Anybody know any good stretches or exercises to get in shape for skiing?
admin | July 18, 2010 | 9:24 am
Published in Ski Exercise Routines
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About Me
Hi, my name is David Watson and I'm a downhill skier. I live near Moonlight Basin in Montana. I'm huge into fresh powder, moguls and AIR TIME!
I put this site together because I have a bunch of buddies who kept asking me how I had the stamina to ski so long every day that we go out. I thought that maybe some of the information I know and I've found could be useful to other people outside of my little circle of friends. I've also done some research on good workout routines that can help you become a better skiier. I've sifted through the junk to find the best of the best. Enjoy the site!
I hike in my heavy hiking boots more this time of year to build up stamina in my legs. If you don’t have heavy boots, get some ankle weights. Weigh your ski and boot together and make your ankle weight the same. Go climb some starirs with that on your legs and you’ll burn calories, and build up some nice muscle.
Almost any leg routine on a weight machine will be good, but don’t forget the stomach muscles. They matter too.
I do a lot of squats and stretches. Knee strength is important as is total flexibility. Stretch EVERYTHING before you ski. If you fall it will help if your upper body is stretched out too. Trust me on this.
I can’t stress the focus on the knees enough. With the advent of shaped skis in the 1990s and the higher ski boots as well, ACL and MCL injuries have soared in the past 10 years and broken legs are almost unheard of on skiers. Weight, resistance, squats…they all will help build up the muscles around your knees.
Case in point. I tore my ACL in 2006. I couldn’t ski down the rest of the trail because I couldn’t turn. I could walk though. Some people can’t even get back up. I went to the doctor a week later. I thought it was just a bad sprain…the MRI said otherwise. The doc told me the reason I could walk was due to the muscle mass around my knees. I did some PT and wear a brace now, but had no surgery. I ski three-four times a week. No problem….thanks to strong muscles.