ThirdAge Staff
Outdoor exercise doesn't have to end when the snow falls. "Snowshoeing is easier than walking; snowboarding is easier on over-40 knees than skiing; and you can have a lot of fun sledding or skating," says winter sports enthusiast Michelle Kienzl of Los Angeles.
A particularly good snow sport for boomers is snowshoeing. "Compared to skiing or snowboarding, there's relatively little chance of injury with this sport," says Jeri Chapin of Jackson Hole, Wyo.
Thanks to today's lightweight aluminum snowshoes, "snowshoeing is fun to do alone or in a group, and you can use ski poles for balancing," says Chapin.
Snowboard manufacturers report that 40-somethings form one of the fastest growing segments of the snowboarding market. The sport appeals to those wishing to avoid the wear and tear on knees, ligaments and backs that invariably accompanies downhill skiing, says Neale Schultheissers of snow-prone Buffalo, N.Y.
According to Schultheissers, "You can learn how to snowboard in a few days. At the beginning, you fall on your butt every few minutes, but once you get your balance, it's less stressful on your body than downhill skiing."
Sledding at local hills is fun, and free as well. Wear elbow and kneepads for protection and save money by buying secondhand sleds at sporting goods or thrift stores. Or you could pile the whole family onto a deluxe toboggan.
Another low-cost snow season sport is skating, which can give the whole body -- and in particular, the legs -- a good workout.
