Strengthen up before you hit the slopes this year or risk an injury. Winter is here & this weekend marks the official opening of the Australian ski season. While the first days skiing or snowboarding of the season is a welcome return for most, many people arrive on the slopes out of shape. This puts you at increased risk of injury so if you haven’t started yet below is a quick & easy home workout to get you ready for a tough day on the slopes.
Skiing & snowboarding are both very dynamic high energy sports which require flexibility, balance & agility, cardiovascular fitness and muscular strength (especially in the lower body). With rapid changes of direction and ski gear adding to the forces on your lower body your knees are placed under a lot of stress so stretch & strengthen to get the most out of your ski trip.
You’re preparing to hit the slopes for repeated ski runs of 40secs to 3mins or more, so start with 45s circuit stations and gradually increase the time as you become stronger.
1) Strength Training Snow Circuit
(After a warm up complete 3 circuits of the 6 stations with a short rest between complete circuits. From 45s to 2min each station depending on your fitness level the circuit is only 15- 30mins).
Wall sit. Sit with your knees at approx 90 degrees and your back flat against the wall. This will build static strength in your leg for the squatting skiing position.
Side to side jumps will develop quick muscle reactions & explosive power. Simulate fast short ski turns as you jump. Increase time & jump height as you become stronger. Alternatively you can substitute skipping for the jumps.
Squat holds. Squat down with feet approx shoulder width apart & hold for 5-20s before coming back up & repeating 10times. Another great exercise to build static strength in your leg for the squatting skiing position.
Walking lunges will build power & strength in your legs while also developing balance. Especially good for any cross-country purists!
1 leg squats will develop strength & balance in your lower legs and hips.
Stair squats. Stand side on to the stairs and place 1 foot 1 step above the other foot (on the floor) and squat. The uneven base will help simulate the muscular control required for traversing across the slope.
Advanced add-ons include adding 90 or 180 degree twists to your jump squats for explosive power and torsional strength.
If you have access to them, include BOSU drills to help develop agility and dynamic strength on uneven surfaces.
2) Get fit
Running, rowing skipping and the cross trainer are all great cardio options which will increase your cardiovascular endurance while utilising the power muscles of the lower body. The fitter you are the more you can make the most of all the runs on offer.
3) Core strength & Stretching
Whether you’re pushing the limits with aerials or need to prepare your body for the dynamic movements of snowboarding & skiing you’ll benefit from side planks, crunches & lying back extensions
Also, make sure you stretch after the circuit or cardio exercises to help reduce muscle stiffness and also improve flexibility. Tight or weak muscles can be the most susceptible to injuries.
Have fun on the slopes this season!!
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