 Poster: A snowHead
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Can any of the fitness gurus around here recommend a set of exercises to improve core strength? I'm sick of my torso flopping around like a rag doll whenever I hit the slightest bump on piste or off. Getting to the gym on a regualr basis is unlikely, so a beginners guide to some exercises I can do at home using a gym ball would be particularly helpful.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Is it a Swiss ball? 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| parlor wrote: |
| Is it a Swiss ball? |
It is, but now it lives in London so should it be known as an ex-pat or perhaps a refugee?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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there are whole books....
Lisa Westlake's "strong to the core" has all the exercises explained and then little workouts mixing and matching various exercises...
for playing...
lie on floor... feet on ball.... lift hips.... draw knees in towards chest on left side... extend... towards chest on right side.. extend... continue.... (20-30 reps)
work on kneeling on ball... start all 4's then work up to kneeling on knees... then start waving arms around... eg wave with one.. then the other.... spina hula hoop on one arm... then transfer to the other.... round the neck... throw a smaller ball(light) and catch it.... throw a medicine ball... Know you are a star... place ONE(only ever one) foot on the ball... so you are on a knee and a foot.... replay all the above tricks....
then there are pikes, push ups, side raises, etc....
enjoy!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Adrian wrote: |
| Like the crab exercise I did in PE when at primary school. If possible put head on floor. Well, that is what the instructor wanted. Good for stretching the whole front of your torso! |
Ah, the heady days when I was that flexible.
Actually, I just tried it and, to my complete surprise, I could do it.
I couldn't get up again though and had no choice than to roll off sideways...into and onto the the nicely stacked pile of stuff to be put away. 
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Adrian, Intermediate Swiss Ball Exercises ?
don't tell SZK he'll shoot you for using the I-Word !! 
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Do Salomon do Swiss Balls?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Odin wrote: |
| Adrian, Intermediate Swiss Ball Exercises ? |
It is intermediate - both PhillipStanton and I are somewhere between managing the exercise and falling off.
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rob@rar.org.uk, Here's one... I'm doing it now.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I prefer Swiss Rolls.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| laundryman wrote: |
| I prefer Swiss Rolls. |
So do I, but sadly I think that's part of the problem rather than part of the solution
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I also do a lot of free weight exercises on a Swiss ball with dumbells. You use less heavy weights, since you have to use your core to balance on the ball whilst completing the exercises. 'Bench' press, flys, shoulder press, dumbell rows. Lots of possibilities, and you are always working your core.
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You know it makes sense.
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rob@rar.org.uk, hey rob - a tad hungover today so just about managed to re-write this ECA article from an old BASI news for you..."When we started using fitballs during upperbody sessions with the British Team, I remeber all the guys complaining that they couldn't lift the same weights. A few months down the line and they were not only lifting more weights but had fewer injuries and had massively improved their core strength at the same time.
You can do all your normal upper body exercises either sitting on the ball, lying over it with your feet on the ground or in a suspended bridge position. Start off with a much lighter weight than normal and try not to wobble on the ball. To do this you will need to tighten your core muscles whilst doing all the exercises - this is really important!
Using the dumbells try the following whilst sitting on the ball..shoulder press, bicep curls......whilst lying over the ball try....supermen (edit this I've now worked out is as it sounds (I think), act like caped crusader and assume the flying position), reverse flyes (edit...still no idea what these are), tricep extensions - in the suspended bridge position try...dumbbell press, flyes, tricep pullovers.
There are so many different exercises and I recommend experimenting with them all. You may not feel like you are lifting much weight but you really will be targeting the particular muscle groups and your core at the same time. You could try these pushups on the ball and once they become easy try using 2 balls. If you can beat 14 reps let me know and I'll get back into training - love a challenge! (edit so far her record is fairly safe with my efforts)
Emma has written several excellent pre-season training tips for BASI. Thanks Emma.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I do a circuit once a week that an ex-army pti helped me devise.
After a fifteen minute warm up on the stationary bike I have three excersises I do on the big squash ball things to start the circuit - you could try them.
1. Basic squat thrusts with feet on ball (ie pressup position, and draw heels up to bum then straighten legs). 20 reps, three sets.
