GET FIT FOR THE SLOPES

 Ski Conditioning

Good preparation for skiing is imperative not only to enhance your skiing performance but also to ensure you minimise your risk of injury.

A specific training programme is therefore essential to condition the body to cope with the demands of skiing.

What to include in your training for skiing:

1. Cardiovascular Fitness

A new exerciser should complete steady state aerobic exercise three times per week in the six to three months leading up to skiing, at 70% of their maximum heart rate (Maximum Heart Rate = 220bpm-Age).  Example: A 30 year old person should complete a X-Training workout at 133bpm for twenty minutes.

Skiing can be both steady state aerobic and high intensity anaerobic exercise and your training must mirror this, therefore it is also essential that you also complete interval training at higher intensities aswell.  Example: A 30 year old person should complete 10 x one minute Running intervals at 171bpm (90%) with one minute active recovery.

2. Local Muscular Strength and Endurance

Skiing is extremely enduring on the whole body, although the legs are the area of the body which are sometimes requried to work for very long periods of time without rest.  Therefore it is essential that your leg muscles.  Exercises such as Squats and Lunges are the most effective way of developing the legs you require for skiing.  Example: A New exerciser should complete Three Sets of 15 Repetitions of Bodyweight Lunges three times per week.

3. Core

Your muscles of the abdomen and the lower back are also required to be strong and endurning for skiing.  Exercise such as The Plank, Lower Back Hyperextensions and Medicine Ball Rotational Twists are great examples of exercises that work the Core.  Example: Hold a Plank for 60seconds and repeat three times.

4. Balance

Balnce is one of the most important things to integrate into your training regime for skiing.  You don't need to be fit, have strong and enduring legs if you cant stand up.  Balance can be improved by using specialist fitness equipment such as Stability Balls, BOSU Balls, Wobble Boards and Functional Exercises.  Example: Hold a BOSU Ball Static Squat for 60seconds and repeat three times.

5. Flexibility

Good Flexibility can improve performance, minimise your risk of injury and more simply enable you to put on and take off your ski boots easier.  A variety of stretching methods should be completed prior, during and after evry time you exercise.  Example: Complete 30seconds of Heel Flicks prior to exercise to ensure the legs are ready for the stress they are about to recieve.