by Blake Tholen Clark of FlowingFreeride.com, special to SportsMD.com
Some of the best prep routines to prepare for the snowboard season are doing things that keep your body in shape. That means going to the gym, working out, eating right and getting enough sleep. I like to work out doing at least 30 minutes of cardio and then 30 minutes of weight training. I’ve found this makes me feel the best and prepares me to be strong and healthy for the snowboard season. Working out is great but you want to eat well too. I like to take vitamin C and fish oil. Fish oil lubricates my joints and makes me able to move more fluidly because of that oil and it’s good for you. If you’re not sure what vitamins or supplements you like try taking them the night before and if you wake up feeling good then use it. If you wake up feeling hungover or groggy then it’s not for you. You’ll want to burn as many or more calories that you intake. Staying fit will keep you moving well.
I drink lots of water so that I stay hydrated and it keeps my joints and muscles healthy. If you don’t drink enough water your muscles can cramp and cause injury. You want to Stay Snowboard Fit To Prevent Injuries. When you’re snowboarding up in the mountains you need to drink lots of water and it helps with elevation sickness. Eat healthy, choosing foods that don’t have tons of saturated fat or high fructose corn syrup. Most places I’ve lived outside of the US do not put corn syrup into their foods because it’s bad for you and their governments pay for their health care so they want their citizens to be healthy. Try to avoid corn syrup and other additives that are put in foods in the US. Eating foods that are made fresh with fresh ingredients is a big plus.
Sleep is so important you want to get at least seven and a half hours per night. The older you get the more rest you need. Getting enough sleep will allow your body to repair and your mind to rest as well. You would think that sleeping is easy but a lot of us are very busy and sometimes it’s hard to get that much sleep. When you have enough time to sleep your body heals, you’re rested and it causes less stress. Sleeping will be very beneficial in multiple ways but the biggest is it creates a stress free environment. Your body and mind will be able to function at the highest ability level and you’ll feel great. Get your sleep to fill the best.
Take care of your equipment by Waxing Your Snowboard and keeping the edges sharp. I will sharpen my edges first and then clean off the metal. You don’t want little pieces of metal getting into your wax so sharpen first, clean it off and then wax. I will wax my snowboard at the beginning of the day. That way the snowboard has dried, is warm not cold and it’s a better result. Repair Your Snowboard When You Hit Rocks & Get Core Shots. This will keep water from getting into your core and ruining your snowboard. At the end of your snowboard day dry your boots, gloves and other clothing to eliminate bacteria and mildew. I shower at the end of the day too to get rid of sweat from a hard day of ripping.
I like to wake up earlier in the morning because if you’re just moping around or sleeping too much you can get depressed so try to stay active. It’s good to have a good routine of getting up earlier and going to bed earlier that gives you more time in the day to do things. Sunlight can affect how you feel so if you can be out during the morning and in the sunlight it will make your body feel better because you’re getting more vitamin D. It gives you more time to do things during the day. You’ll have more energy. You’ll be able to go to the gym, outdoors, hiking, biking, fishing or do any other outdoor recreation.
There’s been a lot of snow in early-season the last two seasons and I’ve been able to hike in October. Take Your Rock Board Out In Roctober. The best way to get into snowboard shape is to snowboard. No matter how much working out you do at the gym, mountain biking, street biking, running or hiking does not compare to just actually snowboarding. As soon as there is enough snow in the mountains start hiking and getting on your board. When my joints and muscles are sore I like to sit in the hot tub or steam room to help repair and to take care of my body.
Eat right, take healthy supplements, get enough sleep, eliminate stress out of your life, workout and keep a balance between work and family life. Drink plenty of water, stay healthy, it will keep you younger, and it will keep you moving. You don’t want to stagnate and not move that’s when you get a lot more injuries. If you have a desk job make sure that you get up, walk around, move and let the blood flow. They say that a huge health problem is that people sit at their desks and don’t walk around. The new cancer is the desk job where you don’t do anything but sit at your desk. You need to get up periodically and move around so the blood flows through your body and to your brain. These are some simple prep routines that you can take to help you become a healthier better snowboarder.
Get Hooked On Snowboarding with Flowing Freeride’s techniques by signing up for the full course to gain access to all of our snowboard lessons, study guides, textbooks, glossary, tests and direct feedback from your coach. Learn to snowboard online with flowingfreeride.com and take a look at our YouTube Page for more free content and learn to snowboard right! My name is Blake Tholen Clark contact me if you want to book a lesson or have any questions about Snowboarding. Hope you like the quick read on snowboard prep routines and look forward to seeing you out on the mountain!
