Take a Risk … for Your Health

The common perception among non-riders is that snowboarding is much too risky of a sport. Maybe something like bungee jumping.

It’s true that injuries do happen during snowboarding. But sometimes the worst risks are those that aren’t so obvious. Take obesity, which is correlated with diabetes, high blood pressure, and other health issues that in turn have bad implications for health.

Writing on the op-ed pages of the Wall Street Journal, Phillip K. Howard explains Why Safe Kids are Becoming Fat Kids, and the item actually has some relevance to adults and their attitudes toward snowboarding.

You can read a summary here, but essentially the argument is that risk of physical harm is one thing that makes physical activity attractive. By removing opportunities for risk (e.g., banning tag at recess), our political and legal system encourages children to be inactive–and obese.

What’s the takeaway for adults? Some moderate amount of risk is still something that makes an activity enjoyable. Without it, there’s no testing of your abilities, and no “I did THAT?” sense of wonder and accomplishment after laying down a series of good turns or taking a pitch a little steeper than you did last time.

And so too many adults say “Snowboarding? Too dangerous. Not for me,” and they miss out on opportunities for personal growth–as well as a way to keep or get into shape.