This Is How Beneficial Snowboarding Can Be For Your Health

Even for those who enjoy an outdoor workout, it can be hard to muster up the motivation to get up and out for a jog in the dead of winter. The biting cold is enough to keep any of us tucked away inside until the first sign of spring, but there is one winter activity that can be extremely beneficial to our health — if you can brave the cold, that is.

Snowboarding has come a long way since its early days of using wooden planks and clotheslines to navigate oneself down a snowy slope (via Canadian Ski Council). Believed to have originated in the United States, snowboarding gained popularity in the 60s and 70s and earned itself a place in the Winter Olympic Sports during the late 90s.

The physically demanding nature of snowboarding in and of itself engages many different areas of the body as well as the mind, proving it to be an effective means of maintaining physical and mental health (via Flyer Diaries). No doubt that snowboarding works our muscles, but what other areas of the body get a workout while speeding downhill?

If you're looking to get your cardio in for the day, be sure to grab a snowboard. According to Health Fitness Revolution, snowboarders can boost their stamina and burn as much as 450 calories an hour. Not to mention, the added cold can aid in further calorie burning as the body works overtime to keep itself at a warm temperature (via Visit PA).

Furthermore, the constant repositioning of one's body required while snowboarding helps improve flexibility, balance, and coordination, according to Health Fitness Revolution. When it comes to exercise, you can check off strength training as well, as snowboarding works not only our main muscle groups in the arms, core, and legs, but also the less frequently used ones such as our ankle muscles.

There is no shortage of mental benefits to snowboarding either. For example, because of the endorphins produced in the body while snowboarding, snowboarders may feel happier and less anxious (via Health Fitness Revolution). Additional mood-boosting benefits can also be gained from the exposure to sunlight and vitamin D while snowboarding, according to Visit PA. Lastly, the social aspect of snowboarding can be a great way to form friendships and promote self-esteem.