Get a Flat Tummy

Skiing And Snowboarding Are Exciting Ways To Stay In Shape

March 17th, 2010

Many outdoor enthusiasts take pleasure in the spring, summer, and a part of the autumn months to get out into the open air on trails and parks to stay in shape while appreciating nature. When winter comes around and the streets are frosted with ice, the wind is bone chilling, and the air can chill even the heartiest of lungs many amateur athletes retreat indoors and accept that the holidays mean inactivity and weight gain.

The truth of the matter is that winter offers an abundance of sports that are challenging, invigorating, and fun which makes keeping the pounds off an easy prospect. Skiing and snowboarding are popular sports with ample instructors and schools ready to teach you a more fun way of getting in shape than running or hiking.

Jumping right into a sport like skiing or snowboarding can be difficult, so starting off with something like cross-country skiing will allow you to acclimate to cold weather exercise and help build up your endurance. Strap on your digital sport watch and time how long you can go without stopping and over a short number of weeks you’ll see the time increase and your body grow stronger.

Downhill skiing as exercise can help with your overall flexibility and balance will tone your leg and abdominal strength without straining the muscles in your back or tendons and joints. A day on the slopes can end up burning almost 600 calories per hour depending on your activity. Because of the need for balance and the high-speed bursts you’re likely to encounter as a beginning skier, being smart with safety gear like a ski helmet is an absolute must.

Make sure to keep hydrated all day as it’s unlikely you will notice any signs of dehydration until it’s too late. Also, don’t strain your body by pushing for one more run at the end of the day which is when most injures happen.

While skiing is considered a classical sport, snowboarding has become quite popular over the last decade exploding from an underground activity to an Olympic sport. Because boarders need to steer the snowboard, ankle and foot muscles as well as the calves, quads, and hamstrings are all similarly taxed in the interest of moving down the mountain. Helmets are as paramount in snowboarding as in skiing and with the sartorial rules thrown out the window you can show up with anything from a standard black helmet to one of your own creation.

Snowboarding is about fun and individuality as well as being a proper and tiring exercise. Finding what is right for you in the realm of winter sports can make the winter months fly by and your exercise regime take a turn in a uniquely different direction.