Pre Season Ski Fitness

Be ready when the season kicks off!

By Lisa Marie Mercer

Ski enthusiasts are always mentally ready for ski season, but the number of slope injuries that occur each year indicates that they may not be physically ready.  Don't wait till ski season to start your ski-specific fitness plan. Begin your program before the lifts open.  Here are some ideas:

1. Cut to the Core:  The core muscles are the key to snow sport balance. Unfortunately, many people have trouble activating them. The most important core muscle is the transverse abdominal muscle (TVA). Drawing your belly inwards toward your spine activates this muscle group. Getting acquainted with your TVA will be the easiest of all your snow fitness jobs. Take a breath in. As you exhale, deflate your belly as you draw your navel to your spine. Hold this for 10 seconds. Do this 10 times a day. Eventually, activation of your TVA will become intuitive, and your balance will improve. So will your posture, and your general appearance!

2. A Delicate Balance: Practice standing on one leg. When you become proficient, shift your weight forward and back between your heel and your toes. This mimics the fore/aft balance transference that is common in snow sports. You can also do one-legged mini squats, which work the smaller muscle group located right above the knee.  Balance is related to proprioception, which is the awareness of your body's position in space. Here's a cool proprioception exercise. Stand on a piece of paper. Close your eyes, and start marching in place. Do this for one minute. Are you still on the paper? How does this relate to skiing? Have you ever skied through a whiteout? If you have good proprioception, you lived to tell the tale.

3. Work Your Hamstrings: Muscular imbalances between the hamstrings and quadriceps are one of the major causes of injury and faulty technique. Most people spend way too much time working their quads, and not enough on the hamstrings. Suggestion: Avoid the leg extension machine! It creates a shearing force in the knee that can set you up for injury. Since the leg extension involves quadricep isolation, it adds to the muscular imbalance between the hamstrings and quads.

4. Get On the Ball: The Stability Ball is one of the best tools for winter sport fitness. To work your hamstrings:

• Lie on Your Back

• Put Your Feet on the Ball

• Inhale to Prepare

• Exhale and lift each vertebra from the floor until you are in a "bridge."

• Stay in the Bridge. Inhale and straighten your legs.

• Exhale and bend your knees.

• Perform 6-10 repetitions

• Roll down vertebra by vertebra

1. Get the Buzz on Bosu: The Bosu, which is shaped like half a ball, is a great tool     for pre-season squats and lunges. You can also turn the Bosu platform side up and do bridges. However, instead of straightening and bending your knees, rock the Bosu from side to side to mimic the actions of edging your skis!

2. Posture Please: Any misalignments in your body will be exaggerated on the hill. Enroll in a Pilates, Feldenkrais or Alexander Technique workshop. You will be amazed at the results!

3. Get Strong: Although snow sport performance is more about balance than strength, a strong body will have better endurance on the slopes. Exercises like squats and lunges are more functional than leg extensions, since they apply less shearing forces on the knee. Don't forget your upper body! There are no caddies to carry your equipment at a ski area!

4. Put Your Heart into it: Aerobic exercise trains your body and mind to stay alert and energetic throughout the day. If you want to be skiing or riding when the lifts close, add some cardiovascular exercise to your workout.

5. Agility: Snow sports depend on fast reaction times. Play tag with your kid, chase your dog, or visit the hopscotch course in the playground. Volleyball, and other sports that require fast reaction times are also great for ski agility.

6. Body and Mind: Techniques like tai chi, which encourage the mind/body connection, are excellent training for snow sports.