 Poster: A snowHead
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Hoping to find some expert Gym users out there who also know a bit about skiing
I have been working on a weights programme in addition to a cardio workout in the Gym for a few weeks now specifically to strengthen up (particualrily legs) for the coming season - Now I have a few questions
1 Doing well on weights programme now and feel like moving it on a bit. So do I increase the number of reps per set, increase the number of sets, increase the weight or do all 3 (Doing 3 sets of 12 reps per machine)?
2 As the season approaches is there a time when I need to ease back on the weights and go all out for longer cardio workouts (or vice versa)
3 Any other advice as to what I can do in the next 5 weeks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The basic rule regarding sets and reps is:
use heavier weights, less reps, more sets for strength,
use lighter weights, more reps, less sets for endurance.
If you continue using the same weight but add a few reps, i think you will be moving further into endurance territory, whereas if you find a new heavier weight that you can only manage 12 reps on for 3 sets you can more accurately watch your progress.
Maybe try doing an endurance day and a strength day alternating at the gym? Use high reps and light weights on endurance day and low reps and high weights on strength day.
There is evidence suggesting that free weights are more beneficial for the core and smaller stabilising muscles compared to fixed machine weights as their is a wider possible range of movement that needs to be controlled when lifting free weights. I guess this might help with skiing in terms of balance and avoiding falls. Also look into some of the swiss ball exercises designed to develop core strength.
I'm not an expert (probably fairly obvious) and im just offering advice that I've read and found useful for myself so probably best to ask in the gym whats best for you, or else a more knowledgeable snowhead may be able to help further/ridicule my advice hehe 
hope it goes well!
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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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As far asusing weights goes you are not going to drastically alter your body shape or anything in 5 weeks so i would concentrate on leg strengthening and differnt kinds of endurance. Use a cross trainer on high resistance for short periods of time and mix it with periods of low resistance. This will help build muscle strength enduance for a ski holiday. I would keep your upper body weights routine as it is for longer term benefits but remember to vary the exercises you use on each muscle.
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pm stocky who has a programme based around BOSU exercises.
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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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Kieran, what cardio regimes do you use?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Kieran, PM Stocky - he has an exellent regime! 
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10 mins warm up on rowing machine
15 mins on bike
15 mins on stepper at high resistnce and high cadence
All with HR at 150 - 160 bpm
Weight programme takes 30 - 40 minutes on top of that
Managing 4 days per week
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Kieran, again as a non-expert, I'd get your routine a bit more segregated. One day warm up and just do cardio for up to an hour, next warm up and do weights for a similar period.
I'd also get on the running machine for half an hour or so.
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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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Kieran, again, I'm not an expert, but I would do things differently again.
Every six to eight weeks you need to change your regime, otherwise your body gets used to it and it doesn't do as much benefit.
Firstly I would suggest for cardio that you do slightly longer times on slightly fewer machines in each session, somewhere like 20-30 minutes for each one. On the bike vary the program that you use, with various resistance patterns.
On the rowing machine, increase gradually to thirty minutes (don't worry about resistance it's almost irrelevant), once you can row for thirty minutes introduce intervals into your training. I do 4,3,2 for two or three cycles. Thats four minutes at a normal intensity, three minutes slightly higher, and two minutes going flat out, then repeat.
On the cross trainer and treadmill intervals work well as well, with similar settings. On the cross trainer I try and alter both speed and resistance for each interval, for the treadmill at the moment I just alter speed, however I plan on starting to introduce an incline when I'm able to do three cycles.
Make sure that you alter what you do on each machine and the order in which you do it. Don't always row first for example. Mix it up a bit, to keep your body guessing.
This is my cardio regime which I do three times a week.
On the days inbetween my cardio training, I do resistance training. Five to ten minutes gentle warm up, on my least favourite cardio machine at that time, followed by chest and hamstring stretches, but only because mine are extremely tight, not recommended for everyone. Following that, full circuits during the endurance phase of my training, split workouts during the muscle hypertrophy phase. Split workouts break down to back and biceps, chest and triceps, & legs and shoulders with a day inbetween each one. For the endurance phase I visit each point on the circuit twice and do 15 reps at each station, with a minute inbetween. When I can do two sets of fifteen, with good form, I go up a notch on the weight. For the hypertrophy phase I do three sets of eight to twelve reps of each exercise. As soon as I can do three sets of 12, I increase the weight until I can only manage eight, and so on.
