Swoosh! Swoosh! Pole! Carve! …and a roaring fire at the end of a long ski day!
The best part of the day does NOT happen when you hit the après-ski. It happens DURING the ski run!
You see, skiing becomes that much more enjoyable when you are skiing pain-free, with great technique, and when you are able to breathe at the end of the run(s).
Here in Quebec, the skiing is plentiful. It only makes sense to be in good physical condition to help prevent injuries, ski well and be able to take advantage of all of the local ski hills.
Training your legs is a great way to ensure that you can make it down the hill safely. The old-school way of training the legs by doing the “wall-sit” is fine and dandy but does not prepare the body for the bumps, weather conditions, or the unforeseen…it only conditions leg endurance.
The following 3 exercises are key elements in a ski-specific training program:
- Single-legged leg conditioning: The RFESS (Rear-Foot Elevated Split Squat):
- Place one foot on a bench or table behind you, hop forward in order to know that when you get into your squat, your front upper thigh is at 90 degrees. Train each leg with good form until you are almost spent (1 rep left in the tank). WHY IT WORKS: conditions each leg for symmetry and training, stretches the hip flexors, works posture and core form.
- Place one foot on a bench or table behind you, hop forward in order to know that when you get into your squat, your front upper thigh is at 90 degrees. Train each leg with good form until you are almost spent (1 rep left in the tank). WHY IT WORKS: conditions each leg for symmetry and training, stretches the hip flexors, works posture and core form.
- The jack knife:
- Feet on a Stability Ball, hands on the floor. WITHOUT sagging your back, tuck your knees into towards your chest (WITHOUT SAGGING). WHY IT WORKS: core stability, arms strength and support, trains knees to come to the chest (as if hitting a mogul).
- Feet on a Stability Ball, hands on the floor. WITHOUT sagging your back, tuck your knees into towards your chest (WITHOUT SAGGING). WHY IT WORKS: core stability, arms strength and support, trains knees to come to the chest (as if hitting a mogul).
- Lateral bounding 2 legs progressing to 1 leg:
- Hop from one side to the next with either 2 legs or one but STICK the landing to kill your momentum in order to get ample power for the next jump. WHY IT WORKS: this is quite ski-specific and trains stability under momentum.
Train smart this year for your upcoming ski season. We have programs we can create according to the level of skier that you are! Give us a call and make this year the best ski year to date!
514 556-4994
