Strength training for skiing - it's all about squat endurance!

If you roll off your sofa straight into your ski boots, with little or no prior fitness training, your thighs are likely to complain and your back, bum and calves may also grumble about being rudely awakened after months of inactivity.

So to ensure you get the most out of your time in the snow, and to reduce your chances of injury, do as much ski specific fitness training before you hit the slopes.

How long does it take to get ski-fit?

You should ideally kick-off your training about 12 weeks before you go. However, it's almost never too late to start, and embarking on a fitness programme, even a few weeks before your trip, will help you to ski better. A little training is always better than no training at all. Just don't expect to transform yourself from couch potato to ski-fit superhero in a couple of days!

So what should you be doing?

When you're training for a ski trip, endurance should be your focus rather than pure strength. This means doing lots of repetitions using little or no weight. Your aim is to create the toned legs of an endurance athlete, as opposed to the bulging thighs of a bodybuilder. This will enable you to spend more time on the slopes having fun, and less time massaging your tired and achy bits in your room.

What's the best exercise to do?

Squats are the ultimate ski fitness exercise. They strengthen the legs and bum, and are an easy way to mimic the skiing action and thigh burn at home. They can also help to improve your coordination and balance.

But don't just squat up and down on the spot. Create challenging squat combinations incorporating kicks, low pulses, 1-legged squats, calf raises, hops and jumps (ask an HA fitness trainer for a demo if you've not done any of these before or are a bit rusty). Try doing 100 reps using as many different variations you can think of. Then rest for 30 seconds and repeat. If counting reps doesn't work for you, try timing yourself. Keep the squats going, without taking a break, for the time it would take you to get from the top to the bottom of a run.

Increase the intensity using medicine balls, dumbbells, barbells or kettlebells. Keep going, with good technique, until you hit exhaustion. Then do another round! You should aim to do 3 good strength training sessions per week, with a rest day in between,

Get fully prepared for your ski trip by also including core strength exercises, balance, agility, cardio and upper body training into your fitness regime. The more work you put in prior to your trip, the more you'll be rewarded with exhilarating skiing, tireless energy and fun!

You may also be interested in reading the following articles before you go:

Powder Power

Getting Into Shape For The Slopes

Happy skiing,

Heather

FitFlops – Does My Bum Look Small In These?

FitFlops are everywhere this summer. From brown to bling, this season’s new range seems to appeal to most tastes, and now even men and kids can join in the craze.

I’ve been flipping and flopping around in mine for about 2 months now, and apart from some sore spots where they initially rubbed, I really love wearing them. 

However, I’m a little curious about their claimed fitness benefits. Marketed as "the flip flop with the gym built in", and that you can “get a workout while you walk”, it all sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it?  By the end of this summer, will we all be proudly showing off our trim and toned supermodel-like legs, without even breaking into a sweat…I wonder?

So how are they supposed to work? FitFlop soles have special "microwobbleboard technology" which creates instability in the shoe.  This works in a similar way to walking barefoot on the beach in that your legs and bum have to work harder to stabilize the body. This strengthens the legs in a similar way to using an unstable surface, like a wobbleboard. You’re basically wobbling your way to leaner legs and a smaller bum!

So yes, they do work your legs, but I wouldn’t go as far as to say it’s similar to a gym workout, and as you’re unlikely to break into a sweat, you’re not going to be burning much fat either. I’ve walked literally miles in mine, and haven’t noticed a difference yet.

Although I can’t help feeling that the FitFlop idea is a first-class marketing gimmick to convince us into buying some expensive flip flops, I can also see that there are some great benefits to wearing them. The cushioned sole gives you a real bounce in your step, which is great for shock absorption. They’re also very supportive and extremely comfortable to wear.

So if you’re thinking of digging out those really short shorts this summer, you may want to do a little more than just walking around the shops in your FitFlops.

All in all, I’m not convinced FitFlops are a miraculous way of getting a fab body, but they’re a great alternative to the regular flip flop. However if those short shorts are still calling you, then invest in a good pair of trainers, and head out for a fat burning run, followed by some good old-fashioned squats and lunges!


Heather

Powder Power

With a ski trip coming up, and full of inspiration from the winter Olympics, I’ve spent quite a bit of time researching the different training schedules of the top downhill skiers. As you’d expect, most of the training is done on the slopes, but there’s also a considerable amount of dry land training that focuses on building strength, speed and agility. As Chemmy Alcott, Britain’s number one female Alpine skier, says, “It takes a lot to race down a mountain at 90mph…”

Leg strength and endurance is obviously essential, and a variety of squats, lunges and lifts are used to develop the muscles of lower body. Julia Mancuso, US Alpine racer, takes this to the next level however. She doesn’t just do regular squats; she does tuck squats whilst standing on a gym ball, now that’s talented!

Balance and core strength are vital components of the off-piste training programme as they enable the skier to hold good form on the slopes. This is where the plank, side plank and back extension exercises come in. Top skiers also use wobble boards, medicine balls and gyms balls to create additional instability challenges that attempt to mimic what they do on the snow. To take this to the extreme, Lindsey Vonn, US Alpine racer, balances on a tightrope in a tuck position while throwing a medicine ball at different angles against a wall – don’t practice this at home!

Explosive and controlled power is fundamental, and off the slopes this can be practised by doing a range of dynamic jumping drills. I think the most challenging example of control I’ve seen so far is Ted Ligety, US Alpine racer, jumping from a trampoline and landing on top of a gym ball in the tuck position!

Stamina and endurance are also vital, and most top alpine skiers improve their lower body potency by doing leg-punishing hill running or cycling Tour de France style. For something a little more fun, try doing what Bode Miller, another US Alpine racer, reportedly does and push a wheelbarrow full of your friends up a steep hill!

Whatever level skier you are, working on your total body fitness prior to your ski trip will improve your overall skiing technique, enjoyment and will help to prevent injuries. Try to avoid boring gym workouts though, and don’t forget that skiing is all about having fearless fun!

Happy Skiing!

Heather