Lift Weights for Snowboarding for Harder Turns and Bigger Airs

Wyatt lives for snowboarding. From the thrill of carving fresh powder to the challenge of navigating icy slopes, she’s always chasing her next ride. But for years, she bought into a myth perpetuated by the “snowboarding bros”: lifting weights won’t help your game.

That myth came crashing down after one exhausting weekend on the mountain. By midday, her legs felt like jelly, and she struggled to maintain the control and precision she prided herself on. Determined to break through her plateau, Wyatt turned to a new kind of coach: Endura, an AI-driven strength trainer that promised to revolutionize her fitness and her time on the slopes.

Using Endura, Wyatt embarked on a personalized strength training program that targeted her specific weaknesses—her core and thighs—to build the strength and endurance needed for long snowboarding sessions. Over time, she achieved remarkable progress: moving from front squats with an empty bar to sets of five reps at more than her body weight, and transforming her upper-body strength to go from zero to eight strict pull-ups. With Endura’s tailored approach, Wyatt built the resilience to thrive through multiple three-day weekends of snowboarding for eight hours a day.

Now, let’s dive into the workout plan created by Endura for snowboarders who want to be better on the slopes and pull bigger airs in the half pipe.

The Ultimate Workout Plan: Lift Weights for Snowboarding

This workout was created by Endura, an AI personal trainer I developed to give all of us the ability to have pro athlete-quality workouts and coaching available from our phones or computers whenever we want it. Designed with the typical snowboarder in mind, it uses exercises that strengthen the muscles needed for optimal snowboarding in a sport-specific way.

Just Four Days A Week for Stronger Snowboarding

You’ll do this workout four days a week. This four-day workout plan is designed with the typical snowboarder in mind. It enhances your strength and power through compound movements using kettlebells, dumbbells, and bodyweight exercises. These exercises focus on functional, sport-specific movements to build strength like an athlete—not a bodybuilder aiming for bigger muscles.

The Workout Equipment You’ll Be Using

• Kettlebells
• Dumbbells
• Pull-up bar
• Your bodyweight

How To Warm Up For This Snowboarding Workout

It’s crucial to properly warm up your body to get the most from your workouts. Many people do this by stretching and maybe a few sets of their first exercise using very light weights. Don’t do this. It isn’t preparing your body for a good workout.

What you should instead do is 2-3 sets of each exercise in your workout using a weight that requires some effort. Do 8-10 reps per exercise and don’t rest too much between sets or exercises. It should only take about 10 minutes and will have your body fired up to train hard.

