Colorado Snowboarders: Top 4 Training Secrets for High Performance

True or false:  Snowboarders are athletes.

Do these athletes work out to perfect their bodies to be able to do amazing things better than the next guy?  They do, right?

I used to think so…

Until I discovered that in the world of snowboarding, there are those people that see the benefit of working out, and those that don’t.

Frankly, I don’t blame people for not wanting to work out.

If you work out using traditional methods you have a greater chance of hurting your snowboarding ability than helping it.

Live in the downtown Denver area?  Go to WWW.FITNESSBYATLAS.COM to see our small group class schedule and more info about our classes

When most people walk into a gym they start doing whatever the big guy is doing.  The truth is, put the big guy on a board you will quickly see that big muscles do not = snowboard muscles.  But we work out the same way because that’s all we were ever taught!

I have put together a strength, flexibility and conditioning program for those that want to get better at snowboarding. – not bodybuilding.

Most snowboarders do not reach even 1/3 of their boarding potential

But first let me tell you how most people go wrong with their training and what you can do right now to get better.

As you know, snowboarding is unlike any other sport.  The combination of moves, tricks and terrain accessed while boarding require a unique combination of balance, flexibility, timing and power (not to mention absence of fear).

The top 4 things you can to improve your snowboarding performance right now

1.  Stretch the right muscles in the right way.

There is a big difference in our ability to stretch when simply reaching and returning as opposed to reaching and holding.  Take any stretch you normally do (you normally stretch, right?) move in and out of a stretched state to teach your muscles the basics of what you will be asking of them come snowboardin’ time.

Do you know which of your muscles are tight and which are loose?  Which need static and which need dynamic flexibility and strength?  The muscles at the front of your body work very hard to co-ordinate your movements with the back half to keep you balanced.  Be sure to stretch those out on a regular basis.

2.  Twist it up

As soon as a turn, jump or other move is attempted from a snowboarding position, your muscles and body moves briefly and rapidly in a mostly rotational direction.   Do you integrate rotation into your workouts?  If you can strengthen and build endurance in the rotational system of the body you begin putting the steps in place to soon be carving your runs with newfound accuracy and precision.

3.  Balance

Flamingos stand still on one leg all day.  When you are snowboarding, you dont.  Snowboarding requires you to have balance with your hips, upper body and hands in a variety of moving positions.  Want to have great balance?

Mix up the one leg standing drills and you will soon find yourself controlling your board in the most unpredictable of terrains.

4.  Train smarter, not harder

The standard workout most people do is designed to give them big, slow muscles, not quick reacting, functional ones.  A workout should give you the results you came for – if you are sitting down or lying down on your back to do some of these, ask yourself a question – when was the last time you tried to go down a halfpipe on a snowboard while sitting or lying down?

If you:

• believe you would benefit from some specialized training
• want to make this your best year ever
• just plain want to make sure you don’t get injured this year
• live in the Denver area

Then there is a conditioning program that will give you these results and more.

The Atlas conditioning program:

What you get with this 4wk 3-5/wk program:

Week 1

Assessment / Building cardio base / Lower body flexibility

Week 2

Lower body power / High-intensity cardio / Upper body flexibility

Week 3

Upper body strength / Injury prevention strategies pt 1 / Explosive full body power

Week 4

Grab/Trick specific flexibility & power / Injury prevention strategies pt 1 / Lower body endurance

Live in the downtown Denver area?  Go to WWW.FITNESSBYATLAS.COM to see our small group class schedule and more info about our classes

Latest Scientific Training Methods of Snowboard Conditioning Now Available to the Public

Did you swear last year that you would get in better shape for this years snowboard season?  But before you run out to join the nearest fitness center, do you know

The #1 Mistake even the best snowboarders make when trying to get strong

 It’s quite simple really -  If you are not training your hips to rotate as they squat, you are not training your legs to snowboard.  Rotating and squatting you say?  Try this drill to feel for yourself:

Stand with your feet at shoulder width.  Bend your knees about 20 degrees.  Grab your butt cheeks.  Grab a good chunk of muscle of your right and left glute in each hand (try not to do this one in public – the people in the supermarket might wonder what is going on).

