Conditioning

[skiNEwhere]

What do you guys do to prepare yourself for the Ski Season?

I want to be able to hit the slopes running (or sliding in this case)

I run 17-20 miles a week. My goal is to build up my legs so that I can ski the whole day when I get back, including the knee killing moguls.

Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[ajl50]

body weight squats. A great mimic of the skiing motion. Also shift your weight on each squat to one leg or the other. Looks a little funny but it really works. Do sets that last like 1-2 minutes followed by a break of equal time. Repeat as often as you want.
Also throw in some body weight lunges where you work on landing very lightly with your forward foot.
Wall sits are also a great way to build up lactic acid tolerance within the whole quad. Sit up against wall like in a chair- hands at sides flat against wall. Remain till you can't hold it anymore.
Oh and make it back safe.

 

[thebigo]

My general routine is similar to yours. 4-6 miles per day, 5-7 days per week depending mostly on weather. I also try to go on atleast one hike per week during the offseason. I would say this routine is more for general fitness and weight control than skiing specific. I have never really found skiing specific exercise to be necessary. I find if i eat right and exercise daily my fitness is maintained to a level that allows me to enjoy skiing/hiking. This my very well change as i enter my 30s though.

 

[Sky]

I've been working out with a pal who is a rugby nut. Here's what we;ve ben doing.

Plyometrics...jump squats (jump and reach up then land and squat...hold it for five seconds and repeat...3 sets of ten. We've also been doing these "chain" exercises up and down the football sidelines...two-footed hops (over and back = one) do ten. Then one-footed, do fifteen, then the other one-foot for fifteen. THEN...ten broadjumps. Rest three minutes. Do two more sets.

We also do side-planks (support yourself on your fore-arm for 30 seconds). SOmetimes we toss a medicine ball (10 lb). Usually we use the sit-up board for these. In the upright position, your partner tosse you the ball to your left shoulder. Carry the ball to a near-sitting position (rotating your body to the left side). Sit up and toss the ball to your partner. He tosses it back to yourr right shoulder. THat counts as one. Do three sets of ten.

THEN we do the sprints (no "distance" runs...apparently the NEW thinking is 100M sprints are the deal. Don't be surprised if your PT test goes to this...I have my sources).

For sprints we have a target of 17 seconds for 100M. We usually do the first two @ 15. By the 6th we're up to 20 to 22. Here's the "trick"....figure each sprint gets one minute. So you run for 15 seconds...recover for 45. When you exceed 20 seconds, take a three minute break and repeat. We usually get 6 done in the first set, then 4, then two.

We do this twice per week and play hopps or lift the other days.

Your mileage may vary.

 

[marcski]

Mtn bike 3-4 times a week and throw in a good 25-50 mile road ride or two. Seek and conquer hills.

 

[skiNEwhere]

Sit up against wall like in a chair- hands at sides flat against wall. Remain till you can't hold it anymore.

We also do side-planks (support yourself on your fore-arm for 30 seconds).

Ok, as far as the mountain biking goes, I can't do that, but those 2 above sound good. I was doing side and front planks, and back bridges a while back, but I stopped.

The invisible chair........man I hate that one, really start to "feel the burn" on that after a while, thats good to go though, thanks

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

Lots of great sugestions so far. Just about anything for the core, crunchs, lateral leg raises, etc. Running hills and stairs is great (go easy on the way down.)

For years, the bulk of my training was squats and lungs. Unfortunately, my knees are starting to complain, so I'm forced to drop that part of my routine (getting old sucks). Cycling does seem to be a great training tool, but obviously, not a choice where you currently are.

Stay safe.

 

[ALLSKIING]

I do this 5 to 6 times a week and also use a treadmill usually switching off and on during the same workout.

 

[Sky]

re: Stairs...when you come down...do "negatives" by taking two steps at a time and carefully "lower" yourself to that landing.

re: squats....try one-legged squats. Three stops, holding it for 5 seconds at each stop.

First stop, 1/4 down.

Second stop, 1/2 down

3rd stop, 90 degree angle at teh knee.

Keep you other foot in front of you for balance.

When do you get back?

 

[bigbog]

conditioning....a Must!

Lots of great sugestions so far. Just about anything for the core, crunchs, lateral leg raises, etc. Running hills and stairs is great (go easy on the way down.).....

Yes, the uphill sprints are excellent! Bangor High's football field/stands is just 15min away along my "paved" walk route. The other option is for ~10mi of the level-to-rolling terrain the "City Forest" and its accompanying bogs(with boardwalks) offer...there's nothing like some basic walking on au-natural dirt when out in the middle of the natural world.

 

[jack97]

Back in HS, our gym had 4 stories. The teachers would make us go up and down the stairs to warm up before each class. Any kid with a smart @ss mouth would be be doing for the rest of the hour. Heard the wresting team coach would make his team do stairs until they almost puked. Its a great workout.

Stay safe L.

 

[JD]

MTB, Climb, paddle, hike. The world is your gym!

 

[YardSaleDad]

Has anyone else noted the surrealism of instructing a US Marine in Iraq how to get in shape for ski season?

 

[Sky]

Has anyone else noted the surrealism of instructing a US Marine in Iraq how to get in shape for ski season?

Absolutely.

 

[skiNEwhere]

Has anyone else noted the surrealism of instructing a US Marine in Iraq how to get in shape for ski season?

lol, I am in shape. But when skiing you utilize muscles you don't normally use. I am not going to a gym here, so I have been sticking to the basics, running and pullups, and I want to find a way to workout the muscles you use while skiing

 

[Grassi21]

Jumping rope is great

 

[jack97]

lol, I am in shape. But when skiing you utilize muscles you don't normally use. I am not going to a gym here, so I have been sticking to the basics, running and pullups, and I want to find a way to workout the muscles you use while skiing

Duck walks and bunny hops. I like them because I can feel the thigh burn and puts the knee/quads at the other end of the full range of movement.

 

[AHM]

Try these

1. Suspended push-up: standard push up, but support your hands on two 4 kg medicine balls, and your feet on one 65 cm inflated ball. These really build the core. You can improvise with two cinder blocks and chair for the feet. This is a pretty tough push up for most, especially on the balls as they will roll on you unless you have solid balance.

2. Moats: this is an exercise Charlotte Moats does (top ski film star). Standing on one leg, bring other foot up to the knee, extend the leg out so it is parallel with the floor, now bring the foot back to the knee, and then extend it backwards, in a kick. Do this 15 times/leg in 3 sets. Works well.

3. Mt hiking

4. Leg lifts: suspend the body with support under the forearms (or hang from a bar) and bring the legs up so you are in a sitting position. Do 20. Then, keeping the legs together, bring them up, then across, then down, and repeat. It is basically the same as the leg lift, but you add some lateral motion to it.

5. Super crunch: get a one gallon jug of water, sit on the floor, lift your legs up 6 inches, and have your torso at about 30 - 45 degree angle to the floor. Take the water jug, in both hands on one side of your body, and swing it to the other side, keeping the jug in tight to your torso with each rotation. Make sure the legs remain up. If you have a strong core, then cross the legs, and with each rotation change which leg is on top. Build up to 30 on each side.

Stay safe.

 

[Brettski]

Steak, potatos and red wine...maybe a nice salad

 

[ajl50]

I think that a great one to do given your situaiton is to put your rifle on the ground (or some other object less valuable) and stand to the side of it. Jump side ways over it and repeat at varying speeds for three to five minutes. Works balance great.