Once you catch the snowboarding bug, it's impossible not to daydream of bluebird powder days spent carving down the mountain. You find it harder to wait for the weekend to come to get a chance to snowboard again. You might find yourself putting pressure on your friends to snowboard with you instead of watching football. These are all signs that you want to increase the number of days you snowboard per season and we're here for it.
When you're able to find someone to share an Airbnb or hotel room with, you begin to ride consecutive days and oh my goodness does the muscle soreness hit. I wasn't this sore after one day? you might think to yourself. But actually, you were. You just didn't go back and do it again the following day, reigniting your quads and calves like a well-fed bonfire.
Every extended toe-edge through a slow trail section brings the pain of day two of snowboarding. You begin to question how prepared you are to actually increase your days snowboarding in a season, but don't! Making a few adjustments to your pre- and post-snowboarding routine will have you feeling fitter and recover faster so you can get up and do it again.
Stretch! And then stretch! And then keep stretching!
You warm up your car in the snow, so take care of your body the same way! Friends will want to make fun of you for "getting old" when they see you stretching on the floor before getting into the car to go snowboarding. But after making fun of you for a minute or so, you'll see them join you, reaching for their toes, stretching their calves. Warming up your legs and core muscles will help get your body ready for a long day on the slopes. You can also use a foam roller to dig into sore muscles and help clear lactic acid.
It's easier to stretch before you have your boots on, but if you're waiting in the lift line, you can always bend down on one knee and stretch out your hips, which you will notice can get very sore after a hard day of snowboarding. Stretch out both hips and then sit down, lean forward, and grab your board to stretch your hamstring muscles.
Have water with you all day
Drinking enough water to stay hydrated has to be a conscious effort. Without putting in the thought to drink more water and preparing to do, it likely won't happen. Bring a gallon of water with you to the mountain and a large Hydroflask to refill.
Look for a water cooler in the lodge (most resorts have them for free) and drink a full glass of water the rest of the day before switching to any other beverage.
Make sure your clothes and gear are a good fit
If you're feeling the pain after increasing your days spent snowboarding consecutively, you may want to check the fit of your snowboard socks, snowboard boots, and under layers. If any of these don't fit you properly they could cause you discomfort. Boots that are too big with the heel slipping out will put extra strain on your ankles and shins. Bunched up socks can cause blisters or your foot to go numb.
Look for socks that are specifically for snowboarding, so they are long enough to sit above your snowboard boots. Making sure your under layer leggings sit above your boots, and not tucked in, can prevent them from folding up and digging into your ankle.
Walk around before you hit the couch for the day
After a long day on the ski slopes it's tempting to shower off and flop onto the couch with a pile of blankets. Just know that if you go directly from the carving the slopes to surfing the couch, the lactic acid in your body may cause your hard-worked muscles to stiffen up, causing that all-over tight body feeling.
Look to grab a coffee and walk around the village before getting in the car, or taking a walk around the neighborhood that night after dinner.
Doing yoga can help increase flexibility
Getting more yoga in your life can help your body recover more quickly after snowboarding. Timing your breathing with the movements will help stretch out sore muscles while increasing flexibility and preventing stiffness. Yoga poses can also help you develop your balancing skills which you notice will improve, the more time you spend snowboarding.
You may also see that the more you snowboard the stronger your smaller, supporting muscles get, and that can help improve your range of motion and feel more flexible than ever before if you treat your body right.
Don't ride if you don't feel up to it
Sometimes you may have planned on going snowboarding, but you end but not feeling up to it as you're getting ready. Or maybe you go on a run and feel more fatigued than you thought you'd be. In these cases, the best decision is to not go or stop riding for the day.
High altitude, dry conditions, dehydration, muscle fatigue and cramps can all offset our natural balance and response time. When you feel like this, you may not find the focus and quick reaction time you need to safely navigate a crowded ski run.
It is totally okay to call off snowboarding for the day. You can can still enjoy a day outside in nature or exploring the ski resort if that's what your body is calling for you to do.
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