2. Basic sit up/crunch with weight. (Sit on ball with 10kg weight held in hands at arms length above head. Crunch as far back and forward as you can). 12 reps, three sets.
3. Lie on back. Hold ball between feet just high enough to stop it from touching floor. Keep shoulders/upper body flat to floor, but rotate the ball/hips 90* to one side then the other. There and back counts as one. 12 reps, three sets.
Interspurse the reps with each other so there is no rest period as such. Nice and slow, keep the form good.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| marc gledhill wrote: |
| ... three excersises I do on the big squash ball things to start the circuit - you could try them. |
BTW - is that similar to a shuttlecock?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Play squash, thats my training for sking.
Lots of twisting for core strength and flexibility. Lunging *sp - squating for all those drop shots at the front of the court increases ancle,calf and thigh stamina. General overall fitness that squash brings = longer time on the slopes.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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First point: make sure you get the right size gymball. Go to the Wiggle site (key `Wiggle` into Google).
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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First point: make sure you get the right size gymball. Go to the Wiggle site (key `Wiggle` into Google).
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Call me old fashioned but if you want a strong core then any good all round stamina routine will do the trick. If you really want to keep it simple just try good old press ups, sit ups, curls, crunches, burpees etc in other words the kind of (nasty) exercises that football clubs, rugby clubs and the military have been using for years.
I am a bit sceptical about some of the various innovations that gyms keep introducing. In recent years we have had spinning, boxercise, Swiss balls and the list goes on. In my view these are all a means of bringing variety to a training regime and may help keep some people interested who otherwise would not be, however I still think the simple old exercises are just as effective for the average recreational athlete.
No pain no gain and all that.
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richjp, You are old-fashioned
Hermann Maier uses Swiss Balls. He isn't even Swiss.
They aren't a fad, they just make you use your core muscles when doing ordinary things.
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When I am on the exercise bike I make a point of not touching the handlebars.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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rjs, I do that on my road bike from time to time!
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flicksta,
I did refer to the "average recreational athlete" and the Herminator hardly falls into that category.
An additional point is that I feel many people are only prepared to spend a limited time on exercise, therefore I think it's best to do a good all round general routine rather than focus on specific muscle groups.
I have played sports for many years and am a keen skier. I have always used running first and foremost as I believe aerobic conditioning is the basis for most sports. I then top that up with a gym stamina circuit just to ensure that I have a bit of upper body strength. In other words I try and get the basics right and anything else is a bonus. In thirty years skiing for example I have never trained specifically for skiing.
You are right - I am old fashioned. 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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richjp,
I agree with you, almost. I believe your approach is extremely sensible, but doing stomach crunches on a swiss balls is first of all better for your stomach, and better for your core. Press ups are the same.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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richjp, flicksta, Thought I'd add my 2p worth... I find gym-ball exercise very useful, because it helps me build flexibility as well as core strength. I do some form of aerobic exercise as well (usually cycling)
This increased flexibility helps me ski a bit better.
On a recent BASI course we were told the most effective exercise to prepare for the speed test is Olympic weight lifting...
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| ski wrote: |
| On a recent BASI course we were told the most effective exercise to prepare for the speed test is Olympic weight lifting... |
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You know it makes sense.
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ski, Check out current fitness testing threads on MSS.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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TBH I find them to be a load of big balls 
I think they are a fad too, If you want to improve your core a few sets of Proper controlled sit ups and abs work will do the job with out all the faffing around on the ball.
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Poster: A snowHead
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easiski, (sorry to be dumb) MSS ?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| richjp wrote: |
Call me old fashioned but if you want a strong core then any good all round stamina routine will do the trick. If you really want to keep it simple just try good old press ups, sit ups, curls, crunches, burpees etc in other words the kind of (nasty) exercises that football clubs, rugby clubs and the military have been using for years.
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actually it can be possible to be FIT - like really fit.... and have zippo real core strength...