Now rotate your body to the left and try to look behind you.  If you noticed, your left glute switched on and lengthened a bit more than your right glute.  You use each glute differently with each turn, and you use each glute while in rotation.  Now ask yourself the following questions:

• Have you been training with rotation?
• Have you ever done a squat with rotation?
• Do you know how to do this exercise safely and effectively?

If the answer is no, you could be missing out on valuable strength, flexibility and power to help you keep those turns crisp and fast.

There can be many things to hold you back from enjoying your day at the mountain:

• Chance of Injury
• Fatigue
• Lack of endurance needed to get through the day
• Inadequate balance to navigate tougher runs
• Tired legs

If you find yourself struggling to perform at your best as the day goes on, you may benefit from a conditioning program.  However, you should not settle for just any old workout.  Here’s a few things to consider:

The #1 Mistake even the best snowboarders make when trying to get flexible

As you swing though a turn, you counter-rotate the upper body with the lower body.  This upper body rotation lengthens the same-side gluteus muscle, requiring a level of strength and co-ordination combined with an element of flexibility.  Do you have to be flexible to keep your balance and reach certain positions? 

Do you know how to safely and effectively train the core to be strong and flexible while going through a boarding motion?  The secret lies in dynamic flexibility – something very different than  If you don’t, you may be putting your hips, low back and upper back at higher risk of injury.  SImply holding a stretch doesn’t cut it – you need to be able to get into the position and get out of it before your board comes back to earth.

If you aren’t working on rotational power, your on-mountain performance will suffer

Now think about the action of a turn or a special trick on your board.  Does it involve rotation of your upper and/or lower body?  Does your core work consist of any rotational movements, or are they all simple crunches and side bends?  

If you look at the boarder in the middle in red, notice the semi-crouched position with your head turned to the side.  Put yourself in the same position just before you are about to make a turn…  Do you see how the arms, shoulders, back, hips and knees are rotate?  Great power can be generated from this position – but only if you know how to train for it.

The #1 Injury on the mountain and how it could have been avoided

What does the ACL do?  The ACL serves to control rotation of the upper body as it lands and explodes from the ski turn position.

If your hips and core cannot assist in the acceleration and deceleration of your upper body and hips, then your ACL is left to do the majority of the work.

Talk to your local physical therapist and they will happily tell you the number one injury coming off the mountain is a torn ACL.  With the right type of training, you can give your body the best chance of preventing an ACL or any other type of snowboard related injury.

Promo Alert: Atlas Snowboard Conditioning Programs are designed to train the body to be strong, powerful and flexible in all the right places at the right times.  I am so proud of it that I am willing to say that:

The Atlas Conditioning System is the best snowboard performance program on the market today!

This advanced level of movement science for snowboard conditioning has previously been the domain of elite athletes and international ski coaches.  These new training methods now come to you with all of the science, but has been adjusted such that this program is suitable for skiers of any level.  Here’s why it works so well:

If you train the legs, hips and core to be strong in a ‘front to back’ sense rather than a ‘rotational’ sense, you have not only worked out inefficiently, you have done little to nothing to help protect your ACL and low back (the guardian of injury for the ‘rotational’ movements).

If you are interested in preparing for your season to give yourself the biggest chance of success and the smallest chance of injury, be sure to look for a program that follows certain foundational principles:

• Qualified instructor(s)
• Trains each individual according to their specific needs
• Only trains small groups – no more than 7
• Understands the functional aspects and physiological needs of the body as it goes through a snowboard turn
• Is able to work with all levels of athlete

The next Atlas Snowboard Conditioning Small Group class will embrace all of the above.  After completing one of the specially designed 5 week programs, you will experience the following:

• Improved speed and turn control
• Dynamic flexibility for jumps, tricks and spins
• The endurance to take turns all day and be ready for night skiing
• Be able to power through deep powder easily and effortlessly
• Greater core strength and upper body control
• Better coordination in unfamiliar territory
• Less falls
• Decreased risk of injury

If you are interested in being part of the next class, you can call now to book a place for classes through the month of October and November.

5 week programs start up every two weeks.

Call/Sign up today, because this class is only offered for a limited time!

