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As discussed in yesterday’s blog post on establishing a workout routine, we discussed the importance of working out (and starting now) so that your body is prepared for the long snowboard season ahead.  Ideally, you want to be doing at least two days of cardio (running, biking, etc) each week combined with two to three days of legs and abs.  Below are some of our favorite moves:

Squats

Place your feet shoulder-width apart and squat down, keeping your knees in line with your tows.  Return to the starting position to complete one rep.  Complete two sets of 16 squats.

Option: Hold a pair of 5 lb. dumbells in either hand while doing this move.

Inner Thigh Squats

Similar to the normal squats described and pictured above, but instead of standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, double the distance and stand with your feet turned out.  Complete two sets of 20.

Option: Hold a pair of 5 lb. dumbells in either hand between your inner thighs while doing this move.

Lunges

Both a great butt and quad workout, lunges can either be done standing in place or walking.  To do a standing lunge, stand with your right foot in front of your left and bend both knees until your left knee almost touches the ground, keeping your chest centered above your right knee.  Stand back up to complete one rep.  Do 16 reps with your right foot forward, then switch sides and do 16 more.  To do a walking lunge, follow the same general motions as a standing lunge, but instead of standing back up, take a step forward and switch your feet.

Option: Hold a pair of 5 lb. dumbells in each hand and curl your arms up each time you bend your knees to add some additional weight and slight bicep workout.

Wall Sits

Seriously, the name is just as it sounds - sit against a wall and stay put, keeping your legs parallel to the ground as demonstrated in the pictures.  It’s also a lot harder than it sounds, so 3 reps of 2 - 3 minutes should do the trick.  Try and challenge yourself each time and stay leaning just a little bit longer than before.  Can you make it to 10 minutes? (First person to say yes, I’m buying you a beer).

Bend Downs

The Best. Butt Workout. Ever.  (Oh, but a great hamstring workout too.)  Hold a 5 lb. weight in both of your hands and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.  Keeping your legs completely straight, bend down and reach for your toes, keeping the weights in your hands as close to your legs as possible (yes, you will feel like you are almost going to fall backward and onto your butt - totally normal).  Stand back up to complete one rep, and do two sets of 16 reps.

Leg Lifts

Leg Lifts are a killer (no pun intended) outer thigh workout.  Start by laying in a straight line on the ground on your left side, head resting on your left arm or propped up on your elbow, and lift your right leg as high as you can.  Return to the starting position to complete one rep.  Do 16 with your right leg, then switch sides.

Cardio Leg Mix: Stair Climber

If you feel like mixing up your leg workouts with a little bit of cardio, do the stair climber at the gym for 20 mins. or find a nice long set of stairs and jog up and down.

Don’t Forget the Abs!

Many people often neglect the abs in favor of the legs and bootie; however, toning your abs is just as (if not) more important than the rest!

• Basic Crunch: Lay on your back with your knees at a 90 degree angle, feet flat on the floor and arms behind your head.  Lift your head, arms and torso and return to start.  Do two sets of 20.
• Reverse Crunch: Lay flat on your back with your legs straight in the air (L shape), but instead of lifting your torso, lift your butt and legs in the air.  Do two sets of 10.
• Bicycle: Start in the Basic Crunch position, lift your right leg up and bring your left elbow to your right knee, then switch sides and bring your right elbow to your left knee to complete one rep.  Do two sets of 16.
• Plank: Lay flat on the ground on your stomach, and lift up onto your elbows, keeping your body in a straight line.  Hold for one minute and release.

And if you have a partner…

This is an awesome lower ab workout if you have a buddy to do it with (we used to do these all the time in snowboard team group workouts).  Lie in a straight line and have your partner stand above your head.  Grab your partner’s ankles and lift your legs up so that your body is making an L shape.  Have your partner push your feet as hard as they can and try to resist their push and move your legs as little as possible.  Your lower abs will have to work overtime to keep your legs in place.  Option: To work out your obliques with this move as well, have your partner push your legs in different directions - first to the right side, then the other.

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Filed Under:  

• Snowboard
• Sports
• SportsPLUS
• Health & Fitness
• Exercise
• Wintersports
• Training

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