Bosquet, a ski area where I live, just opened this past weekend for the winter. My sister and I are skiiers but we decided that we wanted to learn how to snowboard too, so we went. I had been a few times before and couldn't really do much more than fall down the mountain. My sister was a little worse than I.
After about an hour of falling down and getting back up I realized how much of a workout it is. My legs were so tired and I think I used muscles that I didn't even know I had. It is also a great workout for your arms and abs if you keep fallling down because you have to keep pushing yourself back up again. I never really thought of it as exercise because you sort of coast down the slope but it is great for your muscles and burns hundreds of calories.
I also realized how dangerous it can be though. I seemed to fall on my knees a lot and they are very bruised now. It is very important to wear protective gear. Broken wrists are quite common among snowboarders. It is also important to stay warm. It is fairly easy to get frostbite if you are not dresses properly. So don't sit around this winter. Get outside and try something new. It is great exercise just remeber to stay warm and be safe!
For some snowboarding safety tips visit: http://www.abc-of-snowboarding.com/snowboardingsafety.asp