Develop Exercise Routine

The Huntsville Times
By Jonathan Zecher, PT, OCS, FAAOMPT

It starts with a gentle soreness in your lower back or quads, after your second or third ski run of the year.

By lunchtime, each turn increases the burn in muscles that haven't been used this way in months. By the end of the day, walking to the car causes screams of protest from hamstrings, upper legs and thighs, and you wonder, was skiing this hard last year?

Yes.

Skiing and snowboarding are intense aerobic and anaerobic activities, which can burn about 375 calories an hour, depending how vigorously you attack the mountain.

But your first tracks of the year don't have to leave you feeling like you're in traction the next day.

Fitness experts and ski instructors say skiers can greatly ease their transition into skiing, and have a much better season, with an exercise routine. And the time to start is now.

"With skiing, backs and knees take a lot of the stress because most of your motion comes from your hips," said Jonathan Zecher, physical therapist with Nesin Therapy Services in Huntsville. "The problem is, most people are very stiff in their hips - the majority of us spend most of our day sitting, and our hips stay static."

That lack of mobility puts more stress on the knees and back and puts the skier at greater risk for injury, he said. That can put a damper on a possibly once-per-year trip.

"If you don't realize you're stiff, and you go out to ski, your body's going to find a way to do it," Zecher said. "It's just going to find a way that breaks down the knee or breaks down the back because the hips can't do it."

Many skiers, those who bother with preseason conditioning, focus on the legs, and experts say that is important. Skiers should build up their quadriceps and hamstrings, while snowboarders should focus on calves and shins.

But experts say strengthening the "core" - the abdomen and lower back - and working on balance are much more important, whether you ski or ride.

"I certainly don't want to minimize having very fit or strong legs, but without the core, which is the foundation of the body, you're definitely not going to be at your peak in terms of physical conditioning," said Michael Ray, wellness director at the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region's downtown facility.

About 12 weeks before he plans to start skiing, Ray ratchets up his workouts, supplementing hiking and mountain biking with strength training for the torso, weight lifting on balance boards and workouts with balance balls.

As the season approaches, Winter Park, Colo., ski instructor Julie Pierce focuses on interval training, quick bursts of exercise to get the heart rate up, to mimic a day of skiing. She agrees that skiers need to work on their core for strength training, and that too many build up their quads while neglecting other key areas, such as the hamstring.

"I may not be able to leg press as much as a guy who's way bigger than me, but because my stomach is fairly strong, I can hold my own" on the slopes, said Pierce, who was Colorado Ski Country USA's instructor of the year last season.

Before the first day on the slopes, skiers should take it easy for a few days, she said. They should stretch before starting to ski, take lots of water and not be afraid to call it a day early.

Get in shape for the slopes

Cycling: Hit the trail, or a stationary bke, for a cardio workout that strengthens leg muscles, do quick intervals to condition.

Squatting: Squat and walk sideways; placing weight on the inside of your legs.

Balance: Try Pilates or yoga classes and DVDs with balance techniques.

Stretching: Stretch gently for 10 minutes before exercising and hitting the slopes.

Rollerblade or skating: Uses many of the same muscles as skiing and works on staying upright while feet are strapped into foreign objects.

More on the Web

www.ifyouski.com/health/

www.abc-of-skiing.com/ski-fitness/ski-fitness.asp
 

original article, page 2