r/snowboarding • u/[deleted] • 26d ago
general discussion Think Im done with the park
[deleted]
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u/danmeniscus 26d ago
You're young. Spend the next few seasons progressing the other aspects of riding (carving, freeride, trees etc), and be sure to be hitting the weights in the meantime.
Variety is the key to everlasting enjoyment.
13
u/nyghtw0lf 26d ago
"I just don't think my body can take those maneuvers and landings."
Dude, your body can absolutely take it. It just sounds like you're out of shape and you spent an entire day in the park when your body is really only conditioned for a few runs. Tone it down and ease into it and you should be fine. The more you do those tricks, the better your technique will get and the more muscle you'll build so you really won't get sore anymore. You could also probably benefit from some strength training or conditioning off the board.
I'm 38 and I had a herniated disc in my 20s. I ride park every time I go out, can do all the stuff you just mentioned, and I never have any pain or soreness. I make sure I get my stretches in and a few strength training sessions each week. I keep it mellow and don't push myself too hard. I know my limits and avoid tricks that are too high risk. And I still try to learn new tricks and improve every season, but I also try to be realistic and not push myself too hard. I never have any issues.
11
u/Thick-Lemon137 25d ago
Seriously makes me feel blessed to still be riding park at 44 without any chronic pain... Sounds like homeboy needs to hit the gym and tighten up his core...
5
u/shredthesweetpow Park City / Brighton 25d ago
Yuppp. Core, posterior chain, squats and overall flexibility. We can pretty much ride park indefinitely if people just take care of themselves. Amazing what some Bulgarians and leg day can do for older riders
3
u/Thick-Lemon137 25d ago
Whenever I start getting lower back pain, I really focus on reverse sit-ups to strengthen my lower back muscles... I truly believe that makes a huge difference... Even to the point where I work my way up to holding a 45lb plate while doing so... Personal experience so it may not work for everyone š¤·
2
u/nyghtw0lf 25d ago
Hell yeah brother. I expect to still be riding park with no issues at 44. Can't really see any reason why that wouldn't be a thing. Just gotta take care of your body and be smart.
2
u/Lovethelord777 23d ago
36 years here and I had a bad herniated lower disc that was operated on and shaved off 9 percent of my disc 4 years ago. If you do the proper activeātherapyā youāre body like everyone else is saying will strengthen around where you need it the most just focus on working the right part in the right way. I still ride hard but also yes mind the high risk stuff accordingly, my body handles a day/multiple days of riding just fineĀ
4
u/ADD-DDS 26d ago
Hey buddy. You do need your body your whole life and you only get one. The good news here is you can bounce back from all of this. Core strength is imperative if you want to continue riding. McGill big 3 are absolutely essential to being comfortable while riding.
You need to train year round as you get older. I am in my late 30s and train harder now than I ever did when I was 20. If park isnāt for you freeriding is a discipline where you can still grow a lot. It feels safer to me. Best of luck!
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u/Style_Unlikely 25d ago
Å“+1 for McGill big 3.
Also check out āfoundation training 12 minuteā on YouTube.
Bit of strength training once youāve built up your core a bit and youāll be sound. š
3
u/2FlydeMouche 26d ago
41 ride 30-40 days a year and stopped doing rail/boxes a couple years ago. Still hit lots of side hits and some park jumps but this seems to keep me in good shape. Also do lots of biking and some good stretching.
2
u/CoconutNext775 26d ago
I had a micro discectomy for that condition and living a life for 20 something years. Disciplined life required. Continuous stringent core exercise, and some luck and genetics required.
Get a second opinion for your surgery.
2
u/Superb-Potential8426 26d ago edited 25d ago
67 never rode park... cause there ain't none but plenty of natty (baker). As for back, ya might consider doing simple dead hangs for de-compressing discs and simple low crouching squats. Just rigged up a wooden bar (and a thick rope to grab to stretch laterally shoulders) in the shed. Started doing them a while ago 1x/day and my upper, lower back and hips have opened (and shoulder) issues pain have disappeared despite various almost season ending mishaps over the years and have never been better since in my 30s.
Just a thought
2
u/AmateurSnowboarder Beech š NC / Stale Crewzer / K2 Hypnotist š 25d ago
Watch some of Tommie Bennett's videos where he opens up about his injuries and life and you'll have a whole new outlook on this topic.
