Skiing or snowboarding is a great form of exercise, social activity and fun! But are you really ready to hit the slopes just yet? In this article we will talk about the different types of training to get your body ready to be ski fit!
Skiing requires a lot of different skill and fitness components, some that we will cover today are strength, endurance balance and flexibility. All four are very important to have and can help you have a fun day on the ski field!
If you have booked your ski holiday for the start of the winter season, now is a great time to start your fitness program. Building leg strength is a priority for skiing, as they take the biggest load on the quads (the front of the legs) and the glutes (the bottom muscles) Some examples of good leg exercises that mimic skiing are doing squats and doing a wall sit against the wall. Place your back against the wall and slide down the wall as if you were sitting on a chair, make sure your knees are at 90 degrees. Try and hold this position for 30 - 60 secs, and repeat 3 times
Building some general fitness around endurance will help with those long runs down the slopes. Sometimes a run can last anywhere between 1 min up to 10 minutes. If you are doing cross country skiing this can be quite taxing on the lungs. Using the cardio machines in the gym will help with your fitness. Try using the cross trainer, stepper or the treadmill and build your intensity from a walk to a jog up to a run. Getting the heart pumping will give you the same feeling as if you were flying down the slopes. This fitness will also help shred a few kilos so you can fit back in those ski pants.
Don't forget the arms! Pushing through the thick snow with your stocks is hard work. Tone those triceps up by doing dips and close grip push ups. Incorporate some core strength into your work out, by doing plank or prone holds and holding your tummy in tight. An important fitness component that normally gets overlooked is balance. Start by practicing standing on one leg for a full minute, if that is too easy close one eye and see if you can still hold.
For an easy snack while shredding the slopes, I like to take my own food and have a small backpack filled with fruit and nuts. Make sure you have enough H20 to keep you hydrated. When making choices at the food counter, ask to replace the fried foods with more salad.
Last tip before you head out into the cold, make sure you take the time to warm up before you head down the mountain. You wouldn't just sprint straight away you would jog first. Get the blood moving and do some active stretching before you start this will help your recovery and reduce the chance of injury.
*Disclaimer: Individual results vary based on agreed goals. Click here for details.