Need convincing?  Have questions?  Like to get in on the next group?  Call 720 203 3084 or email james.atlas@comcast.net to check on availability for the next class.

When?

Classes happen through the month of October and November.  5 week programs are scheduled in two week increments.

Where?

Classes are run in the highlands area from an indoor studio or -weather permitting-sloanes lake park

How much?

2008 pricing is $360 for a 5 week, 3/wk program.  Classes are held before and after work

How do I sign up?

We recommend you call for a brief consultation so you can be placed in a class that best reflects your boarding and physical abilities to ensure maximal results and satisfaction.  Please contact Jamie Atlas on 720 203 3084 or email jamescatlas@yahoo.com to arrange your initial meet/phone consult.

To find out more please contact:

Jamie Atlas – Master Instructor, Atlas Snowboarding Conditioning on 720 203 3084 or email james.atlas@comcast.net

PS Don’t try this next one at home – or anywhere, for that matter:

Burtons New Playboy Snowboards Banned from Ski Mountains!

Burton has released a new board (Oct 3rd) that guarantees to make board-waxers across the country very excited indeed.

Perhaps it has to do with Burton, perhaps to do with the well-known and much despised Playboy name, but this isnt the first time this has happened.  And before you go accusing those snowboarders for being responsible for such depravity, think back to 2003 when Rossignol introduced skis that featured the silhouette of a naked woman.

Of course, maybe porn stars have been doing this for ages.  Sims Snowboards partnered with adult film company Vivid to produce boards featuring naked porn stars Jenna Jameson and Briana Banks.

I will refrain from making any unsavory comment about riding these two ladies all day long as a witty but derogatory reference to them being pasted to my board.

Of course, for something a little less risque but every bit as racy, Rome Snowboards has an ‘Artifact’ line that features the words “Live Nude Girls” underneath:

The icy mountain temperatures hopefully prevent any embarrassing moments for the teenagers catching a glimpse of these new boards, but that hasn’t prevented more than a few mountains getting more than just a bit steamed up over the new boards. 

So although it might be acceptable to put just about anything on a snowboard, the next generation ‘love’ series released by Burton has been getting its fair share of controversy. 

See the new Burton line for yourself:

Sis?!!! Is that you?!!!!

Have these new boards been a talking point for the mountains?  You betcha!

No suprise that FOX NEWS did a story on the new boards

According to this news article, a crowd of 100 gathered to protest.

So of course this raises the obvious question:  If there was a range for the ladies would that at least help make things more equal?  How about a few of these hunky fellas making it to the bottom of a board? 

Equal rights, Burton! 

How about the Brad Pitt ‘TroyBoard’

Brad Pitt has taken many a lady to the top of the mountain, I am sure! You could be next, with the new 'TroyBoard'!

Or the ‘PoshBoard’?

You might not have as much trouble grabbing your board for tricks if you had something like David Beckham to reach for. (he's totally stuffing right there - how many pairs of socks are in there - seriously!)

Of course as a hard core ‘raised on a dingos teat’ Aussie male, I cannot openly support such an idea, but would encourage those designers out there to create a new line immediately to support the boarding babes and their own carnal desires.

I might be in support a board featuring the man who has everything.  He has brawn, he has looks, he has style.  Every guy wants to be him, and every lady wants to be with him  Who am I talking about?  Come on ladies, you know your favorite sex symbol! 

What red-blooded woman wouldn't jump at he chance to carve some turns on those curly chest hairs?!

Its 80′s Tom Selleck!  Go ahead ladies.  Soak it up… Tom Sellect now is just old, but if you could go back in time - tell me you wouldn’t want to get into a ’Private Investigation’ with Magnum P.I.  ?! 

Or is this just me expressing a latent man-crush… I need therapy, perhaps.

 

What do you think?  Too sexy?  Too sexist?  Let your voice be heard!

Jamie Atlas

http://snowboardconditioning.wordpress.com

PS Want to read more fitness ramblings? Check out this award winning blog:  http://jamieatlas.wordpress.com

Snowboarders: Why the Wii Fit will Prevent you Breaking Your Assbone

The Wii Fit (more specifically the Snowboarding game), can help the beginning snowboarder more than any other device on the market today.  Period.

