Stretching Guide for Snowboarding |
Physical therapy in Baton Rouge for SnowboardingWelcome to Peak Performance Physical Therapy's Stretching Guide for Snowboarding resource. When is the Best Time to Stretch? General warm up (5-10 minutes). The aim of a general warm-up is to get the blood flowing to all parts of the body to be used during snowboarding, including the cardiovascular system. Beginners can warm up by walking or jogging, for example walking to your first boarding lesson or the top of the beginners slope. Snowboarders with experience may choose a long, easy run to warm up on the snow. You may need to warm-up after you get to the top of your first runs. If your first ride to the top of the mountain takes 5 minutes or more, then any warm-up prior to then will be wasted. Dynamic stretching - completed off the board. Gradually the speed and intensity of your movement is increased. See below for stretches. Technical and speed warm up - completed on the board. For experienced boarders, this includes high intensity, snowboard specific skills. Drills for speed and agility should be kept short with recovery time between drills to ensure you are not fatigued early in the day. For beginners, this includes practicing basic boarding skills, such as stopping and turning on an easy slope. Cool down. A cool down allows the body, in particular the cardiovascular system, to gradually return to its resting state. A cool-down reduces your chances of becoming dizzy or faint after exercise, allows any waste such as lactic acid that has built up during exercise to dissipate and may reduce your chance of having Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). Cool down by gradually reducing the intensity of your snowboarding, taking a long, easy slope for your last run, or walking for about 5-10 minutes. Static stretches. Commence your stretching regime directly after a short cool-down, before the muscles have cooled completely. Move through your range of movement, keeping control of the movement with your muscles. Do not allow momentum to control the movement by "flinging" or "throwing" your body parts around. You may feel light resistance in your muscles, but you should never feel pain during a stretch. Start with slow, low intensity movements, and gradually progress to full-speed, snowboarding-like movements. Trunk rotation
Arm circles Jumps Beginners can eliminate the last two dynamic stretches - they will tire you out. Rules for Static Stretching: Calf (soleus) stretch Quadriceps Hamstrings Groin Hip External Rotators/ Gluteals Hip Internal Rotators/Gluteals Back and Abdominals Trunk rotation
Anterior Shoulder |