OK Snowheads, I'm not very knowledgeable about anatomy, exercise, etc. so I barely know where my quads are! However I know from experience that mine could do with a little work before our trip this year.
Can anyone recommend some exercises to help me strengthen them a bit before I get on the skis?
Thanks in advance
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Squats and lunges, many variations of both. Google a routine you're comfortable with.
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?
Squats and lunges and lots of them!
Start without weights, then increase weights.
Once you get bored and your strength is up, give pistol squats a go (good luck!)
DON'T do pistol squats unless you want to damage your knees.
Exercise bike with moderate resistance probably best of all. Most people's quads get tired more than suffering lack of strength. Exercise bike will work on both of these very effectively.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Squats on a Bosu ball - works your core and stablity too. Do sets increasing the time held in the squat.
I know from experience that mine could do with a little work before our trip
Why?
Thigh burn?
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@Lauka,
How old are you?
What is your exercise/training history?
Are you carrying excess weight?
Male or female?
After all it is free
After all it is free
Richard_Sideways wrote:
Squats on a Bosu ball -.
'I'm thinking of taking up boxercise' - ' Right, you need to get in the ring with Tyson Fury and let him beat the crap out of you.'
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If your quads get excessively tired (e.g. you can't do the whole of a long blue run without stopping) it could be technique. Lessons might help - if your technique is good, with weight stacked on your skeleton, rather than having your weight a bit back, your quads don't have to work so hard.
And if you find squats on a Bosu ball difficult, don't worry...... so do most of us.
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
@Mollerski, a squat on a bosu ball flat surface down shouldn't be beyond most people, especially if they've warmed up a bit.
Jump lunges are excellent for simulating quad lactic burn, but only if your reactions (and knees) are up to the job and you warm up first with some normal lunges.
Pistol squats using TRX straps are a good compromise for non-assisted pistols.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@Dr John,
I've been training for 20yrs. At this time of year I include legs in every session and that bl**dy ball is well beyond me.
How about we establish the condition/experience of the OP and maybe start them on the floor?
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Tue 15-12-15 10:29; edited 1 time in total
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.
@Mollerski, ha, fair enough. Are you Frank Spencer in disguise?
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Dr John wrote:
@Mollerski, ha, fair enough. Are you Frank Spencer in disguise?
I'd do a great impression, attempting to squat on a beach ball.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@Mollerski, I use a Bosu flat side up for one legged balance. And very gentle one leg squats (hardly worthy of the name. More of a very slight dip )
Your problem is probably balance/proprioception rather than leg strength. Try standing on one leg when you get the opportunity. For example I twice spent 15 minutes queueing in the post office yesterday (yes, disorganised....) I alternated legs for that time. I'm sure nobody in the queue noticed - the unweighted leg only has to be lifted a tiny bit. I didn't dare try with eyes closed though - I'd have had that queue down like dominos.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Here's a good collection of simple workouts for skiing purposes. I specifically have gained benefits of the single leg squats. It trains the exact spot where I get tired the most, just above the knee, inside. Keep your heel off the floor for even better results. But like others have stated, it is depending on your skiing technique as to where you need more strength and stamina. Mine is far from perfect.
Excellent video and wow! Serious quad power.
Some may say that is it's technique, not quad power that's required. It's interesting that pro athletes have quads like redwoods aswell as technique!
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?
Quote:
Some may say that is it's technique, not quad power that's required. It's interesting that pro athletes have quads like redwoods aswell as technique!
Of course they do. But for your average middle aged once or twice a year recreational skier, technique is probably more important, for what they want to do. But time spent strengthening the legs (not just quads, hamstrings and glutes are also important and calf stretches too) is very well spent.
If your quads get excessively tired (e.g. you can't do the whole of a long blue run without stopping) it could be technique. Lessons might help - if your technique is good, with weight stacked on your skeleton, rather than having your weight a bit back, your quads don't have to work so hard.
+1 to what I was leading to.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@Mollerski, sounds like you're mistaking a Swiss ball for a Bosu ball... nevermind at least you've found out after 20 years...
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.
@rob@rar, pah! Only about 50Kg on there
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
OK, that's Didier Cuche and he's just managed a bit of a downward twitch. How the heck are the rest of us supposed to do anything worthwhile on those stupid things?!
I'm more than capable of wrecking my knees in the gym without looking a total t!t, poncing about on flying saucers!!
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Guys, gotta be honest but squats on a bosu ball, especially with a loaded barbell like above is one of the most idiotic things you can do! it will not help with balance, you will just hurt yourself!
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
pam w wrote:
Olen tehdä joka aamu ennen aamiaista
Hyvä! Minä myös!
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Thanks guys, need to go through and process more of this, but yes, I know my technique needs considerable work and I have lessons booked but want to be proactive and do what I can before going - I only have one week so want to make the most of it! Someone recommended quad conditioning may help me put less stress on my knees, which I where I actually feel the pain.
In case anyone is about to suggest it, no I can't have lessons before I go because I am geographically challenged.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Mollerski, I'm mid-20s, female, I wouldn't say I'm carrying excess weight (about 5'5", almost 9 stone last I checked). I don't really work out but I walk a lot and swim reasonably regularly. I would say my weakest area in fitness terms is cardio as my strength/weight ratio compared to others - excluding gym bunnies - is quite good.
The only equipment I have access to are weights (and yoga mats) and I can't afford a gym membership.
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?
Normal squats will do fine. Have a look at a youtube video to make sure you do them right. Jogging or cycling will help with cardio - even in a week you can see a bit of improvement.
@Mollerski, I'm mid-20s, female, I wouldn't say I'm carrying excess weight (about 5'5", almost 9 stone last I checked). .
OK, sounds fine. Obviously photos will be necessary to make a full assessment.
The thing is IMV, do this, do that advice on here is not of much help if not done correctly, with good technique and gradual development. You could potentially do more harm than good squatting with weights with poor technique. My advice would be, if gym membership is not an option, hire a personal trainer to assess you and your requirements and write you a programme to suit you, your lifestyle and the equipment available to you. One or two sessions should suffice to get you going and fine tune technique. Mucking about with a handful of dumbells in your living room is likely to go nowhere without a decent programme.
Or, as Pam says, get on your bike. Any CV work will help build your stamina and improve your lactic acid tolerance, but a Sunday morning saunter around the park will do little. It'll need to be 3 times a week min and you'll need to up your breathing and heart rate every time.
Full depth barbell squats with the equivalent of body weight on (including) the bar should a good target to work up to starting from low weights. Supplement with some walking lunges and time on the bike
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Thu 17-12-15 12:42; edited 1 time in total
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Batman_123 wrote:
Full depth barbell squats with the equivalent of body weight on
Love it! Let's just destroy her back and knees and that'll put the ski fitness concerns to bed.
After all it is free
After all it is free
building up to that level over time will not destroy her back or knees...you missed the part where I said it was a good target to work up to. That's the sort of weight that a fit person of that kind of age should be able to work up to.
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@Batman_123,
We have a female bodybuilder in our gym, who has just won a national comp. She's in incredible shape, she's not squatting her own body weight. We're talking years to get to such a level, not a few weeks. Poorly executed squats are a surefire route to injury.
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@Mollerski, what utter utter rubbish. It should take a fit young woman about 6-12 months of training to be able to squat her bodyweight, so it's a good target to have in mind as a skier.
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