Have you prepared yourself for skiing?
Injuries are common on the slopes not just due to the speed and slippery surface but because skiing uses completely different muscle groups to the conventional exercise we undertake for most of the year. Doing some simple preparation in the weeks leading up to a ski trip as well as doing exercises while on your holiday can help improve your ski performance and help avoid strains and aching joints.
Strengthen your weakest side:
Pretty much all skiers have a weaker turn direction - partly because most of us are naturally left or right handed. This causes problems once you start skiing outside your comfort zone, skiing faster, steeper or away from the piste.
The weaker turn comes down to a series of potential muscle imbalances or tight structures, mainly centred around the hips and legs, for example, one hip might be more flexible than the other or the muscles in one leg stronger. A skier's ability is limited to what their body can physically do - increase the power and range in your weakest side and you'll improve your skiing.
Exercise 1: Single leg squat:
Standing on one leg: bend the knee and stick your bottom back as if sitting into a chair. Ensure your knee stays in a straight line- so it doesn’t move across the body and ensure the hip does not move out to the side. Repeat x 30
Strengthen your Quads (front of thigh muscle)
Quads training is an often neglected element of strength. The quads work in two ways on the slopes. Not only do they help straighten the knee but also control it from a straight position into a bent position. This slow release is called eccentric strengthening and is a fundamental part of ski training. (The quads are not worked eccentrically in cycling – it is the hamstrings that bend the knee when cycling.)
Exercise2: Step Downs:
Doing step downs off a step is a perfect way of working your quads eccentrically. Make sure your knee is in a straight alignment. Start with 30 reps and add weight when it begins to feel easy to do.
Strengthen your glutes (bottom)
Next, work the lateral hip muscles (the gluteus medius). There is no sport that relies on external hip rotation as much as skiing does, so the importance of training these muscles cannot be underestimated.
Exercise 3 The Clam:
Lie on your side with your hips and knees bent up to 60 degrees. Keep your ankles together and your hips steady as you lift your top knee, like a clam opening and closing. You should feel the muscle working in the outside of your buttock. Repeat 30 times.
*The quadriceps and gluteal muscles are the main power muscles used during skiing. These can also be trained with exercises such as lunges, split squats, step ups and deep squats. Try not to use wall squats, which can translate into skiing with weight on the heels.
Stretching
Stretching is a very important and often overlooked component of training for the winter sports season. Skiing use a wide range of movements that are sporadic, sudden, and potentially stressful for muscles and ligaments. Make stretching a part of your training routine and before and after a day on the mountain, will significantly reduce the likelihood of soreness and injury.
Exercise 4: Hip Flexor stretch:
From a kneeling position place your left foot flat on the floor in front of you with your foot slightly forward of your knee. Keeping your back upright shift forwards on your left foot, holding spine in neutral position, (not arching) until you feel a stretch on the front of your left hip, then hold for 30 seconds and repeat for the other side.
Exercise 5: spinal Twist- Increases range of motion through back, hips, and stomach muscles:
Lying on mat, lift right leg straight up from hip then lay it over to left side without letting right shoulder come off of ground. Hold for 5sec, Repeat on each side 10 times
Exercise 6: Calf stretch:
From a standing position about 3 feet away from a wall, place your hands against the wall and step forward with your right foot. Keep your left leg back, pushing the heel into the ground- yu should feel the stretch in your left calf. Hold for 30 sec and then repeat on the right leg
If you experience any form of discomfort or pain during any of the following exercises, stop the exercise and see a physiotherapist for help.
Sources:
https://www.active.com/fitness/articles/get-fit-for-ski-season-6-week-workout-plan-pt-1?page=1
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/ski/advice/Ski-fitness-how-to-get-fit-for-the-slopes/