Right guy's a month exactly till i hit those slopes of europe and i need to pump these springs to the max so i can be conditioned and ready for action.
I consider myselfl fairly fit' stamina and strength are my best tools running 10 miles would'nt be much of a challenge.but as i know there are so many other exercises that i need to get to grips with. can anyone give me some idea of a programe or sequance that i can put together at the gym.
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I came across this one, its pretty effective at getting the legs in shape:
- 1 minute lunge jumps
- 1 minute 1 arm dumbell or ketlebell swings
- 1 minute bodyweight squats
- 1 minute 1 leg romanian deadlifts
- 1 minute lateral jumps
do this circuit once in first week, twice in second week, then try and get a 3rd cct in the weeks after. Tough but effective!
After all it is free
After all it is free
Renry, +1, as many as you can manage. There's not much you can do to emulate the lateral pressure from chopped and deep, so focus on general strength and fitness. Don't forget calf strength, use leg press machine flexing only ankles.
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Quote:
There's not much you can do to emulate the lateral pressure
disagree with that, there are loads of exercises which develop lateral movement and strength. how about lateral jumps, lateral squats & lunges, lateral walking with therabands /tubes for resistance, standing on old t-shirt on wooden/slippery floor in wide ski stance and slowly pulling the legs laterally in and out. Then, sideways step ups, crossover lunges, sideways shuttles runs, cariocas etc etc
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Well, my physio has just told me that I have arthritis in my knees and I need to use the leg press equipment in the gym, to get things working smoothly. Bother. Meanwhile I am stockpiling Ibuprofen for my forthcoming ski trip.
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Pedantica, you have my sympathy My knees have started to get worse again in the last week and I've made the decision today that I really must invest in a mojo. I just hope that he can fit me in before the next holiday My own fault though, I'd been feeling so much better that I'd pretty much stopped my exercises... silly, silly girl...
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.
Thanks guy's loads of info to get to grip's with i will put your info into good use.the gym is overcrowded with slight obese people trying to burn that turkey off trying ha ha i should'nt laugh
yeah i had a go on the leg press machine pushed 140kg in reps of ten should i go for maximum weight or lighter sets? and also that machine where your feet go under the bar and pushing with the fronts of the feet went well could really feel the burn
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
waiter_fisherman, Far too much dude, unless you're a really fat b@stard. Emulate the skiing rhythm; 2/3 of weight in 20-30 reps. Do some ankle flexes for the calves as well.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Quote:
the leg press machine pushed 140kg in reps of ten should i go for maximum weight or lighter sets? Very Happy and also that machine where your feet go under the bar and pushing with the fronts of the feet
leg press & extensions - OK for general working off the turkey but a waste of time for your skiing. Do exercises with movement similar to skiing, ie squats, lunges, or even better squat jumps, lateral jumps, lunge jumps - try and hold an athletic stance whilst doing them & you will be conditioning your legs in a more ski specific manner and working balance and core stability.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Michelle,
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
gra, Leg strengthening a waste of time for skiing? Controversial.
Lateral jumps, resistance work etc all very useful and have their place, I've done them all. But when I hit the slopes in December, 9 months after ACL op, I discovered than they don't really emulate the forward + lateral + twisting pressure that skiing exerts. Quads and calves, however, lasted all day and gave me confidence to keep going even when I was feeling a bit shaky after a rough run. Not saying they're usless and don't do them, but in my exhaustive example of 1 recreational but enthusiastic skier (me) I found that general exercise and fitness more beneficial than specific targeted routines. For professional skiers I'm sure many hours of specific routines are invaluable, but I have to strike a balance.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Pedantica wrote:
I am stockpiling Ibuprofen for my forthcoming ski trip.
+1
You have to love "Vitamin I"...
chemistry
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?
Well!!Swimming is the best exercise for the legs.Mostly people like the swimming for leg
fitness.Daily 1 hour exercise and cardio exercise both of these exercise much
better for health.Running is also good for lose weight and leg exercise.
the weight he uses is not that impressive for someone at his level, but what is is that he does this 4-5 times a week.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Lilledonmarco, it isn't the weight that counts, it's the reps. Lifting heavy weights adds bulk but not mass. Heavy weights are for Muscle Marys, not professional athletes
Dr John, not strictly true. i think it's better to do a mix of both.
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Dr John - agreed, I usually do around 3 sets of 8 reps at 140kgs, but, I could never do it 5 times a week...
After all it is free
After all it is free
Dr John wrote:
bulk but not mass.
Dark matter?
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Lilledonmarco, try 30 reps at 100Kg, 20 reps at 120Kg and 10 reps at 140Kg. but give yourself a decent rest period between sets.
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5 times a week
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Dr John, with all due respect mate, you're talking out your a**e - heavy weights aren't for pro athletes? I'll go tell my pro rugby and tennis players not to bother then..
"Muscle Marys", as you put it are bodybuilders - who do hypertrophy work of low weight, lots of reps. Strength = heavy weight, low rep. Hypertrophy = low weight, lots of reps. Sorry, I don't mean to be a d**k and don't know your qualifications, but you obviously have not a clue about gym training.
EDIT: gra is right - leg extensions are curls are rehab exercises as they're open chain. Fairly useless when it comes to closed chain activity, like skiing.
Rant over.