My physio was telling me about a footballer(aussie rules -very fit) that came in with back pain.... when they stuck the ultrasound on him to track muscle activation he was TOTALLY incapable of activating his transverse abominus(??? sp have I it right??) ie the deepest abdominal layer that people actually mean when they say CORE.... ditto his matching muscle in back... hence he was using his great strength but not stable before using it (yes he could do push ups situps etc)... hence hurting self....
the fitball/core thing comes from some study by a couple of aussie physiotherapists that discovered activation patterns in muscles were not as "expected"(shove people so they have to recover by pulling towards the back and they still use stomach muscles first) and then followed that inot peopel with pain.... I had the story of the whole original research from the physio while being played with....
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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PILATES!!!! The tranversus abdominis is too deep to be strengthened by ordinary situps, they work the obliques and rectus abdominis. http://www.easyvigour.net.nz/fitness/hpilatesintro1_2.htm shows how it can help lower back pain, but it is a reasonable illlustration of the muscles involved.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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helen the trouble I have found with pilates is the variability of teachers....
if you already know what you are doing it is fine.... but many people have no idea... and I wonder if some of the teachers have much more....
case in point I went to the physio here re some pain,,,, three months later I was still in pain and she decides I have no core stabilty.... Funny says me I have been tested repeatedly by physios at home and because I have been trained to do core stuff I in fact do it quite well and I do regular stuff so am reasonably strong - well until the irish physio had banned me from ALL exercise.... NO says the irish physio - I have core issues(she has doen no testing to arrive at this conclusion just decided this) ... so she send me to pilates classes her colleague is running.... short version of the story - it makes it WORSE... (now a patient with back pain had told me this happened to her and I was wondering HOW pilates is making it worse ... lo and behold I am in same situation)
I make an appointment and see the physio at home - 3 appointments later I am pain free(5 days to be exact).... better still he listens to me tell the story and proceeds to say "huh" - he has had me in the physio gym(it has a gym and a pool being rehab facility and sports injury place as well) and knows I was quite strong in core.... So he gets out the ultrasound... Doing the PILATES "teacher" from irelands stuff there is no isolation... doin it as i have been taught I activate and isolate just fine... ummmmmm so why was I taking that class?
Summary - I am back allowed to do all the stuff I was doing before(once I manage to regain the strength I have lost)...
Moral of story - not ALL instructors have equal value... and simply reciting a little "dogma" does not mean the student is doing the RIGHT movement...
(small aside - i was actually stronger- corewise- than many in the class ... as other students find me wandering around pain free they are curious how and why I have improved while they are still in same states they started... and as unsure as ever what they really should be doing)
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| easiski wrote: |
| ski, Check out current fitness testing threads on MSS. |
Can you link to it, I can't spot it.
Ta
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This mornings gym ball class was mostly about balance.
1. Hold the ball above your head. Lift one leg and stand still. Move the ball to one side. Hold. Move to other side. Hold. Swap legs.
2. Stomach on ball, limbs stretched out but not stretching, feet about 1m apart touching floor, hands about 1m apart touching floor. Lift one leg up, point its toes, keep leg and spine in a straight line. Hold. Swaps legs. Similar but lift both legs up. Similar but raise arms rather than legs. Similar but lift left leg and right arm (pretend to be Superman or Superwoman). Swap. Lift all four limbs and balance on ball (I failed on this one).
3. Hold the ball above your head. Squat down, knees apart, buttocks to heels, weight on toes and balance. Lift one leg of the ground (failed on this as well).
4. Facing down, thighs on ball, hands on floor, head body and legs in a straight line parallel to floor, knees up to shoulder width apart. Lift one arm above head, parallel to floor.
5. Knees and shins on top of ball, hip width apart. Body vertical. Hands and arms as requred for balance!
Enjoy!
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| Adrian wrote: |
| 2. Stomach on ball, limbs stretched out but not stretching, feet about 1m apart touching floor, hands about 1m apart touching floor. Lift one leg up, point its toes, keep leg and spine in a straight line. Hold. Swaps legs. Similar but lift both legs up. Similar but raise arms rather than legs. Similar but lift left leg and right arm (pretend to be Superman or Superwoman). Swap. Lift all four limbs and balance on ball (I failed on this one). |
Not to be done immediately after lunch
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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One of the ladies did comment about too much breakfast, the class started at 10am. There were other comments about too many frosties and four eggs, or perhaps it was to much fosters and 4x?
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FAQ
