“It is thrifty to prepare today for the wants of tomorrow,” said the ant to the grasshopper in one of Aesop’s fables. For many Coloradans, ski and snowboard fever starts as soon as the first leaf yellows. Hitting the slopes, however, is not a daily activity for most, but is enjoyed in fleeting moments stolen here and there during the season. Preparation, therefore, is often a secondary concern. But with lift tickets going for $60 to $80 a day (plus gas, food, parking and lodging), getting the most out of a day on the mountain has as much to do with physical preparation as fiscal preparation.
For most of us, an enjoyable on-mountain experience is one where we accomplish maximum runs with a minimum number of face-plants and butt-prints. Since it is almost November, it’s time to assess your physical conditioning, paying attention to those areas where there may be some gaps.
As champion freestyle skier and coach Chip Richards says, “The broader the base, the higher the peak.” Training as much as possible in all of the basics is essential for a safe and successful season, whether you snowboard, or ski alpine or cross-country. This includes building cardiovascular endurance; muscular strength and endurance; core strength, balance, and control; and agility and explosive power.
So, if you haven’t been bicycling, swimming, rollerblading, hiking, or strength training regularly throughout the spring and summer – yet plan on a few ski trips this winter – listen to Aesop and start your preparation today.
Here’s what to work on.
Cardiovascular endurance
“Ski Kansas’ is a funny poster for good reason – no altitude. Andy LeRoy, head coach of alpine skiing at Denver University suggests, “Get in some hikes in the mountains, even if it is just in the foothills, to get the heart rate going at higher altitudes because the altitude almost doubles at the ski areas.” Gliding over the snow may not seem like much of a cardiovascular workout when compared to activities like running or cycling, but at higher altitudes, heart and lung conditioning means better endurance and mental alertness which are both essential for avoiding injury.
Running or walking on trails or treadmills, bicycling and other activities that extensively involve the legs, will provide a good base on which to build muscular and cardiovascular endurance. An effective cardiovascular program involves working out for 20-40 minutes at a moderate intensity while maintaining a heart rate of about 55 to 65 percent of your target heart rate. After a couple of weeks of pure cardiovascular training, mix in some “interval training” (sprints) where your heart rate varies between 65 and 85 percent of that same target heart rate. This combination not only provides good general conditioning but also bolsters the anaerobic energy system, characterized by stops and starts and bursts of intense action.
Muscular strength and endurance
Skiing, snowboarding and cross-country involve the muscles of the legs (quadriceps, hamstrings and calves), hips, lower back and gluteus. But, since these sports also involve pushing, pulling, bending and twisting, shoulders, arms, the upper and mid-back and the obliques need attention as well.
LeRoy recommends weight training organized into a circuit to create an efficient workout session and keep the heart rate up. The basic exercises for a leg circuit would include squats, hamstring curls, leg presses, leg extensions (if you have no knee problems), calf raises and lunges. Perform each set with moderately challenging weights where 15-20 repetitions can be accomplished without too much strain. After minimum rest (keeping your heart rate at about 50 percent of your target), perform another set, then another. After one to three sets, change exercises, again without allowing your heart rate to drop.
For the rest of the body, basic exercises for the circuit will include chest presses, pulldowns and rows for the back, shoulder presses, biceps curls, and triceps push-downs. Other great exercises are push-ups and dips.
Core strength, balance and control
“One of the most neglected areas for most people are the muscles of the back and abdominals, or core,” LeRoy says. “The midsection takes the brunt of the work. Legs act as shock absorbers but after a day of 10-15 runs and six to eight hours on the slopes, most people feel the midsection the most.”
The strength needed for skiing, snowboarding and cross-country emanates from our center. But it is not enough to lie down on the floor and pop out a few crunches. To really get it right the elements of posture and balance must be part of the training. By using a Fitball as a platform for crunches, for example, you challenge more of the body’s balance mechanisms. In fact, using a Fitball in place of the standard weight bench is an excellent option while performing your other strength training exercises. Standing on wobble boards while tossing a medicine ball is another way to train the core while also improving both balance and posture. Pilates and yoga are also excellent for core strengthening.
Agility and explosive power
The professional term for this is “plyometric exercise,” which means explosive actions performed in short bursts. No one disputes that when skiing, legs perform a lot of pushing, turning, bouncing and jumping maneuvers. Training for this, regardless of whether you do moguls, will make for a much stronger day on the slopes.
Examples of plyometric exercises are “squat jumps” where you squat to parallel and try to jump as high as you can. Another is the “box-shuffle” which requires a stable box about 9 inches high. Start with one foot on the box and one on the floor. Push up with both legs and switch your feet in mid air. Land with the opposite foot and repeat.
The best agility exercises will mimic skiing a bit. Lay a jump rope down on the ground lengthwise and pretend you are skiing as you jump back and forth down the length of the rope (landing in the feet together, semi-squat position each time). A good step-aerobics class would also be beneficial because of the constant changing of feet position as you do “dance” steps over a stable step platform.
Linda J. Buch is a certified personal trainer in Denver and the co-author of “The commercial Break Workout.” Write her at LJBalance@aol.com
