Skiing is a fantastic sport, as it works not only your entire body but also your lungs. This intense sport leaves skiers often burning 350 calories per hour. There are some tips and tricks to build up resistance and strength in the sport to prepare for the exceptional season ahead.
Increasing Your Stamina
Perhaps one of the most important factors in skiing is breath control. In highly elevated areas, the lack of oxygen can come as a shock to some. To build up your resistance to thin air, it is essential to increase your stamina through exercise. Exercises specifically used to improve stamina include biking, hiking, or running at a constant, steady pace. If you can increase your heart rate for 150 minutes a week, you should be set for the elevation you may face. Strive to do this 5 out of 7 days of the week.
Keeping Up With Leg Day
Typically, longer runs are met with skiers stopping on the side to relieve the burn in their thighs and calves. Strong legs are a necessity in skiing to prevent this situation. Lunges are the ideal exercise to use to build up leg muscle. Lunges also work on knee stability which is very significant in skiing. Quick, energetic legs are also necessary when skiing terrain such as mogul or narrow runs requiring quick turns. To practice that, stair exercises are a great option. Athletes sprint up the stairs at their max effort before jogging back down. This is said to be repeated until athletes can no longer keep the same pace.
Additionally, around 20,000 skiers suffer from ACL injuries annually, according to The Institute for Arthroscopy & Sports Medicine San Francisco. Hamstring exercises, such as squats, help prevent ACL injuries among skiers.
Developing Core Strength
Core strength is vital to increase stability when riding over rough terrain. Simple exercises include push-ups, planks, windshield wipers, and any other core exercises that you can complete 2-3 times a week.
Skating
Although skating may not seem like the usual dryland training, this activity can improve many essential factors in skiing. Skating is a good simulation for skiing, as you can practice carving turns and stopping sideways. Skating can improve your balance and help you practice angles within turns. This unusual activity will initiate the same muscles you use while skiing.
With ski season approaching quickly, it’s essential to be ready to hit the slopes. These drylands exercises will prepare you for the season in no time!
