Snowboarding is more than just a thrilling winter sport; it’s a full-body workout that can significantly improve your physical and mental well-being. As the skateboarding season winds down, hitting the slopes on a snowboard offers a fantastic way to stay active and enjoy the colder months. This guide explores why snowboarding is such a beneficial form of exercise, covering everything from calorie burning and muscle engagement to mental health benefits.
Snowboarding isn’t just about fun; it’s a great cardiovascular exercise that helps you burn calories, lose weight, and increase your endurance. It strengthens your lower body, improves flexibility, boosts your mood, and even builds core strength. Let’s dive into why snowboarding is a great sport for everyone, regardless of skill level.
Is Snowboarding an Effective Workout?
Two snowboarders hiking up a snowy slope
Absolutely! Snowboarding is a fantastic full-body workout that offers both cardiovascular and strength-building benefits. It’s an excellent way to burn calories and shed some weight while enjoying the great outdoors. The amount of calories you burn depends on your experience, skill, and body weight. A beginner might burn more calories simply from walking up the slope, while an advanced snowboarder will use more energy tackling steeper inclines and challenging terrain. Even the cold weather contributes to calorie burning, as your body works harder to maintain its core temperature. This makes snowboarding a great way to stay fit during winter. When you’re out there, you’re constantly engaging your calves, feet, legs, and ankles to maneuver the board, and you’re also strengthening your core for balance, making it a comprehensive workout. Don’t forget to choose your gear from a reliable snowboard brand to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.
Snowboarding and Weight Loss
Snowboarding can be a very effective way to lose weight. Spending a day on the slopes will burn a considerable amount of calories, whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro. The Snow Sports Industries America, a non-profit trade organization, estimates that snowboarding burns roughly 450 calories per hour. To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume, and snowboarding is a high-intensity activity that can help you achieve this. The cold weather also plays a part. Your body has to work harder to stay warm, burning extra calories even while resting. So, while you’re having a blast on the mountain, your body is also working hard to burn those calories. This makes snowboarding a powerful tool for weight management. While those post-snowboarding parties are fun, a morning hike can easily compensate for any extra calories!
Calorie Expenditure While Snowboarding
While snowboarding might not burn as many calories as some other activities, it’s still a very effective workout. Harvard Medical School has shown how many calories can be burned per hour based on weight: A 125-pound person burns approximately 360 calories per hour downhill skiing, while a 155-pound person burns 446, and a 185-pound person can burn about 532 calories. The exact amount can depend on various factors such as gender, metabolism, muscle content, and intensity. For instance, performing freestyle tricks burns more calories than simply carving on a beginner’s slope. And let’s not forget the extra calories burned when picking yourself up from a fall! A typical hour-long session can burn between 300 and 600 calories, all while strengthening your abs, glutes, and thighs.
Muscles Worked During Snowboarding
Snowboarding is not just about burning calories and losing weight; it’s also a full-body workout that engages and strengthens various muscles. The core and lower body get a fantastic workout, but let’s examine some key muscles:
Calves
When snowboarding, you’re often in a partially squatted position, which means your calf muscles are constantly engaged. The angle of your bindings and boots ensures these muscles are always working, which can sometimes lead to annoying calf cramps.
Core Muscles
Your core muscles are essential for balance and control while snowboarding. Frequent changes in direction and the need to maintain balance require you to constantly engage your abdominal and core muscles. Even moving straight ahead relies on a solid and balanced core.
Quadriceps
Strong knees and thighs are a must for snowboarding. A slight bend in the knees is crucial for balance and for minimizing impact on your joints. You’ll rarely see a professional snowboarder standing fully upright, demonstrating the importance of engaged quadriceps.
Balance in Snowboarding
Balance is a key component of snowboarding, engaging your core, feet, and ankle muscles to stay upright and maintain stability. This can result in sore muscles after your first day, but it also means you’re building strength and coordination. Exercises like the plank can significantly improve your balance.
Snowboarding vs. Skiing: Which is a Better Workout?