As a trainer, I have a million different balancing drills I give people to help give them the balance needed to get on their board and carve up the mountain, take jumps bigger than ever or do tricks that were previously out of their reach.

Live in the downtown Denver area?  Go to WWW.FITNESSBYATLAS.COM to see our small group class schedule and more info about our classes

But if you are a beginning snowboarder, then the smartest thing you can do right now is go out and get a Wii Fit and lock in the Snowboarding game (the other games will help as well, but the snowboarding game is the only one that requires you to keep balance while having your upper body turned (kind of like the real thing, yes?)

Heres what the Wii Fit gives you that nothing else can:  Foot awareness.

Being able to balance standing on a slanted board is one thing – being able to apply just the right amount of pressure to your toe while bringing your rear heel back is another.  To achieve a turn you need to coordinate your upper body with your lower body – the upper body part is easy – you’ve been using your arms to balance yourself when you are about to fall over your whole life.  Now it’s time to get smarter feet.

Here is an example of how good someone can get at this game (warning:  if you already know this game then you will think it is rigged – but it’s not)

Know that you dont need to master the game to help you be a better snowboarder – nor is this all it takes to be a good snowboarder.

Rookie Snowboarders (those that have been on the mountain less than 20 times) you have a choice

Cough up some dough, get some time under your belt on the snowboard game, then go hit the mountain with your newfound balance skills

OR

Keep landing on your ass/face/shoulder/hip/friends snowboarding next to you.

It really depends on your priorities – cool cutting edge game that helps you enjoy the mountain more, or pain in the assbone.

Your call

Alternatively, you could come do a snowboard conditioning class (held in the Denver Area).  If you are interested in 1-1 or small group classes please contact james.atlas@comcast.net or call 720 203 3084

Now get on craigs list and go find yourself a cheap Wii Fit!  Your assbone will thank me – but your girlfriend/boyfriend might hate me for stealing away your ‘quality time’ (so be sure to share the joy, alright?)

Jamie Atlas

Master Trainer, Atlas Snowboard Conditioning

Live in the downtown Denver area?  Go to WWW.FITNESSBYATLAS.COM to see our small group class schedule and more info about our classes

Most Snowboard Gym Programs are Written by Bodybuilders – and are Crap

Ever yelled at the TV screen… while watching a fitness video?  Maybe that’s just me then….

I don’t normally get like this, but every now and then I will go out on a limb and purchase or watch a video that claims to have a great ‘snowboarding workout’.

What usually follows is a series of lunges, abs, other exercises lying on the ground and a few jumping exercises.  Here’s the part that gets me fired up:

Live in the downtown Denver area?  Go to WWW.FITNESSBYATLAS.COM to see our small group class schedule and more info about our classes

None of the exercises you see in the classic snowboard workout videos actually understand what the movement of snowboarding entails.  None of them.  The worst are those that try to show a ski/snowboard combo workout.

I would not expect the same workout for a water skiier and a skidoo racer – just because they are both on water does not mean they use the same muscles.

Similarly, just because both ski and snowboard are done on snow does not mean the same physical workout applies.

Lets look at the lunge exercise:

Great leg builder, good for bodybuilders, toning and nice legs.  But if you think about it, that move looks more like a telemark movement than a snowboard movement.  Do you snowboard with both feet pointing down the mountain?  No.  Why would you do exercises that point the body down the mountain if you arent going to do that in the actual activity?

see the similarities between a lunge and a telemark movement?

Another video recommended indoor spinning classes to get ready for the season.  Great – sit on a stationary bike (to take any chance of developing balance away) then have someone pump their legs one at a time in a cyclical motion… because the action of snowboarding totally requires that, right?

Abs – you need a strong core, right?  Heres a demo for you to try at home.  Read below:

I know you are sitting in your chair right now reading this, so put one hand on your abs and one on your low back.  Now without trying to switch on/off any muscles, just lean forward until your head is resting on the keyboard.  Try not to make any snoring noises while down there.

Did you feel the abs kick in and switch on as you leaned forward?  Perhaps you did perhaps you didn’t.

