Stretching before and after any physical activity, including snowboarding, will reduce your risk of injury and maximize your performance. In this post, you will learn which muscles you use while riding and the best stretches for snowboarders to target those muscles.
By Bekah Whitney
Stretching improves muscle flexibility which improves your performance while snowboarding. Better flexibility will decrease your risk of injury, help your joints move through their full range of motion, increase blood flow, and enable your muscles to work at peak performance while snowboarding. With all these benefits, adding a stretching routine before and after you hit the slopes is a no brainer!
Note: If you have specific injuries or ailments please consult a physical therapist before attempting these stretches.
It’s important to have a well rounded all-body stretching routine, but for this article we are just going to focus on the muscles you will be using for snowboarding. The big hitters will be your Hips, Upper Legs, and Lower Legs. As an instructor, I find new snowboarders are often sore in their necks. Consider adding some mild neck stretches as well if you are newer to riding or it is the start of the season.
The time for intense stretches is the night before snowboarding or after. I suggest you keep your stretching time to under 20 minutes right before hitting the slopes or sticking with dynamic stretches
Not only will you be able to get deeper into each pose, you will be at much less risk of hurting yourself. To warm up for deep stretching, do some walking or light jogging. You can include some dynamic stretches into this warm up as well. Stretching after you have finished snowboarding is a wonderful time to deeply stretch as your muscles are already warmed up.
When stretching there are a few simple guidelines to follow. Remember, don’t bounce and don’t aim for pain! Hold the stretch for 30 to 60 seconds and remember to breathe the entire time! You will also want to stretch both sides of your body evenly.
Below are stretches for snowboarders to improve general performance and prevent injuries. Some of these stretches will repeat in multiple categories so that you can have a deeper understanding of what to focus on during the stretch.
Note: If you have specific injuries or ailments please consult a physical therapist before attempting these stretches or snowboarding.
The Glute max, Glute medius, hip External rotators and hip Internal rotators are all used to stabilize the body while riding. Use the following poses to stretch out the muscles in your hips:
Seated One Leg Cross
Seated Twist
Pigeon Pose
Butterfly
Seated One Legged Cross.
Sit in a figure four and bend at your hips. Reach for your toe or shin. If you would like to get a bit of a spinal twist in the stretch, you can look over your shoulder.
Pigeon Pose. Can be modified into a sleeping pigeon
(right photo above).
Start in a Downward Dog and bring one ankle to the opposite knee while keeping the foot flexed. Sit down with the opposite leg behind you and bring your head up. To get a deeper stretch you can lay your forehead on your hands.
Seated Twist.
Sit with a straight back and both legs in front of you. Bend one leg and cross it over the top of the other. With the opposite arm, pull your knee closer to your chest, then twist to look over your shoulder.
Butterfly.
Start in a seated position with your legs out in front of you. Bend both legs and bring your heels together to touch. To increase the stretch, try to get your knees to touch the ground and your heels close to your body.
The Quadriceps (Quads) are the main powerhouse of snowboarding. Our hamstrings are another part of this force couple and stretching them is key as well. Use the following poses to stretch out the muscles in your upper legs:
Simple Standing Quad Stretch
Runner Lunge with Quad Stretch
Standing Forward Fold Hamstring Stretch
Seated two legged Hamstring Stretch
Standing Quad Stretch.
Start in a standing position with your feet touching at the heels. Lift one leg behind you to grab your foot.
Runner’s Lunge with Quad Stretch.
Begin in a plank position with hands directly below shoulders. Step one of your feet forward to the outer edge of your hand. Drop your back knee and relax your hips. When you are ready bend your back leg and grab your foot with the same side hand.
Seated Two-Legged Hamstring Stretch.
In a seated position, put both your feet in front of you with a straight back. Bend at the hips towards your toes. Remember to keep your back straight.
Standing Forward Fold Hamstring Stretch.
Stand straight with your feet hip-width apart. Hinge forward at the hips and either let your head dangle towards the ground. You can either let your hands reach toward the ground or hold opposite elbows.
The Tibialis anterior, the muscle that runs down your shin, and the calves are the muscles that control small foot movements in our feet to help our boards move. Use the following poses to stretch out the muscles in your lower legs:
Standing Heel Drop Calf Stretch
Standing Anterior Tibialis Shin Stretch
Downward Dog
Wall Calf Stretch
Standing Heel Drop Calf Stretch.
Stand straight with your feet hip-width apart. Stick one foot out with your toe lifted, bend forward at the hips, and reach for your foot with the corresponding arm.
Standing Anterior Tibialis Shin Stretch.
Stand straight and bend both knees slightly. Curl one foot and press your toes into the floor.
Downward Dog.
Start in a tabletop position, hands under shoulders and knees under hips. Press your hands into the floor and tuck your toes under, lift your hips to the sky, and try to straighten your legs.
Wall Calf Stretch.
Stand a foot away from a wall with both hands on it. Push against the wall while leaning forward to stretch both calves at once.
If you have extreme neck stiffness after a day of riding, you may need to see a doctor. If you are experiencing slight to mild neck soreness, these simple neck stretches can help. Use the following poses to stretch out the muscles in your neck and upper back:
Child’s Pose for upper back
Chin Forward to Shoulder
Upper Trapezius Stretch
Forward Fold with Head Nods
Child’s Pose.
Sit with your knees underneath you. Lean forward, spread your knees apart, and rest your forehead on the floor. Place your arms in front of you and press lightly into the ground.
Chin Forward to Shoulder.
In a relaxed seated position, gently drop your chin towards your chest then slightly roll your head to one side.
Upper Trapezius Stretch.
Place one hand on the side of your head and the other on your shoulder. Gently pull your head towards your shoulder and pull the opposite should down.
Forward Fold with Head Nods.
Stand straight with your feet hip-width apart. Hinge forward at the hips and either let your head dangle towards the ground. You can either let your hands reach toward the ground or hold opposite elbows. Nod your head up and down and left to right.
Flexibility training and strengthening exercises have greatly improved my performance on the mountains. To see best results, many medical professionals suggest stretching everyday, though if you are not there, don’t let that stop you from stretching before, during, and after snowboarding trips.
Let me know if you enjoyed these stretches and if they helped your performance on the hill! Remember to share this post with your friends that want to get on the slopes as it’s a free resource!
Hi! I’m Bekah, but you can call me Beks, all my friends do! I travel full-time in a tiny home on wheels that my partner, Sawyer, and I built from a cargo trailer shell in 2019. We started out in beautiful Colorado and have been all over the United States over the years. This space is designed to inspire and guide the nature obsessed nomad, weekend warrior, and future roadlifer. I’m so excited you’re here!
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