With the opening of ski season just a few weeks away, Roaring Sports decided to profile some local conditioning programs that are designed to help prepare athletes for the physical demands of their beloved winter sports. But, hey, we're just a bunch of journalists over here at the Daily News, so please don't take our advice without consulting a physician before starting any training program.
Three times a week at the Aspen Athletic Club, physical trainers Jill Goudie and George Quijano run their clients through rigorous workout routines that involve cardiovascular drills, resistance training and ski-specific exercises.
"Training before skiing is very important due to the fact that the majority of injuries happen during the first day on the slopes," Quijano said.
In an attempt to reduce injuries and improve endurance, Gouldie and Quijano try to simulate as many ski actions as possible during their workouts.
"The idea is to combine strength training with a cardio workout to get whole body ready for a great ski season," Gouldie said, who has 10 years of experience instructing ski conditioning workouts. "A lot of my friends are backcountry skiers and they all said their early season experiences were just 100 percent better last year after doing these classes because their legs were stronger and their fitness was better."
On the other side of the roundabout at Aspen High School, the Aspen Valley Ski Club has over 100 local youngsters going through an array of exercises designed to help them improve their skiing techniques and improve their overall fitness.
Under the watchful eyes of trainers, the middle school-aged kids practice takeoffs, flips, twists and landings on a massive trampoline while the older students perform calisthenics drills on the track before heading into the weight room to get down on some explosive weight lifting drills.
Gene Bridgewater, AVSC's head strength and conditioning coach, stressed the importance of preseason training.
"Going out skiing cold turkey without any training puts muscles and joints at a high risk for injury," he said. "And without proper training, people are not going to be able to ski as long as they'd like to."
In an effort to reduce injuries and increase time on the mountain, Bridgewater suggests athletes perform a 5-10 minute dynamic warm-up before hitting the slopes. He recommends performing a routine of high knees, butt kicks, trunk twists and leg swings to help get blood flowing to the muscles and lubricate the joints.
Immediately following a ski session, Bridgewater advises athletes spend 15 minutes on a stationary bike and maintain a heart rate of 120-140 beats per minute to help flush out unwanted lactic acid.
If soreness ensues, Gene suggests static stretching, icing the sore areas or using a foam roller to perform a pressure massage.
Here are a few exercises to help get you prepared for what will hopefully be another epic ski season.
kai@aspendailynews.com
Workout:
Box Blasts
Technique: Start with one foot on an elevated box and the other on the floor. Stand tall, push off the box with the elevated foot, explode as high as possible, land with opposite foot on the box and repeat.
Muscles used: Calves, quadriceps, hamstrings and gluteus maximus
Benefits: Overall explosiveness.
Workout:
Globetrotters
Technique: Lay on a padded surface with shoulders and both legs extended six to 12 inches off the ground. Rotate bringing knees up to the chest while simulating passing a ball between the legs. For a more advanced workout add a weighted ball.
Muscles used: Abdominals, hip flexors, lower back and neck.
Benefits: Core strength.
Workout:
45-degree
bounding
Technique: Begin in a proper athletic stance with knees slightly bent, hips dropped, feet aligned, shoulders back and chest spread. Pick one foot up, push off the side of the grounded foot and jump 45 degrees to the front. Land on the opposite foot, gather balance without dropping the other foot and repeat.
Muscles used: Calves, quadriceps and gastrocnemis.
Benefits: Improves balance while strengthening knee and ankle joints.
Workout:
45-degree
bounding
Technique: Begin in a proper athletic stance with knees slightly bent, hips dropped, feet aligned, shoulders back and chest spread. Pick one foot up, push off the side of the grounded foot and jump 45 degrees to the front. Land on the opposite foot, gather balance without dropping the other foot and repeat.
Muscles used: Calves, quadriceps and gastrocnemis.
Benefits: Improves balance while strengthening knee and ankle joints.
Workout:
Medicine ball push-ups
Technique: Position one hand on a medicine ball and the other on the floor shoulder-width apart, while always concentrating on keeping a tight core. Perform a pushup, collect balance, put both hands on the medicine ball, perform a push up, collect balance, put the opposite hand on the ground, push up and repeat.
Muscles used: Chest, deltoids and triceps.
Benefits: Helps athletes lift themselves off the ground after taking a spill.
Workout:
Side jumps
Technique: Start with feet shoulder width apart and both arms to the side of one hip. Squat, jump laterally, switch arms to opposite hip, squat, explode back to starting position and repeat. For a more advanced workout add a weighted ball.
Muscles used: Core, legs and back.
Benefits: Increases power, agility and stamina.
