Time to think snowboarding and skiing
It is that time of year again to start thinking about getting your strength and conditioning firmed up so you can hit the slopes.
Getting started in the fall is a great way to take advantage of our good weather to get out and prepare your legs, core and upper body strength for the ski season.
The benefits of training and becoming physically fit will ultimately improve your overall abilities and allow you to focus on technique. Both boarding and skiing tend to consistently place demands on the same muscle groups and motions, so strength and endurance become the defining factors of a consistent downhill experience.
The following are areas you should focus on if you’re planning a season on one of our many ski slopes in the area:
Your quadriceps are your go-to muscle group when it comes to both boarding and skiing. Quads are the most-used set of muscles, giving you balance, control and protection for your knees. The best plan over the next six weeks to prepare is leg day twice a week include burpees, squats and walking lunges. Leg presses and leg extensions are excellent to build solid quad strength. Remember, when doing leg extensions, to isolate your quads until they are exhausted. One light set of 15 reps as a warm-up, then increasing the weight for four sets of 10 is recommended.
To the core with a full set of ab work: Strong abs are the key to good posture and reduced injury. A weak core will lead to back injuries on the slopes. You need to protect your spine from injury and a strong core is the best way to do this. Work the following core muscle groups:
Your erector spinae which runs along your neck to your lower back — break out your Hula hoop or do ball back hyperextensions to give this muscle group great tone and strength. You should also work your exterior and internal obliques, which are located on each side of your rectus abdomenis or what we love to call our "six pack." Great exercises for your obliques are side planks and side crunches which you should do when working your regular crunches.
Other areas which need strengthening and conditioning are your calf muscles, hamstrings and glutes. With both snowboarding and skiing, you’re in a constant ridged posture to stabilize your downhill progress. Do 20 to 30 calf lifts a couple of times a day to tone them up. When it comes to glutes and hamstrings, do four sets of 10 weighted step ups and hamstring rolls on a Swiss exercise ball at least three times a week.
As I have mentioned, you need about four to six weeks of training at least three to four days a week to see and feel real results. If you’re completely out of shape, be sure to pace yourself as you start these regimens to avoid injuries.
Be sure to include aerobic routines such as cycling, swimming, treadmill and/or stair climbing to build endurance. Work in one day a week intervals with your aerobics where you do bursts of high-intensity work interspersed with periods of low-intensity work. This level of exercise through the winter months will help keep those daylong runs on the ski slopes from tiring you out.
Be sure to do stretching exercises daily to increase your flexibility and also stretch before and after every workout. The best stretches for skiers and boarders focus on the lower body and snow boarders need to also stretch the upper body. One great core stretch is a core twist. Stand with your knees slightly bent and your arms crossed in front of you. Slowly look over one shoulder and let your whole body follow until you feel a good stretch in the back and side. Hold five seconds and repeat in the other direction. Hamstring and quadriceps stretches are a must for skiers. Stretching will reduce your chance for injury while skiing and you’ll be less sore later on at the end of the day.
Although there is not as much focus on upper body strength training for boarding and skiing, it is a great idea to include upper back exercises such as rows or pull-ups and also add some sets of upper body exercises for the shoulders, chest, triceps and biceps to your exercise routine. The more toned your upper body is, the better you will hold up when hitting those moguls or plowing through that deep powder.
Start your season off on the right foot and be in better condition with more strength and agility to get the most out of your days skiing. Again, being in the best shape means less chance of season-ending injuries and that fun ride down the hill with the ski patrol folks.
Judd Jones is a director for the Hagadone Corporation.