The return of the cold and the snow can often cause misery during the work week”waiting for your automobile’s engine to heat up enough so that you can drive safely to work and back home, having to turn on your house’s heating systems, wearing extra layers of clothing to keep warm, etc. The return of the cold and snow can also be cause for great excitement because it means that the skiing season has finally returned. This is the best time of year for skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts. For some, there is no better feeling than slaloming down the slopes. This article will outline some ways that you can get fit so that you will be ready for the slopes!
Skiing and cold weather sport enthusiasts already spend some time training during the rest of the year. Some go biking. Some go running. These are certainly great ways to stay in shape, but experts agree that the best way to stay in shape is to make sure part of your workout involves movement that you use most while you ski.
Cardiovascular Training
To be in the best shape possible for skiing, you want to do everything you can to make sure that your cardiovascular system is as strong as possible to handle the workout it will get when you hit the slope. If you have access to trails you might try going for a trail run or doing some mountain biking. If you don’t, the treadmills and exercise bikes at the gym can simulate the environment for your muscles. Swimming is another great way to work your heart. Increase your cardiovascular exercise by ten percent every seven days so that your system will be ready for the adrenaline that will rush when you head down the mountain.
Strength Training
Skiing always looks easy to people who have not done it. The reality of skiing is that it requires a very strong body. In order to be ready to ski during the snowy months, you want to do strength training routines regularly. Military presses will help you build strength as will chin ups, squats, push ups, lunges and plyometric jumps. Another good strength builder is yoga. Yoga works your muscles and helps you relax!
Core Training
A skier needs a strong core as he or she runs down the mountain on his or her skis. A strong core is what will help the skier stay strong in the face of unexpected events on the slope. Core training workouts need not last longer than ten minutes and should happen three times a week (minimum). Crunches, spending time in the captain’s chair and cable workouts are great core workouts.
Andrew Mitchell, editor of Osteopath Network, writes articles about cranial osteopathy, back pain, neck pain and soft tissue injuries. If you are looking for a London osteopath or for an osteopath in the UK please visit his website.