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.
waiter_fisherman, scroll down, there's a ski specific weights/cardio programme down 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
actually, I agree 100% with Joe1890 on this, 100%.
Legs respond especially well to heavy (correctly done) squats. Squats are the best excercise you can do that will strengthen not only your legs, but lower back, core, and balance. Perfect for ski pre-training.
But, they are tough and extremely effective. There is a reason why the squat rack is usually free at most commercial gyms....
Embrace the squat - just make sure that your form is good and you go deep enough.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Lilledonmarco, the squat rack is rarely free. Someone's doing bicep curls in it.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
In the process of leg injury recovery myself, not enjoying the healing process but it's got to be done!
I have been doing 3 sets of 10 lunge jumps, body weight squats and side/straight crunches. If anything, just trying to generally maintain and strengthen the upper and lower spots.
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Poster: A snowHead
was looking for a thread like this, after the christmas gorge i am back in the gym, i usually do upper body workouts as i have always naturally had strong legs and a smaller upper half ( i am about evened out now as i have been working on my top half for about a year) Not to mention i cycle 9 miles ( 4.5 each way) two and from work every say, lots of stop and starting @ traffic lights( i try to say in a high gear to really work my legs when i pull off and keep a high speed to keep the heart rate going.)
But i am looking to get my legs involved a bit more now a few weeks before my trip. I do regular deadlifts ( once or twice a week ) which are great for the legs and posterior chain. Usually 4 sets, 8 reps on 120kg. I am also doing leg workouts now, raises, lunges etc. I am thinking ( due to the vids and comments ) of incorporating squats as well. Should I combo deadlifts and squats alongside my other leg exercises or just stick with one? ( keep in mind i do deadlifts on my back workout day.)
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Lilledonmarco wrote:
As I can't post new topics (what's up with that??!!), here is a nice little clip of how the world's best skiier prepares his legs for the season...
It was interesting to see the different balancing exercises at the start of that video stepping and balancing on various soft balls and wobbly surfaces. I am sure I felt the benefit of doing something similar at home before a recent trip. I bought a "wobble cushion" from TK Maxx I think. While nowhere near the level of balance achieved in that video, I am sure there is something to be said for training your whole body to be unstable and constantly making repeated split-second micro-adjustments to being off balance. If you dont want to risk full blown tightrope walking as part of training, a wobble cushion ( or two as in that video I think ) might be interesting and relatively inexpensive. I used it for balancing on individual legs while watching TV as well as doing squats while perched on it. You are never quite stable so it wakes up and engages your core muscles around your trunk and maybe even trains your brain to react quicker in tandem with all your muscles ( legs and core muscles in tandem ) to keep you balanced - and not panic when knocked off balance by a bump....maybe. It made boring repetitive squats more interesting too - you could combine "normal" balancing interspersed with regular squats while watching TV. Another nice side effect was that it was a nice low impact activity but helped balance and strength...and maybe even flexibility too in my lower back and pelvis.
I dont think I would have dared to share this half-baked theory without seeing that video clip of an olympic champion skier doing balance exercises. I should stress that his balls seem a lot bigger and more pumped than mine. I guess thats what it takes to be a downhill racer.
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?
I'm no expert in either skiing or fitness, but it seems to me that things like flexibility, range of motion, balance, etc are far more important than either cardio performance or raw muscle strength - so maybe yoga would be a better investment of your time than weight training. Just a thought!
After 3 weeks hard skiing I headed back to the gym to find I could lift less on the leg extension machine, but the cycle machine was much easier.
But I am hoping that the leg extension machine will help build muscle around my knee and better protect me from knee injury. Am I doing the right thing to protect my knees?
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
anarski, keep off that leg extension machine. There's much less damaging kit around in most gyms.
Mosha Marc, + 1. My physio warned me off this equipment specifically.
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
anarski,
Thought I'd put in my ten cents worth: there are some fairly forthright views here!!
Their are a number of elements to prep for skiing, including a combination of cardio (aerobic and anaerobic) but you also need strength / endurance and balance( proprioception ), explosive power and agility.
Strength training is surprisingly specific. So if you do loads of leg extension you will be good at them but not necessarily good for skiing.
There is reasonable crossover between skiing and cycling.
I have seen an Olympic downhill skier with thighs almost the same as my waist unable to jump on the spot more than a foot off the ground.
That's because the quads could push a stack of weights but done in isolation ie not coupled with upper body/ trunk etc. So it is better to train in a way that mimics what you want to do hence why weight bearing exercise will ultimately be more useful, it trains the muscles as groups and involves whole body including trunk( core) and balance.
Leg extensions have a role but they can easily really upset the patella.( kneecap).
Suggest you get a PT or Strength and Condition coach to write you a varied ski specific programme.
Happy to divulge my qualifications to anyone wanting a rant about my post
After all it is free
After all it is free
"1 am stockpiling ibuprophen" it is called the silent bleeder in the trade so beware.
Can somone tell me how to copy paste with a smart phone?
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.
Jonathan Bell : thank you for the detailed response.
and yes, I will lay off the leg extensions.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
My own fault though, I'd been feeling so much better that I'd pretty much stopped my exercises... silly, silly girl...
and also that machine where your feet go under the bar and pushing with the fronts of the feet went well could really feel the burn
Dark matter?