Did you feel the low back switch on just as much if not more than those abs?  Of course you did. They have to.  As you stand on the snowboard in an athletic stance, are you leaning forward or leaning back?  if you assume a snowboarding stance with your legs but have your body face forward, you  will feel the low back fire up while the abs wait patiently for something interesting to do.

I won’t argue that you don’t use the abs snowboarding.  I will argue that you use the low back muscles even more.  So where are the low back exercises?  Why does every freakin’ core workout consist of some bimbo/shirtless dude showing off their sixpack through a million different crunches while the low back gets left behind in the trash?  Why, I say!

Most so called ‘core workouts’ ignore the actual muscles you need while on your board!

Then you go out on the mountain and try to board all day, wonder why your low back hurts so much the next day after you have been doing all that great core work.  Your abs may look good from the front, but make sure you don’t forget about what is important rather than what looks pretty.

Writing this wasn’t helping me calm down, so I went out to my gym and made a video so I could rant on youtube.

Check it out below:

Thanks to all for being part of the new wave of snowboard athletes who take their sport seriously by reading this blog.

If you didn’t know already, I have a snowboarding conditioning camp in the Denver area but can connect you to a coach if you are interested.

Live in the downtown Denver area?  Go to WWW.FITNESSBYATLAS.COM to see our small group class schedule and more info about our classes

Snowboard Conditioning – Master your Butt Muscles, Master the Mountain!

Your Exercise Program is Getting You to the Halfway Point of your ‘Carving Potential’ – At best!!!

The butt is the most important part of your snowboard turn.
These muscles must absorb the majority of shock and distribute it down the thigh and calf before exploding out to create the ‘board turn’.  Without these muscles working properly, your front thigh muscles (the quadriceps) must do even more work which puts your knees and other joints at risk.

Live in the downtown Denver area?  Go to WWW.FITNESSBYATLAS.COM to see our small group class schedule and more info about me
The exercises you will see are a result of fifteen years of personal training experience and numerous consultations with various body-shaping coaches, physical therapists, movement specialists and other fitness professionals.
The exercises you are about to see can help you develop and tone your glutes for the action of snowboarding like nothing you have seen before.

Before I reveal to you my secret weapon, here is a quick and relatively painless explanation of how our muscles work (Warning: This next section may make you smarter than your personal trainer!)
Our muscles are like cables that pull – they are attached at two ends, and when we want it to achieve a movement they pull together to achieve a movement.
If you think about the line in which we move the bicep doing bicep curls, it is a straight up and down movement. We shorten our bicep through a full range of motion in a straight line (funnily enough, in line with the fibers of the muscle – this is your first clue).
To get the most out of a muscle we must exercise:

1. In the line in which the fibers are oriented
2. Through a full range of motion

If you missed ‘advanced human physiology 301′ in college (I loved this class, but all of my others… well, lets not talk about me – lets keep the focus on you
Here are some visuals to work with.
Your biceps fibers run in a mostly vertical direction


Your glutes… do not. They wrap around the butt at an angle.


If you look closely (go on, soak them in… I wont tell) you will see that the fibers run in ANYTHING BUT a vertical position.
It becomes plain to see that the fibers of the glute run at almost a 45 degree angle!
By this understanding, if we want to work the butt in the same way we work the bicep (through a full range of motion), would it make sense to work the butt in a different way than straight up and down?
Think about the motion of the bicep curl being up and down, and the motion of a lunge being… well, up and down.

This guys problem (apart from having misplaced his shirt) is that he is only working the glute through half of its range of motion and therefore half of its potential.
Now look at the pictures above. I agree that the muscle might be working, but is it working the way YOU want it to be working? At full range? To full effectiveness? To give you the full potential?

Can you see how the everyday lunge (shown above) is only working our glutes through PART of the range of motion?  Can you see how when you rotate your hips you use even more of this angulation?  Does it make sense that your butt is the most important part of your turn when on the board?
If you said yes, then print yourself off a personal trainer badge and pin it on. You’re hired.
Below is a 4 minute video that explains and demonstrates how your glutes move (put together by Jamie Atlas, master trainer Atlas Snowboard Conditioning), but also shows a couple of exercise variations that you can do to REALLY work the butt.
Watch this video to work your butt to the max like never before!

