Get ready for ski season with targeted exercises
Now that fall is here, it’s time to start thinking seriously about ski conditioning.
Pardon the annoying reminder, but you probably already know you need to get in some ski-specific workouts and exercises to make the most of that ski pass that cost you hundreds of dollars.
For expert advice to make your skiing safer and more fun this winter, we went to the CU Center for Sports Medicine and Performance in Boulder, where physical therapist Chelsea Holt showed us what to do and how to do it. And because many people either don’t have access to a gym, or don’t feel comfortable working out in one yet because of COVID-19, we asked her to focus on things you can do without one.
First, cardiovascular workouts such as running and cycling are obvious, although you may do those year-round anyway. Incorporate hikes that involve climbs and descents — Mount Falcon or North Table Mountain, for example — because they build strength in the quads, glutes and hamstrings.
“I think you have to have that speed endurance that running can give you,” Holt said, “and then that strength and power that hiking will give you.”
But to be in optimal condition for skiing, you need more than aerobic endurance workouts. A strong core and exercises that improve balance and proprioception — the body’s ability to sense the position of its parts in space and motion, and to make instantaneous corrections to prevent injury — can keep you safe on the slopes.
If you’ve ever sensed a sprained ankle about to happen while running but felt your lower leg muscles fire to prevent it without you even thinking about it, that’s proprioception.
Proprioception can be improved through practice, Holt said, and those reactions are especially important in skiing because of the variable conditions you will encounter on the slopes.
“Skiing is a dynamic sport. There’s a lot coming at you and a lot of variables, especially as crowded as our ski resorts can sometimes get. You have things coming at you. You have to train your body to be able to respond to all of that and keep yourself safe and stable.”
Proprioception is improved by exercises called plyometrics. Holt recalls the adage “Practice makes perfect” but amends it: When it comes to proprioception, “Perfect practice makes perfect.”
“Everyone has some balance, but some people have way better balance because they practice it,” Hold said. “Plyometrics are important to get reaction times faster. It’s important to learn how to absorb shock in the correct way. If you practice absorbing it, when you’re out there skiing, your mind’s not going to be like, ‘Where should my knee be?’ Your knee needs to be programmed into that pattern.”
That includes doing dynamic exercises that involve hops, squats and other movements, and practice them with proper technique, such as preventing knees from falling inward through the movement. And because many ski injuries occur at the end of the day when skiers are tired, Holt recommends doing plyometric exercises after you go for a run.
“You need to be fatigued enough to where it’s more challenging, but you also have to be able to control it.” Holt said
Here, then, are some exercises that can help you ski better and more safely.
Wall sits
With your back against a wall, bend your knees, slide your back down the wall into what looks like a seated position, and hold that position.
You don’t only want to feel a burn only in your quads, Holt said; you want your glutes to work, too.
Make sure your knees are over your ankles. For extra credit, you can lift one heel, then the other, or you can lift one leg, then the other. Make sure your hips stay level.
Do it three times for 20 seconds at first, building up to five times of 1-minute duration.
Single leg sit to stand
Standing with one leg extended off the ground in front of you, lower yourself as if you’re sitting down, tapping a chair with your behind, then stand back up. The important thing is that the knee in the leg supporting you stays stable, not falling inward. “Don’t actually sit; just slowly control yourself down with one leg, tapping the chair, and remaining erect,” Holt said. “If you can engage your glute and use it to counter the temptation to let your knee fall inward, you will reduce your risk of knee injury.” Start with three sets of five to eight reps, working up to three sets of 15.
Single leg bridge
You can do this with your feet on the floor, or make it harder with your feet on a foam roller. Lying on your back, knees bent with your feet on the floor or the roller and your shoulders on the floor, lift your trunk off the floor using glutes and hamstrings.
You can keep your arms down for more stability or raise them to make the exercise more difficult. While holding that position, straighten one leg for 5 seconds, then the other. Make sure you don’t let your hip drop or arch your back. Try to do two sets of 12 reps on both sides.
Bridge with hamstring curl
If you have a stability ball or foam roller, lay on your back with your feet on the ball or roller, lift your trunk off the floor, then roll the ball or roller back and forward with your heels. Start with two sets of eight.