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Holiday Stretching - Conditioning your body
The holiday has been booked, your skis have been waxed and you can't wait to try out your new bindings. The holiday may still be six weeks away but now is the time to take action to ensure that your don't get those awful stiff legs, aching shoulders and sore back after day one of the trip.
Before you embark on the training exercises to strengthen the specific parts of the body that are most affected by skiing and boarding, you need to stretch thoroughly to warm muscles up and ensure that you get the most from the exercises themselves. These stretches (see below) should also be used to warm-down once you have completed the exercises.
It is really important to check you position is correct when performing these exercises to avoid injury. Do not bounce as you hold and remember you should feel strain not pain in the muscle.
Perform each exercise 10 times and repeat these sets until you feel your muscles are beginning to tire. Increase the number of sets as you improve.
1. Wall slide
This exercise strengthens the gluteal (bottom) and thigh muscles that are so essential for skiing and boarding.
How: Stand with your back against a wall. Both feet should be pointing forward, shoulder width apart and at least 12 inches away from the wall. Lower down into a squat position making sure that your kneecap remains over your middle toe and does not dip towards your big toe. Hold it for five seconds and then return to the upright position. Repeat 10 times.
Top Tip: Start with small, well-controlled squats and make them deeper (to 90 degrees to the floor) as you get stronger.
NB If you have injured your anterior cruciate ligament try placing a book at the back of your heel and pressing back into it while lowering into the squat. This activates the hamstring muscle behind the thigh and helps stabilise the knee through co-contraction of the muscles.
2. Thoracic rotation
As everyone who has ever done ski school knows, whether skiing or boarding it's really important to have lots of upper body flexibility so you can face down the mountain and come through those bumpy mogul fields like a pro.
How: Hold a ski pole (or broom stick) about waist height. Drop down into a squat. Keep your hips pointing forward and rotate the upper body left and right.
Top Tip: Once you have mastered this, stand facing forward with the stick behind your back and jump with your feet together, turning your hips and feet to the right keeping your trunk facing forward. Make sure you land with a deep bend of the knees to absorb the shock properly.
3. Balance
Good balance reactions while in the ski position can help prevent injuries. This exercise helps your muscles react quickly to positional changes you will perform on the slopes.
How: Stand on a cushion (or an unstable surface such as the wobble board) in the squat position with a wall to your side. Place a ball (tennis or football) on the floor in front of you. Pick the ball up from the floor and throw it at the wall. Catch the ball as it bounces off the wall and touch down to the floor. Continue for one minute. Repeat to the other side.
Top Tip: You can increase the difficulty of the exercise by standing on one foot at a time.
4. Static heel raises
This exercise allows you to build up endurance in the calf muscles and activate the leg muscles used for carving.
How: Facing upwards and standing straight, place your toes on both feet on the edge of a low step or stair. Once balanced (use a banister if unstable), bend your knees into a small squat, keeping your weight forward over your toes. Hold this position for three second and then straighten your legs. Repeat 10 times.
Top Tip: Once you've cracked this and are happy with your balance, shift your weight from side to side while in the mini-squat position.