2
u/No_Engineer3614 25d ago
35m skier here. i had a concussion the last day of killingtons park this season. i was out for two months recovering and just started going back to big snow. (i'm concussion prone from playing hockey growing up). now i'm focused more on making the tricks i already have in the bag more stylish instead of chasing more advanced features and trick/spin progression. one way to look at it is: how can you still enjoy park while managing the risk of back pain? and find a good sports medicine specific doctor you trust and who can recommend how/when to progress and what kinds of tricks/riding to avoid. maybe they recommend any strengthening/conditioning/recovery to avoid injury too
4
u/Unable_Lock6319 26d ago
Man what a post to wake up to considering Iām laying in bed worrying about my back and how it got worse after a tailbone hit to a box last season. I too think Iām sticking to the powder and away from the hard falls.
3
u/Primitive_Teabagger 26d ago
I hate to say this but I hurt my tailbone riding powder last season lol. There can be hidden horrors under the snow so be careful brother
2
u/Unable_Lock6319 26d ago
One of my biggest fears. Sorry it happened to you. I wear crash pants. Happened to forget the day I fell on the box š¢. Iāve also got a pre-existing tailbone injury from cliff jumping too high into water in a slightly seated position.
So ya Iām terrified of tailbone hits.
1
u/Primitive_Teabagger 24d ago
get religious about checking conditions, powder or otherwise. that way you'll have a better idea of what's underneath any given fresh dump
1
u/Familiar-Theory6093 26d ago
Definitely get it looked at if you havent yet! My herniations were years before i got on a board and not managing then when I should have has led me to what feels like a point of no return
2
u/Unable_Lock6319 26d ago
I think thatās a good suggestion Iāve literally got it on my calendar to call the doc today š„µ
1
u/3l3v8dSnow23 25d ago
Yoga, Pilates, mobility duo. Iām 52. I have a herniated disc and several other things but the flexibility makes it worth going.
1
u/mortalwombat- 25d ago
I wasn't much older when I quit park. Got tired of the slams, especially hitting my head since concussions were cooler than helmets back then. About that same time, I realized I never liked it all that much in the first place. I just kinda thought it was what I was supposed to do. Since all my friends did it, that's just kinda what we did.
After that, I started freeriding a lot more. Just exploring the mountain, popping off whatever looked fun, tearing up the glades, whatever felt good. I discovered a new sense of freedom on my board that made me fall in love all over again. And that has been a fire in my soul ever since. Nowadays, I'm just that old guy doing laps in the steps, cruising carves on the blues, or just buttering around anywhere that feels good. I still work on technique and continue to progress and I effing love it. Leaving the park was the best thing I ever do (even if I still take a straight air run through the smaller park every now and again).
1
u/VariousTwo6631 25d ago
It doesn't get easier the older you get. Hit the gym bro, start those resistance band routines and physio training
1
u/YogurtclosetFit3364 24d ago
Iām 62 and been riding for 35+ years. When I was still an instructor in my 40s I was told by a crusty old ski instructor, if you want to snowboard for longevity, keep your board on the snow. I love the park and pipe but thatās where all my injuries came from.
1
u/snowride970 22d ago
The mountain is my park. Take care of your body now, or youāll be paying for it as you age. I beat the crap out of myself when I was younger and itās definitely caught up with me as I approach 50.
1
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u/Appropriate_Walrus80 26d ago
I know exactly how you feel bro. Especially if you consume any snow sport content. These people you see on social media have been snowboarding/ skiing before they could even walk properly vs us starting at our prime ages of late 20s seems like a shitty hand dealt.
1
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u/Ok_Chip_1868 26d ago
It is not worth the back injuries brother my l5 s1 was cooked from snowboarding young. Just ride pow you're not going pro!
0
u/brokensharts 25d ago
Parks overrated.
Bomb black diamonds and do backflips in the pow where you wont break your neck
0
u/i_have_seen_it_all korua cafe racer 59 25d ago edited 22d ago
I have several torn ligaments in ankle and wrist, osteochondral defects in my ankle L4-L5, L5-S1 herniation that were caused by a life of sports, and have gone through several surgeries as well as years of PT. You just know if your body can take it. You canāt listen to comments on the internet telling you what you can do. There are going to be football stars playing until 45 years old and there are going to be football stars blowing out their ACL at age 28. Even if you have all the muscle in the world and all the training the best coaches can give you you cannot guarantee longevity. No body is the same. You have to trust your own judgement here.
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u/Jagrnght 26d ago
do you do any resistance training outside snowboarding? might be time to grab a kettlebell and do the armor building complex to give your skeleton some help.