Getting back into it: Preparing for the Snowboarding Season
Snowboarding season is finally right around the corner. As the leaves start to fall, and the cold winds are blowing in, it’s a good time to start thinking about the season, and what you can do to make sure the season ahead is your best one yet.
If you’re like us and have spent the last 6 or so months dreaming of the snow, and all the tricks you want to land, and lines you want slash, it’s important to remember something. You need some time to get back into it. Although, you can speed up the process with a few simple tips.
#1: Don’t expect to be at the same level.
If you’re like me and have spent the last 6 or so months dreaming of the snow, and all the tricks you want to land, and lines you want slash, it’s important to remember something. You need some time to get back into it. No one wants to end up hurt because you learned switch back two-sev at the end of the season last year, and think you’ll have it back right away this year.
Take some time to easy yourself back into it. Do easier tricks, on smaller features, at least for the first little bit. Once you’ve got your legs back under you, then you can get back into the progression.
Even if you’re not doing big tricks, the same logic applies. Taking a few warm up runs will help bring back the confidence you need to stay safe and have fun. If you like to go back country snowboarding, then taking a hike in your gear before heading out back, is an excellent idea. It’ll help you make sure you’re in the shape you need to be before heading out on more daring adventures.
#2) Get in Shape.
Your body probably isn’t used to the kind of stress and strain that snowboarding puts on it if you haven’t been riding for months and months. This doesn’t mean you have to hit the gym, work out and run 5 miles. There are a few great ways to get ready for the season that don’t involve pre-workout and sweaty gym machines.
The trampoline park
This is something I cannot recommend enough. Having spent a season over in New Zealand where a lot of countries send their Olympic teams for training in our summer months, I was shocked to see how much time and effort the pros were putting in at the trampoline park.
There’s a couple reasons this works so well. First, a lot of the muscles that are used are very similar, your core and legs need the workout and trampolines use them both an insane amount.
As well, some of the trampoline parks in the Edmonton area will have a board you can strap into. With a board strapped on you can work on grabs, spins and flips, with lower consequence.
Every rider who was taking the sport seriously was of course staying in shape, but a very surprising amount saw just how valuable the trampoline park was to their progression.
Balance Boarding
Getting your core muscles back up to snuff for snowboarding doesn’t have to be a big adventure. A balance board in front of the TV while you watch all your old favourite snowboarding movies can have some massive benefits. You can work not only on your balance and core muscles, but you can also work on your balance for some key tricks. They work great for finding the balance point for nose presses, tail presses, front and back boardslides. The more comfortable you are in the positions, the better you'll ride.
It also doesn’t have to be expensive. Sure you could go buy a balance board for a couple hundred bucks, but heres a way to do it for $3. Go grab a full bottle of soda water from a grocery store, don’t open it. Use an old skateboard for the deck you’re going to be balancing on. If you don’t have one, sometimes your local skateboard shop (hey that’s us!) will have an old deck laying around. If there aren’t any free ones available, a Rumor shop skateboard is $65 and sometimes we even have blanks for less.
The full soda bottle’s carbonation keeps the pressure full, and makes a nice hard rolling surface that also has a little give so it isn’t impossible, and the skateboard deck works just fine as a balance board. Simply put the board on the bottle and try to stand on it, you’ll get the hang of it quickly!
Yoga
I get it, Yoga isn’t everyone’s thing. But as far as a workout that will actually help you with snowboarding, it’s easily one of the best, for a couple of reasons.
- It helps prevent injury. Stretching your muscles, making them more elastic and hardy will help for a couple of reasons. The regular stretching can help with repetitive use injuries, like turning your neck often or bending over constantly, (you know, stuff you do while snowboarding). It will also strengthen your muscles, which means when it comes to taking hard bails, you’ll have a sturdier body, which can help in preventing injuries.
- It helps build the balancing muscles needed for snowboarding.
For those who’ve never layed down on a yoga mat, yoga is a lot more than just stretching. It certainly can be just stretching, at the entry levels. But many of the positions and movements required help to build a ton of different muscles that even pumping iron in the gym doesn’t.
Building up those balancing muscles, including but not limited to those in your core muscles will ensure you have better control over your board, enable you to get more tweaked out grabs, and help you lean back without tiring out in that sweet sweet pow.
#3 Check your Gear
If your equipment has been sitting in the garage or basement for the entire summer, checking your gear out well before the season is a necessity. No one wants to be the person in the parking lot, realizing their missing a glove and a toe strap with no wax on their board. Here’s what to look for and some tips:
Step 1: Lay out all your gear.
I like to do this ahead of every snowboarding season. Lay out all your gear and make sure its all there.
First Layer(s) (we suggest a ninja suit if you don’t already have one)
Snowboarding Socks
Snowboarding Pants (Mens, Womens)
Snowboarding Jacket (Mens, Womens)
Gloves or Mitts (Mens, Womens)
Face warmer / neck warmers
Helmet / Headwear
Other: Snowboard Lock, Extra pair of gloves, Riding Hoodie, Extra Snowboard Wax, Screwdriver, Additional Goggle Lenses
Step 2: Check the hardgoods (Board, Boots, Bindings)
After a summer stowed away, a lot can happen to your gear. There’s a couple of big things to look for before your first day out shredding.
Board: take a look at the edges of your board, especially in the middle of the snowboard. If the edge area looks like it has whitened, or if the board looks dry, you’ll probably need a wax before the season starts. Of course we offer waxing at both our Edmonton and Leduc locations, but it can also be taken care of at home.
Also take a look at the edges. If the board was put away with any moisture there may be some rust on your edges. This can usually be taken care of by one of service experts no problem (although if there’s too much rust we wont be able to fix it. Rust on the edges will reduce your control while carving, and if left unchecked can permanently damage your board.
Bindings: Give your bindings a once over with a screw driver, checking to ensure that everything is nice and tight. I cant tell you how many times we see someone lose a part at the start of the season because they missed this simple step. Big things to check are your straps, ratchets and baseplates.
Boots: First, give em a big ol sniff. Eww no, don’t do that. But do give them a little sniff just to make sure they haven’t rotted. Boots often get put away with moisture in them and this can cause rotting or molding. Most modern boots have measures in place to help prevent this, but it’s still important to check.
Second, try them on again. If your still growing they might not fit anymore. If you’re not still growing, it’ll help you get stoked (and is the best way to fully check them over)
Check the Soft Goods:
After you’ve looked over the big 3, take a look at the rest of your gear. Check the pockets on your jackets and pants to see if your rich, and give them a once over to check for any rips or tears you may have forgotten about at the end of the season last year.
Check your gloves / mitts for any rips / tears but also to make sure they weren’t put away wet or anything like that.
Check your socks for holes, your helmet for cracks, and give everything a once over, if it all looks good, your gear is good to go!
#4: Buy your passes.
It’s no secret in snowboarding that buying your passes early can save you a big chunk of change. Of course the earlier the better, where buying a pass in August can save you upwards of 20% very easily.
It usually makes a bigger difference for seasons passes, but even buying regular day passes can be made more affordable by buying them before the snow falls and the hills open.
For example, Sunshine Village Tickets (available in both our Edmonton and Leduc lcoations in October, are $99 until christmas, but after Christmas will go up to $139. Why not save some dough and plan a bit ahead!
#5: Swing by Rumor, your local Snowboard shop to see all the new gear!
Every year brands are pushing the envelope when it comes to innovative product that rides harder and lasts longer. New product starts arriving as early as September, and some of it is in very limited supply. The earlier the better, especially for Snowboard Boots, where you want to make 100% sure you’re getting the best fit and feel for yourself.
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