Pioneer Valley Youth Sports and Fitness Institute

the source for sound athletic advice

Time To Get Ready for the Slopes

Alpine skiing and snowboarding are sports that involve the entire body to negotiate a series of turns, bumps and jumps as you go down hill. Whether you’re a dedicated skier, weekend warrior, vacation rider, or compete you benefit from a strength and conditioning routine and being injury free. This article will discuss ways to make efficient use of your workout routine to be ready to go when the snow falls. 

Alpine skiing and snowboarding are dynamic in nature and are primarily anaerobic. This means that the main energy system used is the glycolytic system, which uses glycogen stored in muscle fibers to supply energy during intense activity. The characteristics of the glycolytic energy system are short, explosive bursts of energy, which cause fatigue easily, but can regenerate quickly. Therefore, in training for skiing, it is important to focus on high-intensity exercises to mimic the use of muscle glycogen and increase the time to fatigue. The characteristics of the workouts should emphasize aerobic and anaerobic conditioning, functional strength exercises, core strength, flexibility, and balance.

The primary muscles used in snowboarding include the muscles of the core, hips/gluteals, quadriceps/hamstrings, and muscles of the lower legs and feet. Skiing requires the use of the same muscles but, the muscles of the upper body are used in poling which help with balance and stabilization.

A major focus of a pre-season program should be strengthening the body in order to decrease the risk of injury. Common injuries amongst skiers and snowboards include ankle fractures, knee ACL injuries, wrist sprains and fractures, shoulder injuries, and neck-whiplash. Increasing the strength of ligaments and tendons about the ankle, knee, hip, shoulder, and wrist joints will decrease the amount of trauma that occurs when falling.

The following is a basic outline that should be performed from late summer through the start of the season.

      Fundamental Strength         Plyometric Exercises

         2-3 x per week                                             2-3 x per week

2-3 sets of 10-15 rep,s or 30 secs.               2-3 sets of 10-15 reps, or 30 secs.

- Squats               - Jumps in place

- Lunges               - Double leg cone jumps

- Dead lifts                  (forward/back, side-to-side)

- Back extensions         - Multiple cone jumps

- Core w/ rotation                (forward/back, side-to-side)

- Toe and heel raises     - Skaters (Lateral bounding)

- Push ups

- Dips

- Body weight pulls

- Balance

To help increase anaerobic and aerobic conditioning perform the fundamental strength routine in a circuit format. Use each exercise as a station and conduct that exercise for 30 seconds with a 15 second rest between starting the next station. Go through the circuit 2-3 times. Perform the plyometric movements before going through the fundamental strength routine.

At the completion of the workout be sure to conduct a total body stretching routine, this will help lengthen the muscle which in-turn will create greater ranges of motion and decrease potential for deep muscle soreness. Hold stretches for 20-30 seconds; keep away from bouncing in order to avoid muscle damage. Stretch hamstrings, quadriceps, gluteals, iliotibial band, calves, low back, biceps, triceps, and shoulders.

Len Haggerty, MA, CSCS is a Sports Performance Coach who owns and operates STRIDES Performance & Wellness, Inc., catering to youths, teams, and active adults who look to discover their athletic and functional potential. If you have questions or would want to view graphics of proposed exercises in this or any other articleplease feel free to contact Len at len@strideshpi.net.