Two people snowboarding and skiing down a snowy slope
The debate of whether skiing or snowboarding is a better workout has been going on for years. Both are excellent, thrilling winter activities, but which one is more effective for burning calories? Some studies suggest that skiing burns slightly more calories (around 500 per hour) than snowboarding (around 450 per hour). However, the Compendium of Physical Activities rates both sports equally when it comes to calorie burn, with a metabolic equivalent (MET) of 4.3 for “light effort” and 5.3 for “moderate effort.” This means a 150-pound person would burn between 293 and 361 calories per hour doing either.
The truth is, both are great workouts, but they engage different muscle groups. Snowboarding is excellent for core and abdominal muscles, while skiing works quads, hamstrings, calves, and ankle muscles more effectively. Skiers also get an upper body workout from using poles, while snowboarders might need to unstrap and walk on flat areas. Ultimately, the “better” workout depends on individual preferences and what muscle groups you want to target. The difference is minimal, making both fantastic ways to stay active in the winter.
13 Reasons Why Snowboarding is a Great Exercise
There are many compelling reasons to love snowboarding, not just for its fun factor, but for its numerous physical, mental, and social benefits.
1. Mental Benefits of Snowboarding
Just like any exercise, snowboarding provides significant mental benefits. The fresh, clean mountain air and beautiful scenery offer an escape from your busy routine, helping you clear your mind and feel refreshed.
2. Endorphin Release
Snowboarding triggers the release of endorphins, neurochemicals that promote feelings of joy and well-being. This mood elevation can help reduce anxiety and negative feelings.
3. Stress and Anxiety Relief
Being out in nature and focused on the sport takes your mind off daily stressors, offering a great way to relax and improve your mental health.
4. Enhanced Concentration
The need to stay focused on your speed, the steepness of the hill, and the need to adapt to changing terrain makes snowboarding an excellent mental workout that enhances your concentration and focus.
5. Boosted Self-Confidence
Mastering snowboarding techniques, after many attempts, is a great confidence booster, enhancing your overall self-esteem.
6. Improved Mood
Like other sports, snowboarding helps maintain both your physical and mental health. The release of endorphins and adrenaline while out on the slopes greatly improves your mood. Being in nature further reduces stress and anxiety.
7. Cortisol Reduction
Spending time in nature, like when you’re snowboarding, helps reduce the release of cortisol, the stress hormone. A session on your favorite trail can help you manage stress and boost your immune system.
8. Cardiovascular Endurance
Snowboarding is a full-body workout that increases your heart rate and gets your blood pumping, greatly enhancing your cardiovascular endurance. A solid 20 minutes of snowboarding can help burn around 450 calories.
9. Meaningful Connections
Snowboarding offers opportunities to meet new people and create meaningful connections with fellow enthusiasts. It’s a great bonding activity that can boost self-esteem.
10. Joint Flexibility
Snowboarding requires frequent changes in direction, which can help loosen up joints that become more restricted during the winter months.
11. Enhanced Flexibility
Snowboarding improves flexibility as it forces your body to adapt to rapidly changing positions. You’ll find yourself bending, stretching, and maneuvering, which all contribute to better flexibility.
12. Muscle Training
Snowboarding works all the muscles in your body, including smaller muscles in your feet and ankles, along with your quads, hamstrings, and calves. Even the muscles in your arms and shoulders are used for balance and to pick yourself up after a fall.
13. Strength Training
While snowboarding might seem to only require strong legs, it’s important to incorporate strength training to support your performance and prevent injuries. Squats, lunges, deadlifts, and planks are all beneficial exercises for building strength and balance.
Conclusion
Snowboarding is a fantastic sport that benefits your body and mind. It’s a comprehensive full-body workout and an enjoyable way to break away from your daily routine. The feeling of exhilaration and exhaustion after a day of snowboarding is a great motivator, even if your feet may hurt from snowboarding, you will recover quickly. So, next time you’re looking for a great winter activity, consider hitting the slopes on a snowboard.
Ruben Vee
A lifelong skateboarder, I’m passionate about all things related to board sports. I love testing new gear and sharing my findings with the community.
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