Getting fit may not be the first thing that immediately comes to mind when you think of downhill skiing or snowboarding. After all, making your way down the slope is all about the adrenaline rush, right? Did you know, though, that the balancing and control required of these sports can actually help whip you into shape?
The health benefits of skiing and snowboarding go beyond just burning calories. The following discusses how else a trip down the slopes can help with physical fitness:
Burn Calories and Get into Shape
Whether it is skiing or snowboard, the goal of the sport is to keep yourself balanced. While it’s understandable that you may fumble on your first few tries, the more you time you spend skiing or snowboarding will help your body get used to the increased pressure you’re experiencing.
To be specific, the activity engages your core stability muscles. These are located at the sides of your spine and runs around the length of the body all the way to the pelvic region. It’s often a forgotten part of a complete workout, but the benefit of improving your core stability muscles go beyond just better balance.
Toning your stomach muscles is actually easier if your core stability muscles are regularly engaged, and you will find that you’ll get a flatter stomach easier – not to mention you’ll have the ability to perform lower body exercises with greater ease. The increased strength your spine gets means you’ll also fall less, both on the ski and board, and have better overall coordination.
Cardiovascular Benefits
To say that skiing and snowboarding gets your heart pumping is barely scratching the surface of what it does to your cardiovascular system. It improves your overall heart rate and your blood circulation, and in the latter’s case, this means the rest of your organs get more oxygen and nutrients.
The increased level of oxygen and nutrients also help feed your muscles, which in turn creates more capillaries as it expands. While the exact benefits may not be as apparent as the others, you’re essentially increasing the amount of calories you can potentially burn.
To put it in context, skiing or snowboarding for six hours can burn up to 3,000 calories and allows you to lose up to five pounds every week. Even if you do less than six hours, that’s still more than what you lose with just jogging or cycling, and you have that added benefit of getting into shape faster.
Planning to go skiing or snowboarding on your vacation? At American Ski Exchange, our in-depth experience with ski and snowboarding technology allows us to help you choose the right ski or board and get the most out of your vacation. Whether you’re going down the slopes for your health or for excitement, we’re always ready to give you a helping hand.
