Balance Exercises for Snowboarding...what gadgets best?

[Helvetico]

I've been using a BOSU ball lately...squats, twists, etc., but it doesn't come close to replicating the instability a snowboard can attain on icy and irregular surfaces, or the floaty, ungrounded feel of powder. Wobble boards look challenging, but they emphasize lateral movement, not the belly-to-spine balancing motion necessary at low angles on softboots, and, to a lesser extent, hardboots.

So now I'm intrigued by slacklines. Anybody have any experience with these or suggestions regarding other equipment? The one requirement is that I be able to set this stuff up in my basement.

[ARCrider]

have you looked into bongo boards?

[Seraph]

Check out the extreme balance board

http://www.performbetter.com/detail.aspx_Q_ID_E_4037_A_categoryid_E_234

[Gecko]

I have done some Slacklining....I suck at it, I can balance but I can't walk much. I still prefer DH skateboarding, 4 hours today of fast turns with friends

[BigBump]

Old Skate deck and a soda bottle. Just put duct tape around the bottle and cap so it doesn't pop open and your done. For extra challenges, try doing it with your eyes closed or while juggling.

[Chris Houghton]

The Bosu works well if you add a bit of air pressure and use it upside down (flat side up). There's also a similar version in wood, disc with curved bottom that's not as easy as a Bosu. Never tried that other stuff.

[Helvetico]

Thanks for the feedback so far.

I use the Bosu ball upside down, but maybe I haven't pumped enough hair into it. That extreme balance board looks interesting and minimally lethal.

[Allee]

Slacklines are scary. I did a couple of sessions on one, the first time I was exhausted just trying to stand up on the thing, and the second time I ate a lot of grass. :)

I like the balance board at my gym - it's square and has a half-ball bottom, so it moves every which way. I can stand on that snowboard stance and get a pretty good workout. The other exercise that I really like for riding is to jump on the BOSU ball - stand snowboard stance on the ball with the flat on the floor, jump as high as you can, and land in a squat back on the ball. This takes a little practice to avoid smashing into the wall, but a fast set of ten will have all your balance muscles screaming.

Those skateboard things look awesome.

[Marco]

Try single leg exercises. They are inexpensive, since you only need your own body weight. They are more effective than double leg exercises, since double leg exercises only strengthen what you do with two legs simultaneously, which doesn't happen much in sports, even to some extent, in snowboarding, especially when it gets bouncy at speed or the snow is chopped up. There's a bunch of stuff on youtube. I do single leg dips, single leg squats and single leg hops. It's cheap and effective.

[pokkis]

This is good, effective and cheap balance and strength exercises

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGBcPkyEy44

[caspercarver]

uni-cycling is fantastic for building balance skills!

[Dave ESPI]

1995 Yamaha Waveblaster 1.

Tips faster than.......... well lets just say its a serious amount of skill to ride this thing and maintain ballance even while getting on and off it, or just floating around in waves.

But Then again.... it isn't likely to help at this stage in the seasons anyway for most except if you are in Florida or cali... LOL.

[bobdea]

ohh boy, they are really coming out of the woodwork

[Fastskiguy]

Balance exercises for snowboarding? I'd suggest a snowboard.

...sorry-couldn't resist...

[Softcarver]

I have never used a bongo board but I set a friend up with a scrap piece of 6" PVC pipe from work and he used a piece of plywood for a similar effect. I could never justify spending $100 for something like this. Although that extreme balance board does look interesting. If I need to practice balance I'll just take my surfboard out and try to stand on it.

[Kent]

All good stuff....just do something.

This is perhaps the 1st time I've actually recommended it as I'm usually surrounded by roadies and trigeeks, but IMO CrossFit would be great training for a alpine boarder....along with more cardio and plyometrics.

[jonbass]

uni-cycling is fantastic for building balance skills!

I totally agree. I have found that unicycling is such a fantastic workout. Especially riding single track trails. I ride a 29" uni and it is just the right amount of speed versus leverage for climbing hills. I got away from it toward the end of the summer and I sure noticed how I'd lost some strength in my core. I'm going to ride my smaller unicycle inside this winter as a fun way to build up my core. There may be a club near you that meets in a school gym. It takes a few days before you really can ride around but if you stick with it it is really rewarding. Wear lots of protective gear too as it helps with the confidence factor starting out.:D

Casper Carver are you on unicyclist dot com?

For those cold winter nights when you are stuck at home, the Wii Fit has a fun snowboarding game as well as some other balance games. I want to check out the Shaun White Snowboarding game as it uses the balance board as well. I don't play much though...I have a short attention span. ;)

[twelsch42]

I just moved and got my slackline set up in the backyard. As I was reading your post I was going to suggest a slackline - and that's what your question was ultimately about!?! Crazy.

No slackline in the basement for sure. Without a backyard to spend 5 min here and 5 min there it would be really hard to learn.

It is very humbling. You definitely feel it in your core. I can trackstand on my bicycle reallllly well. I'm still figuring out the slackline.

I don't really try to 'get ready' for snowboarding season. I try to stay as active all year as I can. Knowing it will all translate into having more fun as the winter rolls around.