Workout 1 – Building Max Strength

Workout 2 – Increase Explosive Power & Strength Endurance

Workout 3 – Build Strength & Gain Muscle

Workout 4 – Increase Strength Endurance

Exercise Descriptions

1. Barbell Front Squats: Keep your chest up, elbows forward, and squat until your thighs are parallel to the floor. This exercise strengthens your quads, glutes, and core, helping you maintain stability and power when edging into turns.
2. Stiff Leg (RDL) Deadlift: With a slight bend in your knees, hinge at your hips and lower the barbell while keeping your back straight. Targets the hamstrings and lower back, improving your ability to absorb hard landings and maintain your posture.
3. Standing Dumbbell Overhead Press: Press the dumbbells overhead while keeping your core braced and elbows aligned with your shoulders. Builds shoulder and upper back strength, essential for everything from doing harder turns, spinning faster on tricks, and recovering from epic falls.
4. Bent Over Dumbbell Row: Bend at your hips, keeping your back flat, and row the dumbbells toward your waist. Strengthens your lats and upper back, aiding in balance, turning, and pulling airs.
5. Kettlebell Pull Throughs: Drag a kettlebell under your body from one side to the other while in a plank position. Engages your core, shoulders, and obliques for rotational stability and quick transitions on the mountain.
6. Dumbbell Thrusters: Combine a squat with an overhead press, moving explosively. This full-body movement builds power and endurance, crucial for launching off jumps and ollieing over the kooks in your way.
7. Kettlebell Swings: Swing the kettlebell up to shoulder height with a hinge-driven motion. Trains your hips, glutes, and core for explosive movements and harder edge transitions.
8. Lying 1 Dumbbell Pullovers: Lie on a bench and pull a dumbbell overhead and back to your chest. Targets the lats and core, improving upper-body strength for balance and maneuvering.
9. 1 Arm Dumbbell Bent Over Rows: Row a dumbbell toward your waist with one arm while keeping your back flat. Strengthens the upper back and obliques for stability during turns.
10. Side Planks With Leg Lifts: While holding a side plank, lift your top leg to engage your glutes and core. Improves stability and endurance for carving and maintaining control on rough terrain.
11. Dumbbell Push Press: Use a small leg drive to help press the dumbbells overhead. Enhances explosive power and shoulder strength for quick recovery and balance.
12. Push-Up Position Shoulder Taps: In a push-up position, alternately tap each shoulder with the opposite hand while keeping your hips stable. Builds core stability and shoulder strength, key for maintaining balance during turns.
13. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift: Similar to the barbell version, hinge at your hips with dumbbells to train the hamstrings and lower back. Great for absorbing shocks from rough terrain.
14. Dumbbell Flies On Flat Bench: Lie on a bench with dumbbells and lower them in a wide arc before bringing them back up. This isolates the chest muscles, enhancing upper-body strength for balance and tricks.
15. Neutral Grip Pull Ups: Using a neutral grip (palms facing each other), pull yourself up to a bar. Builds upper-body and grip strength, crucial for maintaining control and balance.
16. Dumbbell Goblet Squats: Hold a dumbbell close to your chest and squat deeply. Strengthens your quads, glutes, and core, ensuring powerful transitions and stability on uneven terrain.
17. 1 Arm Dumbbell Incline Bench Press: On an incline bench, press a dumbbell with one arm while keeping your core engaged. Builds unilateral chest strength, aiding in upper-body control and recovery.
18. Underhand Barbell Bent Over Rows: Use an underhand grip to row the barbell to your waist. Strengthens the lats and biceps, improving pulling strength and balance.
19. Kettlebell Windmills: Hold a kettlebell overhead and hinge sideways to touch the floor. Improves core stability and rotational strength for dynamic movements like turns and 360s.
20. Standing Kettlebell Halos: Rotate a kettlebell around your head while keeping your core braced. Builds shoulder mobility and core stability, aiding in dynamic turns and tricks.

Optimize Your Snowboarding Workouts With Endura

Endura is your ultimate solution for personalized snowboarding workouts and expert coaching without the high cost of hiring a personal trainer. Whether you’re carving down the slopes or gearing up for your next big air, Endura creates workouts tailored to your needs, goals, and available equipment. It’s like having a strength coach in your pocket, guiding you every step of the way to improve your performance on the mountain.

Built with cutting-edge AI technology and grounded in the latest strength and conditioning research, Endura is incredibly intuitive and easy to use. It even aced an 85% on a practice version of the NSCA CPT exam, one of the toughest certifications for personal trainers. Beyond its smarts, you’ll also have access to a seasoned human strength coach to review your plans and answer any questions you might have.

Ready to take your snowboarding to the next level? Get Endura today and start training smarter for every run, jump, and trick!

Train Like an Athlete to Elevate Your Snowboarding

This article has shown how vital strength training is for snowboarders aiming to boost their performance and stay resilient on the slopes. With a program tailored to your needs and designed to mimic the physical demands of snowboarding, you’ll be prepared to carve harder, jump higher, and ride longer.

By training like an athlete and committing to these targeted workouts, you’re not just building muscle—you’re enhancing your ability to master the mountain. Try the workout, embrace the challenge, and watch as your skills transform along with your strength. Endura is here to guide you every step of the way, so let’s get started on your journey to becoming the best snowboarder you can be.