On resistance days, I follow this with core muscle exercises. Two sets of 20 leg extension crunches, two sets of twenty lower back extension reverse crunches, two forward planks, two skydivers, and then one sideways plank each side.
I aim to do this three times a week.
Following every work out I do assisted and unassisted stretches for 10 to 15 minutes. Sometimes I'll go for a swim as a cool down, if I've got time, and the pool isn't too busy.
Most Sundays I rest. I'm very pleased if I make six visits a week, happy with five, and ok with four. If it drops to three or less I'm disappointed. I actually find it easier to just go every work day and Saturday, as that way I don't make excuses to myself that I'm too tired and that I'll catch up the next day, or somesuch.
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Kramer, It is time to change your signature me thinks. Good effort.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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30 mins on a rower, blimey!! What kind of distance do you cover? I manage 2000m in under 8 minutes as my target, then do 10-15 mins on a bike or x trainer!
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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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kitenski, at the moment I can just about reach 7000m, and then I fall off the rower. I aim for 24 strokes, 2.30/500m for my four minute intervals, 27strokes, 2.15/500m for my three minute intervals, and 30 strokes 2.00/500m for the two minute intervals.
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I will just add that I am still a lardy boy, as I was starting from a pretty poor level.
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You know it makes sense.
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Thanks for all the advice guys - Reading it alone has exhausted me but it has made things easier
Think I will go for the idea of lengthening the Cardio sessions ans go for endurance on the weights at this stage as there is only 5 weeks to go before ski time
PS I am still well and truly in the Lardy bot bracket after 6 months in the Gym and proud of it - It's awful to see how easily all those skinny peeps get cold when they are skiing!
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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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Kramer, What resistence level are you setting the rower on - assuming that your rower ranges from 1-10?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Hornster, There should only be 1 setting - 10
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hornster, from what I've been told, resistance on the rower makes little difference, compared to stroke rate, and overall speed. I set it to seven if I'm going to do thirty minutes, a little lower if I'm doing intervals, a little higher if I'm just doing a ten minute warm up. Every week or two I nudge it up a notch.
Even if it makes a huge difference, I think that doing a longer time on a lower resistance is probably better for you in terms of conditioning, after all I lift weights for strength.
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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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Don't forget your food regimen. Exercise is only one half of the game.
Cut your sodium intake to less than 2.4 grams per day, and you will see dramatic improvements in your lung capacity and blood pressure.
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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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I bought a bosu ball 2 months ago - my balance had been terrible, even standing on one leg wasn't that straightforward. When I first got the bosu standing on one leg on the 'easy' side was not easy. But after just a little occasional practice, normally when I'm watching TV, it is so much easier. Can now do squats etc on the 'difficult' side, and can stand on one leg more or less ad inifinitum. Whether this translates to any better control on the pistes I can only guess, but it should. Last year my instrucor was trying to get me to do one-legged traverses on a pretty mild slope - I found it almost impossible for more than a nanosecond. Hopefully it will be better this year. If not, it'll be on e-bay within a week.
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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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Hornster, I set rower at 10 and can do 15 mins at stroke rate of 31 - had never considered dropping it to get more time - Problem is that it is the only machinme that I can't drink on so 30 mins will be a big ask and if I stop to drink I know I will head for the shower
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Its your speed that is the real indicator of the effort going in. Size of the rower is a big factor. If you are of average build and fit (ish) then you should be able to notch up 5000m in under 20 mins. that is averaging just under 2mins per 500m
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Kramer, I have found that doing intervals on the rower, treadmill, bike and cross-trainer has not only helped my conditioning incredibly, but it has also reduced my cardio and resting heart rate considerably which can only mean that my endurance and stamina has also improved. The way that I do intervals is to: warm-up on whatever cardio machine i'm about to use for no less than 5min and no more than 8min on a setting to allow for a workout at 50% of my maximum work rate, up the work rate to 80% of my maximum for 60sec and then drop back down to about 35% of my maximum for 60sec (to recover) and then repeat the interval cycles for at least 3 cycles but no more than 5.
