An Excellent Time to Get Ready for Winter
An Excellent Time to Get Ready for Winter
When I was much younger, I always looked forward to getting a new wall calendar for my bedroom. Each month you would look forward to viewing a different picture while you crossed off the days below. In my opinion and without exception, November seemed to always have the worst one. I am partial to November since that is the month I celebrate my birthday. One particular calendar had quotes for each month and November’s was the following: “No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees, no fruit, no flowers, no leaves, no birds, November!” (insert emoji with a sad face).
However true these words may be, I know November is a great time to get your winter fitness in motion, because before you know it, the snow will fall and you will find yourself trudging through/shoveling snow. Lugging equipment/holiday gifts and racing downhill/trying to stay upright on icy sidewalks. All of this requires the use of many muscle groups. Building and maintaining these muscles should already be built into your fitness routines. The bad news is that for many, this is not the case. The good news is that there is still plenty of time to get your body in good shape for this upcoming season. The more strength and conditioning you can do will ultimately keep your body safer from injuries and fatigue.
The following are some tips for you to get started and stronger. If you are already involved in a fitness routine, you may find some the following ideas as useful as well.
Here’s a quick, general overview of how to train for skiing:
Boost muscle power. Strengthen the areas that get worked the most: your quads, glutes, hamstrings and hips. Focus on isometric drills that build strength and muscle endurance. Be sure to balance your workouts with a focus on opposing muscle groups (i.e. quad-hamstrings or hip flexors - IT bands)
Focus on balance. Work your core and the muscles around your hips, which in turn helps provide stability to injury-prone areas such as the knees. TRX bands, stability balls and BOSU balls are excellent pieces of equipment for this. Always ask a professional for assistance if you are not well acquainted using these tools.
Build endurance and cardio. Condition your body so you can easily ski run after run without packing it in before you’re ready. Walking - or better yet - hiking the ski hills will blast your cardio and legs, glutes and core. Mountain biking is another excellent endurance builder.
Always stretch. This can be done a number of ways. Using a foam roller on your back, glutes, and IT bands is an excellent way to stretch and activate blood flow. TRX bands offer versatility and help improve range of motion. Don’t have either of these? Go with some simple stretches for your quads, calves, hamstrings and core. Remember to hold your stretch 25-30 seconds and breathe.
Demands on your body during the ski season vary greatly depending on how long and how often you ski. An important principle to remember is that you must be stronger than what your activity requires. A large amount of injuries occur to the fatigued skier who loses form and ability to react to the terrain appropriately. When that fatigue does set in, there is little benefit to pushing through it as it can lead to a disappointing injury.
Sound like a lot? Don't be daunted. A little sweat both before and during the season will lead to your ability to enjoy your sport of choice.
Kim Duke is a certified personal trainer and owner of Core Performance Fitness and Training, located at 55 Bristol Lane, Ellicottville, NY. Kim resides in Ellicottville where she raised her two sons, Zach and Nik. For more information about her studio visit her Facebook page or www.coreperformancefitness.com. Kim can be reached directly at 716-698-1198.
