains. What is better than getting that heart rate up and getting a good workout in while also doing an activity that you genuinely love?
Check out some of the reasons why snowboarding is such a good exercise and plan some time to hit those slopes!
Burns calories.
When you are on the slopes, you are burning calories without even realizing it! Generally speaking, you can burn between 400 to 600 calories per hour during a full day of snowboarding. Burning calories has so many benefits, both physically and mentally. Not only does it help to lower your risk of cardiovascular diseases, but it also helps you to prevent illnesses, control any conditions that you currently have, and lower your stress levels and anxiety!
Increases endurance.
Snowboarding greatly helps to increase your endurance, just like weight training and other forms of exercise. When you are repeatedly going down runs, you are experiencing a full body workout with little to no breaks. Ultimately, this helps to increase your heart rate, get your blood flowing, and build up better endurance over time.
Strengthens lower body muscles and builds your core.
As mentioned, all your muscles are working hard during a day of snowboarding, with a strong focus on your lower body muscles. Throughout the day, you will be engaging your core to help yourself remain balanced, as well as using your hamstrings and quads to push and guide yourself down the slopes. There will also be a strong focus on your glutes since you will be keeping your body in a squat-like position. If you are finding that your muscles are extremely fatigued after a day of snowboarding, try incorporating some exercises in your daily routine to help build strength for the next time you snowboard. Remember, sore muscles can increase the risk of injury, so you want to ensure that you are regularly working on your strength and stamina to avoid any risk.
Improves flexibility.
To be a successful snowboarder, you must have the skills that it takes to change your direction and position of your body extremely quickly. To be able to handle these quick changes, you need to ensure that your muscles are as flexible as they possibly can be. Regularly snowboarding automatically improves your flexibility overall, but it is also extremely important that you do not forget to regularly stretch to keep up or improve that flexibility, and also avoid injury. Some of the most important stretches to remember can include stretching your glutes, hip flexors, lower back, calves, hamstrings, and your shoulders.
Boosts your mood.
Like exercises in general, snowboarding helps to produce endorphins, which is a direct link to helping you feel happier, in a better mood, and calmer overall. Producing endorphins is a great way to boost your mood, relieve some stress, and reduce any anxiety that you are feeling. Not only is the exercise of snowboarding helping you to produce endorphins, but you are also enjoying the fresh air, surrounded by gorgeous scenery, and enjoying time with family and friends – or meeting new people! Not to mention, a full day of exercise outdoors can improve your sleep quality and help to increase your energy levels overall.
If snowboarding isn’t your speed, you can receive the same benefits from skiing!