Every week or two, when my maximum work rate improves I up the resistence accordingly. I aim to do 30min of intervals (cardio) and 30min of free weights (spending more time on my quads, hams and core for skiing) and find that it has been working really well for me as I have reduced the amount of body fat mass and increased my overall muscle mass. I started off with a body fat percentage of 22% and am now down to 17% and dropped a waist and shirt size which means that I am carrying far more healthy muscle mass than before even though my overall weight loss has only been 10 pounds (given that muscle is heavier than fat) over 6 weeks.
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Kieran, I know the intention of a static rowing machine is not to perfect rowing technique, but, in general, less strokes to achieve the same distance is considered preferable, i.e. keep your strokes as long as possible. Emphasis the effort from your quads and hamstrings rather than the arms as well.
caveat: I'm unfit and not very good at rowing either 
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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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Kieran, I couldn't do that on the rower!
zammo, I think that if you're looking for CV fitness, stroke rate is quite important.
Hornster, that sounds like a good one. I think that I may swap to that when I next change my routine.
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| Kramer wrote: |
| kitenski, at the moment I can just about reach 7000m, and then I fall off the rower. I aim for 24 strokes, 2.30/500m for my four minute intervals, 27strokes, 2.15/500m for my three minute intervals, and 30 strokes 2.00/500m for the two minute intervals. |
I tried that today and managed 20 minutes on the rower, the most I've ever managed before is 10 minutes, but usually I'm bored or knackered after about 5.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Have read this lot and now feel guilty, haven't been on my Bodyglide for 2 days. Will go out now and do some. I do 40 strokes with legs down rowing, 40 strokes legs front rowing, 40 leg presses - toes up, 40 leg presses toes out, 20 x 3 various arm crunches, 20 sit-ups, 40 strokes legs front rowing + 40 more with my hands together, then 40 strokes legs down rowing. Then I'm puffed!
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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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I'm back, have done the above inc. getting changed in about 25 mins - useful things these threads - I never usually time it. Its got to be better than doing nothing. If I can manage say 4+ times a week until 8th Feb I might fair better than doing nothing.
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You know it makes sense.
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Oh, quick question ..... what about mountain biking for skiing training? Any good?
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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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zebedee, I am typing this in an interval between rowing and skiing machine spells. Whilst doing the exercise I am watching James Bond Films. Makes it a lot less boring.
I row on 7 (although concept 2 suggest that using less than this is better) and aim to do 2000 in the first 8mins 40 and keep the speed up for 20-30 mins.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Hornster wrote: |
Kramer, I have found that doing intervals on the rower, treadmill, bike and cross-trainer has not only helped my conditioning incredibly, but it has also reduced my cardio and resting heart rate considerably which can only mean that my endurance and stamina has also improved. The way that I do intervals is to: warm-up on whatever cardio machine i'm about to use for no less than 5min and no more than 8min on a setting to allow for a workout at 50% of my maximum work rate, up the work rate to 80% of my maximum for 60sec and then drop back down to about 35% of my maximum for 60sec (to recover) and then repeat the interval cycles for at least 3 cycles but no more than 5.
Every week or two, when my maximum work rate improves I up the resistence accordingly. I aim to do 30min of intervals (cardio) and 30min of free weights (spending more time on my quads, hams and core for skiing) and find that it has been working really well for me as I have reduced the amount of body fat mass and increased my overall muscle mass. I started off with a body fat percentage of 22% and am now down to 17% and dropped a waist and shirt size which means that I am carrying far more healthy muscle mass than before even though my overall weight loss has only been 10 pounds (given that muscle is heavier than fat) over 6 weeks. |
How many times a week do you go? Surely not 30mins cardio a week right?!
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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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zebedee, Yes - at home - and stopping the gym membership has now paid for all the kit...
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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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I've a good one I use as part of a circuit. I used it to replace the old "back to wall, knees at 90* and hold" thing as it's more dynamic, so good for balance too.
Small 10kg dumbell in each hand, stand on raised area one step high, lunge off it onto floor. 20 reps (10 per leg) and 3 sets.
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FAQ
When you get going fast again on the rower after going slow, it´s like a breath of fresh air.
