In the wise words of Ronnie Coleman, “everybody wants to be a bodybuilder, but nobody wants to lift no heavy-ass weights”.Â
Sounds about right.
After all, who wants to spend their free time in the gym?
This got me wondering, can snowboarding build muscle? Can you build a decent physique with snowboarding alone?Â
Let’s take a look…
Can Snowboarding Build Muscle?
We already know that snowboarding works multiple muscle groups. So it stands to reason that snowboarding might also build muscle. But does it?
Yes!
Snowboarding builds muscle over time, specifically in the legs and core. This requires adequate nutrition and some fairly intense riding. Cruising the slopes on a mellow sunday afternoon is unlikely to pack on much mass.Â

Are you going to look like Arnold in his hey-day?Â
No… Sorry!
Even with his genetics and “special supplements”, snowboarding won’t result in bodybuilding trophies.Â
But you can certainly get a helluva lot stronger.Â
Which muscles can you expect to grow in particular?
1. Core Muscles
Another infamous bodybuilding quote…Â “Abs are built in the kitchen!”
Whilst this is true to an extent, they are still a muscle and still need to be worked on.
Fortunately, snowboarding is awesome for your core.Â
Jumping, spinning, crouching, grabbing… you’ll have a 6-pack in no time.*
*results may vary
2. Leg Muscles
Snowboarding relies heavily on the strength and endurance of your leg muscles. The constant squatting position engages your quads, hamstrings, and glutes.
Regular snowboarding will therefore enhance the strength and size of your leg muscles.
This leads to improved performance on the slopes and some toned looking legs. Shame it’s not shorts weather!
3. Upper Body
Sadly, this is where snowboarding is lacking.Â
Sure you’ll involve your upper body, particularly as a beginner, but are you going to develop gigantic biceps?
Sadly not.Â
4. Heart Muscle
An often overlooked aspect of snowboarding is the impact on cardiovascular fitness.Â
Hiking, carving, crawling, boot-packing and jumping leads to some pretty intense exercise. This is incredibly good for you over the course of the season.Â
Just as long as we ignore the impact of the after-riding beer and burgers…
Although snowboarding also burns loads of calories. Win win!
Final Thoughts
Let’s face it…
Nobody starts snowboarding to sculpt the perfect body.
You’re way too busy mastering your riding and having fun.
However, accidentally building some muscle in the process is a nice little bonus.
Of course, you also need to be looking after your new found muscles. Make sure to give these snowboard stretches a go before hitting the slopes.
Happy riding Arnold buddy!