Shaun White winning the gold in Vancouver.
Who is Shaun White? For those that don’t know, Shaun White is an Olympic snowboarder. He was born in the San Diego area in 1986 and has been skateboarding and snowboarding since he was six-years old. He overcame two major surgeries to correct a heart defect before the age of one, and he’s been proving himself as a champion ever since.
Shaun’s parents would take him to the local mountain range as often as possible (Mammoth Mountain). At the age of seven, Shaun entered his first amateur snowboard contest and won. This win earned him a bid to the nationals where he finished just outside of tenth place. His mom, Cathy, then sent a homemade video of Shaun’s snowboarding ability to Burton; who in-turn offered him a seven-year sponsor. He then turned pro at the ripe old age of 13. Shaun then went on to capture a gold medal in the halfpipe at the 2006 and more recently 2024 Winter Olympics.
As a fellow snowboarder, I know the body takes a toll during all the twists, turns, and wipe-outs of snowboarding. Being physically fit is a great advantage in any sport, especially snowboarding. The knees, shoulders, and wrists are the most susceptible to injury and the correct exercise regimen can help prevent these from being injured.
Shaun White, did however, tear a meniscus during a halfpipe run at the 2004 Winter X-games. He then underwent a surgery to repair it and was in rehab for six months. Check out his rehab session:
Below is another workout that I have put together to help prepare you and your body for the brutal, but fun, sport of snowboarding!
Snowboard Workout: