Get ready for ski season with these exercises
Editor’s note: This is the second part of the story. For more ideas check out Thursday’s Get Out page in the Daily Camera.
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.
Standing fire hydrant
If you have access to resistance bands, wrap one around your legs just above your knees and tuck your core while standing. Lift one leg, bend the knee 90 degrees and rotate that knee out and back while making sure the knee of the other leg stays in proper position, knee over foot, not falling inward. “You don’t want to lean, you don’t want that knee to fall in, and you don’t want that hip to drop,” Holt said. “For more of a challenge, move the band around your ankles.” Start with two sets of 12, working up to three sets of 15.
Plank with rotation
Planks, which are commonly performed from a prone (face-down) position, require holding the body up in a flat position using the elbows and the knees or feet. They are great core exercises, but Holt likes to add a rotation. “If you just hold a plank, that gets your core really strong staying still, but we need to be really strong with movement,” Holt said. To add the rotation, support yourself with one arm, rotate the other arm underneath your torso while rotating your body, then rotate in the other direction to a side plank with that arm straight up in the air. Start with no weight in the moving arm, adding light weights for an extra challenge. Begin with two sets of five and work up to two sets of 10 when you get stronger.
Stir the pot
With your elbows on a stability ball, execute a plank from your toes, then move the ball in a circle. This one primarily works your upper body, but it also forces you to use your hips to stabilize your lower body. Start with two sets of five circles in each direction, working toward three sets of 10.
Jump squats
From a standing position, drop into a squat, then extend your legs to jump a few inches off the ground, swinging your arms back and forward. When you land, make sure your knees are bent and that they are over your feet. “Make sure to absorb the shock of landing with your hips and knees by sinking back into a squat,” Holt said. “Another reason we see injuries in skiing is that people don’t absorb shock by bending; they land with stiff knees. You want to make sure you’re bending at the waist as you’re loading before jumping, as well as when you’re landing.” Perform three sets of 20.
Lateral single-leg hops
Hop side to side from one leg to the other, arms in front of you and elbows bent for balance, making sure you land with the knee over the foot, not falling inward. Perform two sets of 12 on each leg.
Single-leg forward hops
Start in a standing position on one leg with hip and knee slightly bent and hop forward. Just like the double leg squat, bend both your hip and knee to absorb shock correctly. ”You don’t want to overload the anterior (front of the) knee, so when you do these, you really want to load that hip as well,” Holt said. “You really need to practice it correctly. Knee in line with hip, not in or out, and you don’t want your knee going past your toes. The quad is going to be working, but you want your hip to help you absorb that shock.” Start with one set of 10 on each leg.
Lateral step down
Use a small box that will support your weight or a stair step in your house. Place one foot on the box or step. Loading that hip and bending at the knee, lower your body and tap the floor with your other foot off the box or step. “On this one you really want to make sure your pelvis is level,” Holt said. “Control is more important than power. Power is good — it’s going to make you a good skier — but control is going to make you a safe skier.” Start with one set of 10 on each leg. To make it more of a challenge, increase the height of the box or step.