For many snow sports fans, the allure of skiing and snowboarding stretches beyond the pure exhilaration of speed and the thrill of descent. They are a full body workout in the open, an unique amalgamation of health benefits and fun. But beyond the obvious appeal of speeding down a snowy mountain, there are an assortment of benefits of skiing and snowboarding.
You might perceive winter sports as merely recreational activities, done for the sheer adrenaline rush. However, their significance runs much deeper when it comes to enhancing your wellbeing.
Health Benefits of Skiing and Snowboarding
With all that physical activity, there are many benefits for our physical health when it comes to skiing and snowboarding. And whether you’re enjoying the benefits that snowboarding or downhill skiing offers, or you like a spot of cross country skiing too, they all add up to some great exercise.
Physical Benefits
- Cardiovascular Exercise: Skiing and snowboarding are excellent cardiovascular exercises that improve heart health. When you are challenging the slopes, you are essentially getting an aerobic workout which leads to a healthier heart and lower cholesterol levels. Anyone who has enjoyed a day on the mountain knows that ski and snowboarding work to push your heart rate up and give you a full body workout.
- Calorie Burning: Of course, a day on the slopes can help you burn serious calories. Whether you’ve got weight loss goals, or you’re just banking those burnt calories for the apres ski, you can rest easy that a day of skiing can burn 400 – 600 calories per hour, while snowboarding can also torch up to 450 – 600 calories per hour, depending on the intensity.
- Strengthens Lower Body Muscles: Gliding down a slope requires a lot of leg work. Therefore, skiing and snowboarding naturally help to strengthen your lower body muscles. Your quads, hamstrings, calves, and glutes will definitely feel the burn. And you also work your arm muscles skiing thanks to the added element of the ski poles.
- Improves Balance and Core Strength: Keeping up equilibrium on the slippery slopes is no mean feat. Thus, skiing and snowboarding demand you to engage your core muscles constantly. As a result, this activity leads to improved balance, better control, and stronger core muscles.
- Enhances Flexibility: While skiing and snowboarding, your body makes constant quick movements and reactions to sudden changes in direction or terrain. This flexibility not only helps reduce the risk of muscle strains and sprains but also significantly improves your overall body flexibility.
Mental Benefits
- Boosts Mood and Reduces Stress: The rush of endorphins that comes with the fast-paced activity certainly aids in enhancing your mood. Furthermore, the breathtaking alpine environment naturally helps to reduce anxiety and stress.
- Improves Sleep: A day on the slopes means you’ll likely sleep better at night. Engaging in such physically demanding activities can significantly improve the quality and duration of your sleep.
- Builds Confidence: Conquering tricky terrains and successfully descending the slopes instills a sense of achievement, improving self-confidence and self-efficacy.
- Increases Focus & Concentration: The benefits of snowboarding and skiing aren’t just physical. Navigating through slopes requires intense focus and concentration, which can translate into other aspects of your life.
- Promotes Socialization: Skiing and snowboarding are mostly social sports. The camaraderie among skiers and snowboarders fosters healthy relationships, interpersonal skills, and community support. Not to mention enjoying some fun apes ski too.
Associated Benefits
But wait… There’s more. While the benefits for our physical and mental wellbeing are evident from the workout, there are actually a bunch of other knock on benefits.
- Screen-Free Time: We could all use less time in front of screens, right? It’s kinda hard to sit on your phone or laptop when enjoying downhill skiing or snowboarding, so you’re forced to take some screen free time. I sometimes wonder how many phones get lost on ski lifts though.
- Fresh Air: Many of us live or work in the inner cities, and fresh air is at a premium. In general, it doesn’t get much fresher than bracing mountain air. The benefits of breathing clean air actually include improved mood, better energy levels, reduced stress and improved digestion.
- Enjoying Winter: Let’s be honest, what else are you going to be doing during a cold wet February? You’d might as well enjoy the benefits of bluebird days and riding powder during a February ski trip, rather than drudging through your town centre.
The Summary
The benefits of skiing are not limited to only those who have the skills or those who dare to accelerate down the mountain slopes. Even beginners or those who prefer a leisurely glide can enjoy the health advantages tied to these sports. If you needed a nudge to get you on those skis or snowboard, the multiple benefits of snowboarding and skiing outlined should serve that purpose.
Whether you are a self-proclaimed winter sports addict or someone new to the thrilling prospect of skiing or snowboarding, there’s one thing you cannot miss — the incredible health benefits of skiing and snowboarding. So, the next time you plan to justify your ski trip, you now have these health reasons to solidify your cause.
Packed with fun, adventure, a hefty dose of speed, and a vast array of health benefits, skiing and snowboarding undoubtedly warrant being introduced into your routine. Don the skis and snowboards and embrace the swiftness of winter, not just for the thrill of it, but for the remarkable benefits of skiing and snowboarding that can boost your health boundlessly.
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