5 Easy Cool Down Stretches to Do After Snowboarding
A hot tub and a cold beverage may sound good after riding, but don’t neglect to do some cool down stretches first, if you want to initiate recovery after snowboarding. This is especially true if you’re stacking back-to-back days on the mountain, a situation where skipping the cool down increases the likelihood of soreness and stiff joints. No one wants that
There are a ton of options for cooling down after snowboarding, but Burton athletes Anna Gasser and Luke Winkelmann find that these five are particularly effective at keeping them feeling great after the shred.
- Forward Fold Hang: 30 Seconds
- Deep Squat Hold: 60 Seconds
- Pigeon Stretch: 30 Seconds per/side
- Supine Spinal Twist: 30 Seconds per/side
- Box Breathing: 2 Minutes
1) Cool Down Stretches: Forward Fold Hang
The first movement in our list of five easy cool down stretches is the forward fold hang, a tried-and-true method for loosening up the calves, hamstrings, and lumbar spine, all at the same time. But perhaps more than the benefits, we love how easy this one is to do, and how good it feels after a long day of riding.
How to Do a Forward Fold Hang: Step-by-step Instructions
Step 1: Begin in a standing position with your feet spaced hip-width apart. Let your arms rest at your sides while standing tall.
Step 2: Exhale as you hinge forward at the hips (not the lower back), letting your upper body fold over and down, toward your shins. Keep your knees soft and allow them to bend slightly to release some tension from your hamstrings. Do not lock out your knees or bounce.
Step 3: Now, take slow, controlled breathes as you let gravity slowly pull you further into the stretch.
Step 4: If you feel comfortable doing so, grasp opposite elbows, and add a gentle side to side sway to enhance the stretch.
Step 5: Hold the forward fold for a count of 30 seconds (longer if you wish), breathing deeply the whole time.
Step 6: Now, release your elbows, tighten your core, and begin rolling upward slowly, one vertebrae at a time, until you come to a tall, upright position
2) Cool Down Stretches: Deep Squat Hold
Sometimes also referred to as a passive squat, the deep squat hold loosens up the pelvis and improves mobility in both hips and ankles. It’s also a great movement to restore natural movement patterns, boosting circulation, and relieving lower back tension. Consider it a multi-purpose cool down maneuver worth doing at the end of any long travel or riding day.
How to Do a Deep Squat Hold: Step-by-step Instructions
Step 1: Begin with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing forward or slightly outward, whichever is more comfortable to you for squatting.
Step 2: Slowly lower your hips, keeping your back flat and chest facing forward. Make sure that your weight is evenly distributed on both your toes and heels.
Step 3: Keep your core tight as you settle into the bottom of the squat, letting your hips relax.
Step 4: Stop at the bottom of the squat and hold for 60 seconds while breathing deeply.
Step 5: Once done, begin to stand, maintaining a straight back with your chest facing forward.
3) Cool Down Stretches: Pigeon Stretch
After long days of snowboarding, it’s natural to have tight hips and glutes, so naturally you should include a cool down stretch like the pigeon pose to address this. Pigeon opens the hips and targets the piriformis, an otherwise difficult muscle to stretch. Also, like many of the other stretches in our snowboarding cool down, the pigeon stretch helps ease tension in the lower back and promotes recovery after physical activity. Finally, pigeon pose helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system which can have positive mental benefits, like instilling a sense of calm.
How to Do a Pigeon Stretch: Step-by-step Instructions
Step 1: Begin on all fours, bringing your right knee toward your right wrist.
Step 2: Bring your foot inwards and forward, so that it ends somewhere near your left hip. If you can get your shin parallel to your body, great, if not, that’s ok too.
Step 3: Extend your back leg straight out behind you, keeping the top of your foot flat on the ground.
Step 4: Keeping your hands planted on either side of your forward leg, lift up through your chest to feel the stretch in both your right hip and left glute at the same time. If it feels comfortable, you can also lean forward, bending at the waist to deepen the stretch.
Step 5: Hold this position and breathe slowly for 30 seconds.
Step 6: Slowly reverse your movements, returning to all fours before repeating the pigeon stretch on the opposite side of your body and holding for another 30 seconds.
4) Cool Down Stretches: Supine Spinal Twist
Add a supine spinal twist to your snowboarding cool down stretches to relieve tension in your spine, obliques, and hips, resetting your posture and releasing deep tension that accumulates during long days on the snow. This particular stretch requires you to lay on the ground, so choose a spot on snow (if doing it immediately after riding), or carpeted a carpeted area at home. As a bonus, the supine spinal twist also encourages lymphatic drainage while activating the parasympathetic nervous system, helping you relax and recover more effectively
How to Do a Supine Spinal Twist: Step-by-step Instructions
Step 1: Begin this cool down stretch laying flay on your back with your arms at your sides.
Step 2: Hug your right knee into your chest using both hands.
Step 3: Now, slowly guide your knee across your body, letting your lower leg rest on the floor. If you can’t get your knee to the floor, you can use a pillow or a yoga block to support it.
Step 4: While keeping your knee on the floor or pillow, extend your right arm outward, 90-degrees to your body so that it lays flat on the ground, turning your head to look in the direction of your extended arm.
Step 5: Relax into this position, breathing slowly as your body eases into the stretch. Hold the position for 30 seconds.
Step 6: Gently unwind your body, beginning with your outstretched arm, and then your knee, coming back to center, lying flat on the ground. Repeat the stretch on the other side of your body, holding for another 30 seconds.
5) Cool Down Stretches: Box Breathing
Our favorite way to wrap up our snowboarding cool down stretches is with two minutes of box breathing. While not a stretch in and of itself, the benefits of this breathing practice have been well-documented across a wide range of athletes, first responders, and elite military groups to improve focus, reduce stress and anxiety, and initiate recovery after physically demanding, or stressful events. And the best part is, box breathing can be performed anytime you need it, like on a windy chairlift ride, before your next local slalom race, or while sitting in the weekly i-70 traffic jam.
How to Do Box Breathing: Step-by-step Instructions
Step 1: Find a comfortable seated (or laying down) position.
Step 2: Inhale for 4 seconds, breathing in slowly through your nose.
Step 3: Hold for 4 seconds – pausing at the top of your inhale. Remain relaxed; don’t strain or clench.
Step 4: Exhale for 4 seconds, breathing out through your mouth (or nose), emptying your lungs completely.
Step 5: Hold for 4 seconds at the bottom of your exhale, remaining relaxed.
Step 6: Repeat – 4 second inhale, 4 second pause, 4 second exhale, 4 second pause – for two minutes. It may help you focus to picture an actual box as your perform this breathing technique, tracing up one side as you inhale, across the top as you hold, down the other side as you exhale, and across the bottom as you pause. Feel free to change the timing slightly if needed; using 3 seconds, or 5, if one feels more natural than the other.