4 Exercises Helped Shaun White Succeed in Snowboarding Might Apply to You

Snowboard legend Shaun White should be at home and start a new chapter of his life. A week before, he had a wild ride on Men's Snowboard Halfpipe competition on Winter Olympic 2022, or, an artistic and skillful flight! Let's cheer for him!

Shaun surely gets talent in snowboarding but aging does weaken him to a certain extent. Therefore, Tim Hartwig, Shaun’s private trainer, customized a workout regime for him. They focus on leg and core strength training to enhance joint mobility and range of motion. Cardio training is also added to the routine to build body endurance. This workout regime works well. He broke his personal height record by 60cm in 2016!

Here, we collect Shaun’s workout to answer why Shaun White is so good at snowboarding.

1. Band Walks

Photo: Youtube@Competitive EDGE Physical Therapy, Inc

Band walks primarily target hips and glutes. It awakes your hip abductors and increases the stability of the hip and knee joint, while the resistant band doubles the work.

Instruction

1. Start with feet just outside hip-width and put the mini band on the ankles.
2. Down in a quarter squat position and keep your butt and core tight.
3. Walkout to the side in small steps. 
4. Take 10 steps to your left and 10 steps to your right. Then shake your body for the second set.

Notice: Try to maintain your knee position and foot position all the time

2. One-Leg Bulgarian Split Squat

Photo: Youtube@Sean Nalewanyj

It’s a compound lower-body exercise, which tones your whole legs, including the quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. It especially strengthens the quads of the front leg and demands a strong core to keep balance.

Instruction

1. Put one foot on the bench or a box behind you, and put the other foot in the front a step forward.
2. Keep a straight upper body straight and a neutral spine.
3. Lower down and sit back. 
4. Stop until the knee of the back leg almost touches the ground. Now, the knee of the front leg should be just over the center of the foot. Form a 90 degree between the thigh and the shin.
5. Repeat and try to keep balance.

Notice: Stand too much forward may cause pain as the arch in the back leg will put too much stress on the lower back. 

Variation

Dumbbell One-Leg Bulgarian Split Squat

Photo: Youtube@ScottHermanFitness

The weight increases the intensity of this exercise. Holding a dumbbell in one hand aside hits your quads more.

3. Dumbbell Seated Box Jump

Photo: Youtube@Alex Bunt Training

The box jump is a high-intensity workout that strengthens your glutes, quads, calves, and hamstrings while the dumbbell seated box jump is a more advanced form that requires core strength. It helps make you quicker, stronger, and springier than before by hitting your muscles.

Instruction

1. Position the box a couple of feet to the bench. 
2. Hold a dumbbell and sit on the bench facing the box.
3. Stomp on the ground, then jump up and forward to the box with the bounce.
4. Land on the box with both your feet to lower the impact to your knee.
5. Step down and repeat the movement.

Notice: Start from the original box jump, then gradually increase the height of the box and weights in hands.