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lHU50G0tmA if it doesnt show up on your browser)
If your gluteus maximus has been a little too much on the minimus side, then these exercises are what you have been looking for. These lunge variations (if done correctly and with good form) are your new best friend – or worst enemy, depending on how you look at it

Get working with with these exercises as part of your snowboarding routine and you will find yourself ruling the mountain in no time!

Jamie Atlas

Interested in attending an Atlas Snowboard Conditioning 4 week Program?  Live in the Denver area?

Classes are happening now! – book in today – time is limited!

When?

Classes are happening now through the month of October and November.  4 week programs meet 5x week or as many as your poor body can handle.

Where?

Classes are run in the highlands area from an indoor studio or -weather permitting-a nearby park

How much?

2008 pricing is $197 for a 4 week, 3/wk program.  Classes are held before and after work

How do I sign up?

We recommend you call for a brief consultation so you can be placed in a class that best reflects your snowboarding and physical abilities to ensure maximal results and satisfaction.  Please contact Jamie Atlas on 720 203 3084 or email info@fitnessbyatlas.com to arrange your initial meet/phone consult.

To find out more please contact:

Jamie Atlas -  720 203 3084 or email info@fitnessbyatlas.com

Preventing Snowboard Accidents and Injuries

I showed this video to a few friends and realized a strange aspect of human nature.  Why is it that whenever a guy gets whacked in the package, the guys watching cringe in horror while the girls laugh out loud?

Of course, would getting whacked by falling on a stairway handrail make it more hysterical?  Check this poor guy:

This next one has happened to me more times than I care to admit:

Are you in need of snowboard conditioning & fitness?  Do you live in the Denver, CO area?

After completing one of the specially designed Atlas 5 week programs, you will experience the following:

• Improved speed and turn control
• The endurance to take turns all day and be ready for night boarding
• Be able to power through deep powder easily and effortlessly
• Greater core strength and upper body control
• Better coordination in unfamiliar territory
• Less falls
• Decreased risk of injury

If you are interested in being part of the next class, you can call now to book a place for classes through the month of October and November.

5 week programs start up every two weeks.

Call/Sign up today, because this class is only offered for a limited time!

Need convincing?  Have questions?  Like to get in on the next group?  Call 720 203 3084 or email jamescatlas@yahoo.com to check on availability for the next class.

When?

Classes happen through the month of October and November.  5 week programs are scheduled in two week increments.

Where?

Classes are run in the highlands area from an indoor studio or -weather permitting-a nearby park

How much?

2008 pricing is $360 for a 5 week, 3/wk program.  Classes are held before and after work

How do I sign up?

We recommend you call for a brief consultation so you can be placed in a class that best reflects your boarding and physical abilities to ensure maximal results and satisfaction.  Please contact Jamie Atlas on 720 203 3084 or email jamescatlas@yahoo.com to arrange your initial meet/phone consult.

To find out more please contact:

Jamie Atlas – Master Instructor, Atlas Snowboard Conditioning on 720 203 3084 or email jamescatlas@yahoo.com

Snowboarding: How to Go Big By Accident

This guy in the video below stops at about 0.04 and realizes the mountain is crumbling under him – he has to make a decision – go down the slope on top of the snow… or under it.  Funny stuff:

Want to be like that guy?  You might need some special training and conditioning…

Live in the Denver area?

Interested in attending an Atlas Snowboard Conditioning 5 week Program?

Classes run through to the end of November – book in today – time is limited!

When?

Classes happen through the month of October and November.  5 week programs are scheduled in two week increments.

Where?

Classes are run in the highlands area from an indoor studio or -weather permitting-a nearby park

How much?

2008 pricing is $360 for a 5 week, 3/wk program.  Classes are held before and after work

How do I sign up?

We recommend you call for a brief consultation so you can be placed in a class that best reflects your boarding and physical abilities to ensure maximal results and satisfaction.  Please contact Jamie Atlas on 720 203 3084 or email james.atlas@comcast.net to arrange your initial meet/phone consult.

To find out more please contact:

Jamie Atlas – Master Instructor, Atlas Snowboard Conditioning on 720 203 3084 or email james.atlas@comcast.net