Physiological and Physical Profile of Snowboarding: A Preliminary Review

Abstract

The sport of snowboarding has grown in popularity as both a recreational winter activity as well as a prominent Olympic sport. Both forms are comprised of one of three different disciplines within the sport: freestyle, alpine, and snowboard-cross. In recent years, the increased professionalism and substantial growth of snowboarding as a global sport has increasingly attracted the interest of exercise physiologists and sport scientists. Given the small (but growing) number of studies that have been published, the research analyzing the physiological and performance characteristics and requirements of snowboarding remains limited. The absence of such studies signifies a lack of examination into this important but under-explored area of research, which could contribute valuable information to the scientific community and international snowboarding teams. The studies conducted thus far have indicated different requirements of physiological and physical traits dependent upon the specific discipline of snowboarding in question. For example, in order to meet the divers demands of each discipline, athletes must develop various qualities, such as muscular strength and power. This can increase their ability to withstand the high forces and loads on the muscular system during competition, and further decrease their risk of lower limbs injuries. At the same time, the studies acknowledge the potential advantages of aerobic fitness in terms of recovery, to more efficiently sustain the athlete through both competitive and on- and off-snow training sessions. Given the value and breadth of application of these limited studies, further analysis and research could contribute greater knowledge and benefits to the field of snowboarding. Therefore, it is the purpose of this preliminary review to explore the current literature, providing further insight into the physiological and physical demands of snowboarding performance. This preliminary review is intended to stimulate interest among the communities of exercise physiologists, sport scientists and particularly coaches in order to improve our current understanding of snowboarding and its demands as a sport. This preliminary review further seeks to develop protocols and strategies to assess physiological and performance characteristics of snowboarding, monitor athletic performance, provide practical recommendations for training, identify new areas of scientific research, and develop accurate talent identification programs.

Anthropometric, Physiological, and Physical Profile of Elite Snowboarding Athletes

“…From the perspective of physical recovery, the interrelationship and interaction between aerobic and anaerobic capacities of snowboarding athletes is also a hot research topic. Vernillo et al (38) found that the correlation between maximal oxygen uptake (V̇ o 2 max) and performance of elite snowboarding athletes in the parallel giant slalom, parallel slalom, and snowboard cross events is low and not statistically significant ( p > 0.05). In contrast, peak aerobic power output was highly correlated with the performance of elite snowboarding athletes in men's parallel slalom, giant slalom, and snowboard cross, ( r = −0.92, r = −0.88, r = −0.93, p < 0.05).…”

“…Platzer et al (27) found a strong correlation ( r = 0.67) between lower-body leg power (4.46–6.54 W/kg) and World Cup points in women alpine and snowboard cross snowboarding athletes. Another study on lower extremity isometric muscle strength also reported that the maximal isometric voluntary contraction (MVC) of the knee extensor muscles in elite male snowboard cross (680.1 ± 76.8 N·m), parallel slalom, and giant slalom (731.9 ± 181.9 N·m) snowboarding athletes was highly correlated with performance ( r = −0.93, r = −0.94, r = −0.97) (38). It suggests that snowboarding athletes with greater lower-body muscle strength and power would be at an advantage during the competitions.…”

Preparing for snow-sport events at the Paralympic Games in Beijing in 2022: recommendations and remaining questions

“…Para alpine skiing and snowboard are technical sports, which place high demands on the athlete’s technical skill, balance and motor control 12 13. In addition, these sports challenge the athlete’s strength, power, aerobic and anaerobic capacity 12 13.…”

“…Para alpine skiing and snowboard are technical sports, which place high demands on the athlete’s technical skill, balance and motor control 12 13. In addition, these sports challenge the athlete’s strength, power, aerobic and anaerobic capacity 12 13. The demands of Para snowboarding athletes and Para alpine skiers that compete in the categories for standing or visually impaired athletes are similar to their able-bodied counterparts 14.…”

Static and Dynamic Balance and Injury Prevalence in Snowboard Instructors

“…Snowboarding is a young sport, which has evolved rapidly during the last 30 to 40 years, with the first modern-style boards produced in the early 1970s and first showcased in the Winter Olympics at Nagano in 1998 (Vernillo, Pisoni, & Thiébat, 2018).…”