Get Ready For Your Best Ever Ski Season
Before you get to the ski fields and put on your giro ski helmet, you should rewind and make some preparations to get your fitness and muscles in shape for the demands of skiing. Some ski preconditioning will make your winter season more enjoyable and reduce the chance of injury.
Skiing is a particularly demanding sport and you need a combination of aerobic fitness and muscle control to do it well. If you go skiing without working on your body beforehand, you might be more likely to get sore muscles and be in pain or even experience injury.
The most difficult part of preconditioning your body for an excellent ski trip or season is getting started. You may have to be strict on yourself at first, but if you get into a routine with the exercise it will soon become a habit and you will easily stay on track.
By combining cardio exercise with a muscle workout routine, you will be in top shape when it’s time to head to the ski fields. Cardio fitness training will build your endurance so that you can get the maximum time on the piste and get the most out of each ski run. Cardio building activities include cycling, jogging, running, roller blading, dancing and jump rope.
You should do cardio around three times a week. If you have not been doing much exercise prior to starting, you should take it easy and gradually build up your endurance. Do not go too crazy at first or you will end up with sore or torn muscles and put yourself off the whole experience. Set yourself goals and gradually increase the goal posts. You can strap on your black sport watch and use it to measure your time or your distance.
To get the strength you need to perform on the slopes, you should include muscle strengthening exercises in your preconditioning workout. Having more muscle strength at your disposal will lessen your chance of injury, allow you more control and improve your balance. Muscles for you to work on are calves, hamstrings, shoulders and back. As well as strengthening them through weights or weight-lifting exercises, you should also seek exercises to stretch them and make them more flexible.
If you get organized with your preconditioning workout prior to getting onto the ski fields, you will be able to rip it up throughout winter without having to endure sore muscles or injury. This will make the winter much more enjoyable and you will also have the endurance to stay out all day.