Get your legs ready for fresh pow!
Fall is my personal favorite time of year. I love all the Halloween decorations, costumes, parties, all the fall colors, treats, and best of all… the dusting of mountain peaks with snow which means ski season is just around the corner! So, let’s get started!
Follow this 30 minute (approximate) strength workout to get those calves and quads ready for the deep pow while ensuring proper ski stance!
Step 1: ALWAYS start with a 5-10 minute cardio warm up. you can go for a jog, a brisk walk, or even a short hike! Just make sure you get your heart rate at 60%maxHR.
Step 2: Let’s work into the strength training! Follow each of these reps in the circus for 60 seconds with a 15-20 second break in between. Once you finish the last rep, rest for 2 minutes and repeat.
Lunges: Start with your feet shoulder width apart beneath you this will be known as the mid-line. Take an average step forward and bend your knees until you are at a 90 degree angle at your front knee. keep your bones stacked and make sure your knee is NOT over your foot and that your back is straight. Hold for 2 breaths, stand up and return to center position and switch legs.
Skier Squats: using a medicine ball or yoga block, stand shoulder width apart at mid-line and place the object between your thighs just above the knees. Bend your knees into a sitting position keeping your center of gravity on the balls of your feet and back straight. Hold position for 2 breaths, stand then repeat.
Side Lunge Steps: Starting at mid-line, step your right foot out to the side with your left foot following and stepping behind and past your right foot. Step your left back out, and step the right behind and past the left. Repeat back and forth at a quick pace while maintaining full lunge.
Mogul Hops: Starting at mid-line, hop with both feet together side to side making sure to bend your knees into a half squat to ensure soft landing. DO NOT LOCK YOUR KNEES!
Plank Dips: Starting laying in the prone position, place your hands about eye level shoulder width apart. keeping your forearms on the ground press your toes into the ground and lift yourself off the ground. Keeping hips tucked under and core tight, roll your hips towards on side to the ground, return to prone mid-line and roll to the other side. Repeat side to side.
Skier Balance Squat: Grab your ski poles! THIS ONE IS A QUAD BURNER! This can be done with both poles, one pole or none depending on your balance, knee strength, and quad strength. Starting standing in mid-line, lift one foot off the ground in front of you. using your pole(s) as balance, squat into a sitting position keeping your foot in the air out in front of you. You might not go very low and thats ok, you don’t want to blow out your knees. Hold for two breaths, return to mid-line and switch feet. If you decide to use one pole, make sure that pole is on the same side of the body as the foot in the air.
Step 3: DON’T FORGET TO STRETCH! For your 5 minute warm-down, make sure to stretch your quads, hamstrings, calves, hip flexors, as well as anything else that needs stretching while your warming down. this will keep lactic acid from building up in your muscles and will ensure you are a limber skier.
Be sure to encompass this leg routine into your regular workout regime 2-3 times a week, for about 6 weeks prior to ski season for good conditioning.
JACQUE TIETJEN 