Every snowboarder knows the feeling: that first epic powder day in Summit County when your legs feel like they’re on fire after just a few runs. Your quads burn, your core feels weak, and your balance isn’t quite what you remembered from last season. And you think, could exercises for snowboarders have made a difference?
When your body isn’t properly conditioned for snowboarding, you also increase your risk of injuries that could sideline you for weeks or even the rest of the season. Worst of all, many common snowboarding injuries can be traced back to inadequate physical preparation – from ankle sprains to knee strains and back pain.
As physical therapists serving Eagle and Summit Counties, we’ve seen snowboarders come through our doors mid-season with injuries that absolutely could have been prevented. We’ve also helped experienced riders improve their performance through targeted strength and conditioning exercises.
Here are our top five PT-approved exercises you should add to your repertoire:
5 Essential Exercises for Snowboarders
1. Single Leg Squat with Abduction Slider
This exercise challenges single-leg strength and dynamic balance – key skills for keeping your tip up while riding on your back leg in deeper snow. The lateral movement also mimics the stability needed when carving on your edges.
How to Do It:
- Stand on one leg with the other foot resting on a paper plate or towel on a smooth surface
- Keep your weight centered over your standing leg
- Lower into a squat position while simultaneously sliding your non-weight-bearing leg out to the side
- Focus on keeping your hips level and your knee tracking over your toes
- Return to the starting position by pushing through your heel and bringing your sliding leg back to center
Tips To Help It Stick:
- Make sure to keep your weight over the leg you’re squatting on
- Use a paper plate on carpet for an easy sliding surface
- While squatting, extend the leg straight out to the side
- Aim for three sets of 10-12 reps on each leg
Even our pro riders from Breckenridge Ski Resort use this exercise to maintain their edge control throughout the long Colorado winter season!
2. Squat with Weight Shifts Tapping Cones
This exercise challenges lower extremity endurance while training weight shifting in various directions.
t directly translates to controlling edge-to-edge transitions while carving down groomers. The movement pattern mimics the constant weight redistribution needed for responsive riding.
How to Do It:
- Place cones (or water bottles) in front, behind, and to each side of you
- Start in a partial squat position with feet shoulder-width apart
- Maintain the squat position while shifting your weight to tap each cone with your hand
- Return to center between each tap
- Continue the sequence in a clockwise or counterclockwise pattern
Pro Tips:
- Keep weight evenly distributed when reaching forward/backward
- Don’t move your feet while shifting left/right
- Keep feet flat on the ground throughout the exercise
- Aim for three sets of 8-10 complete cycles (hitting all cones)
This is particularly helpful for those long runs from the top of Peak 8 down to the base of Breckenridge when your quads are screaming, but you’re only halfway down!
3. Med Ball Twist with 90-degree Hop
This exercise mimics the rotational power needed to turn your board quickly to stop or slow down.
It challenges both the explosive power required for quick direction changes and the control needed while braking on steep terrain. The rotation also trains the core engagement needed for spins and freestyle moves.
How to Do It:
- Stand in an athletic position, holding a medicine ball at chest height
- Load up by rotating to one side while keeping your lower body stable
- Explosively rotate 90 degrees in the opposite direction while jumping and turning your feet
- Land softly with knees bent in a stable position
- Reset and repeat in the opposite direction
Tips For Implementation:
- Load up to the opposite side prior to rotating
- Land in an athletic stance with knees slightly bent, shoulder-width apart
- Work in both directions equally
- Start with a lighter med ball to master the form before adding weight
- Aim for three sets of 6-8 reps in each direction
Our physical therapists in Avon have seen tremendous improvements in our clients’ ability to handle sudden stops on steep runs after incorporating this exercise!
4. Hollow Hold with Kettlebell Press
This exercise challenges core stability, essential for everything from maintaining balance on uneven terrain to executing controlled rotations.
A strong core is the foundation for all snowboarding movements – turning, spinning to ride switch, or rotating the board while stopping on the steeps of A-Basin or Vail.
How to Do It:
- Lie on your back with arms extended overhead holding a kettlebell
- Lift your legs 3-4 inches off the floor while simultaneously raising your shoulders off the ground
- Engage your core to create a “hollow” position with your lower back pressed into the floor
- While maintaining this position, press the kettlebell straight up toward the ceiling
- Lower the kettlebell back to the starting position with control
- Repeat the press while maintaining the hollow body position
Pro Tips:
- Keep the core tight with feet 3-4 inches off the floor throughout the exercise
- Ensure your lower back stays pressed into the floor
- Start with a lighter kettlebell and focus on form
- If needed, begin with just the hollow hold before adding the kettlebell press
- Aim for three sets of 8-12 presses
After a full day riding the endless terrain at Summit County resorts, you’ll thank yourself for building that core strength that kept you upright when everyone else was falling!
5. Cat/Cow with Barrel Roll
This movement helps restore spinal mobility in all directions after the stress and compression from hours of riding. It’s perfect for relieving the back tension that builds up from maintaining your snowboard stance all day.
How to Do It:
- Start on your hands and knees in a tabletop position
- Begin with a traditional cat/cow motion: arch your back up (cat) and then drop your belly down while lifting your head (cow)
- Add the barrel roll by moving your trunk in a circular motion
- Allow your spine to flex, extend, and rotate through a full range of motion
- Complete the circle and then reverse directions
Tips On Using It:
- Keep your arms straight throughout the exercise
- “Roll” your trunk in the shape of a barrel or circle while extending then flexing the spine
- Move slowly and deliberately, feeling each segment of your spine
- Breathe deeply throughout the movement
- Aim for 2-3 sets of 8-10 complete rotations in each direction
Take Your Snowboarding to the Next Level with Axis Sports Medicine + These Exercises for Snowboarders
At Axis Sports Medicine, we understand the unique demands of mountain sports because we live and play here, too!
For those dealing with existing snowboarding injuries or looking to create a more comprehensive conditioning program, our team of specialized physical therapists across Eagle and Summit Counties is here to help.
Our personalized approach to physical therapy means we’ll create a custom plan that addresses your specific needs as a snowboarder.
Don’t wait until you’re sidelined with an injury or exhausted after just a few early-season runs. Contact Axis Sports Medicine online or at (970) 368 – 6054 to schedule an appointment with one of our expert physical therapists.
