Athletes know injuries occur when you skip the warm-up process. Anyone who believes you can skip warming up before snowboarding doesn’t know the sport. Snowboarding uses both upper and lower body muscles in addition to the body’s core muscles.

It takes tremendous strength to manipulate a snowboard down the slopes. Throw in a few ollies and you have yourself a real workout. So, what are good ways to warm up? Here are a couple of ways to help your body loosen up before the board meets the snow.
Stretching Hips and Legs
The hips, thighs and calves need a lot of stretching to warm up before snowboarding. A good way to start is with gentle lunges. Press outstretched arms against a wall. Put one foot forward and bend the knee while stepping forward. Alternate legs. Next, stand away from the wall. Place one foot forward with the right knee bent. Bring the right knee to the ground. Gently bring the left elbow toward the inside of the right knee until it touches. Alternate and bend your right knee to the ground. Bring your right elbow toward the inside of your left knee making sure they meet.
Keep Those Quads from Cramping
Standing straight, bend your lower left leg toward the buttocks while reaching back with the left hand. Grip the left ankle with your left hand and hold it for a count of five. Next, alternate the exercise using your right hand and ankle. The quadriceps muscles bear most of the weight while snowboarding. If not properly warmed up, the quad muscles will tighten and seize when needed the most.
Avoid Pesky Shoulder Injuries
Stand in place with your legs comfortably apart. Using an easy motion, swing both arms in a wide forward circle 10 times. Next, reverse the motion. Swing both arms in a large circle going backward. Shoulder injuries are among the most common injuries a snowboarder will experience. Using some common-sense warm-up techniques will help the most avid snowboarder avoid the pain of an injury keeping them from the best snow of the year.

A slew of practical exercises will keep the avid snowboarder healthy and in great shape. Many exercises include using the snowboard during the warm-up process. Remember, stretching and warm-ups benefit all snowboarders. No matter what your age, if you do not practice good warm-up techniques, plan to watch from the sidelines while your friends are having a great time on their boards.