skiing fitness

Psydeshow

So between one thing and another I've ended up with not one but two weeks of skiing in January (I know I know, it's a tough life ). In the meantime my gym has been completely flooded.

So I'm just wondering if people can give me some pointers for gettin fit for skiing. I'm in decent enough shape but just looking for something so I can max out my time on the slopes and not spend the first few days gettin over stiffness and leg pains.

Stretches/running/ cycling/ bodyweight lunges I dunno what do y'all do or recommend?

Nice one

EileenG

I personally recommend lots of cycling, especially on hills, to build fitness and leg strength. Also lots of bodyweight squats and lunges (try jump squats), and some balance work. Do some stiffleg deadlifts or good mornings to strengthen hamstrings.

Psydeshow

Nice one. The cycling I can do (live at the top of one hill, work at the top of another, so thats covered). Had figured deadlifts and squats would be good but the ol gym is still recovering from it's watery escapades so I'll have to find something at home to dead lift with. Might go across to fitness see what they say.

Thanks, enjoy the snow

EileenG

Squats and deadlifts are good for just about everything, they are the ultimate in functional exercises. For skiing, you need strong hams as well, which can be a weak point for a lot of people, so a hamstring exercises is good.

bcirl03

Cycling cycling and more cycling

olaola

I posted my routine in another thread, but for beginners and for snowy conditions (mogu-ully) getting your quads up to scratch will go a LOONNNG way for comfort & stamina.

Don1

My method is, screw it, just go, burst it out of it, drink away the pain, then use the next days first run to stretch! Recover when you get home!

am i bovvered

Don1 wrote: »

My method is, screw it, just go, burst it out of it, drink away the pain, then use the next days first run to stretch! Recover when you get home!

Did you get that method from the Paul Gascoigne fitness DVD

Fattes

If your thigs are burning you are probably sitting back to far on your skis! No amount of fitness will help improve your technique

Psydeshow

Don1 wrote: »

My method is, screw it, just go, burst it out of it, drink away the pain, then use the next days first run to stretch! Recover when you get home!

Yeah I adopted that approach the last few times, and fun though it was I decided I might pay lip service at least to a more organised approach. I also have to hit the ground running at work when I get back, so gots to have some kind of energy left.

(been doing my cycling and all sorts of squats the last few nights, means I walk like a bit of a cripple/old man but heres to hoping it'll all be for the good Just keep imagining those long, uninterrupted, runs....)

olaola

ARG! I've been sick for the last two weeks, so haven't done a tap. And now I hurt my foot so I can't start back running either.

EileenG

Can you cycle or climb stairs? Failing that, try sitting with one leg extended in front of you. Hold it out, and tighten the muscles all round you knee as hard as possible. You'll feel the effort all up your thighs. Do for 10-30 seconds, then switch legs and repeat.

Calibos

First of all, I don't know why I am even browsing the Skiing forum. After a house move and renovation I doubt I'll be able to afford to ski again for a couple of years :(

I'd be in the Don1 camp. That method has always worked for me. I am not particularily fit, have a bit of a belly on me, worried that I should have prepared a few weeks previously for each of my 3 ski holidays with exercise, never bothered me arse each time, but was able to ski from the opening of the slopes in the morning till the slopes closed in the evening every day of every holiday.

I dunno, maybe I have good stamina, leg musculature and balance from standing on my feet behind a counter for 6 or 7 hours a day in work and maybe thats enough.

Should clarify that I am an only an advanced intermediate at best and stay on the pistes. I probably wouldn't have the stamina to really go for it on a fast red or black or be throwing myself around off piste.

Last Feb in Livignio was an eye opener for me. Hadn't skied for 7 years, put on a stone or two since the last trip, was definately not as fit. Worried I'd be the slow coach of the group as the rest had been skiing every year for the last 4 years. Turns out I found my ski legs within about 60 seconds. Was skiing at my previous level in 120 seconds, remembered the last thing my instructor had said 7 years previously and actually put it into practice for the first time and in about 500 seconds I was skiing like I had never skied before. By noon I had no problem keeping up with my mate who is a qualified snowboard instructor. It was everyone else that were the slow coaches, I was worrying over nothing. No more using the full width of the red and zig zagging down. I was carving fast down a 10ft wide strip. Woohoo!!:D

It was fattys comment about thighs burning that reminded me of this. Now that I think of it I remembered that my thighs didn't burn ever on the last trip unlike the two previous trips. So leaning forward more and putting more weight on the front improved my technique and eradicated the thigh burn.

I had such a great time last trip, I vowed I would never leave it 7 years between trips again...Gutted when I came across this forum, was reminded of my vow to myself and my realisation that I won't be able to afford to go again for a year or 3

davmol

Ive given up muay thai til after xmas and i think ill give spinning a shot to improve my stamina and build up the quads and hamstrings.I woudnt recommend squats with heavy weights or to build up too much muscle on the legs as more muscle =more lactic acid id imagine.Ill be going for more stamina based workouts and pints at teh wkend for alochol tolerance so i can enjoy my holidy to the full

Psydeshow

davmol wrote: »

Ive given up muay thai til after xmas and i think ill give spinning a shot to improve my stamina and build up the quads and hamstrings.I woudnt recommend squats with heavy weights or to build up too much muscle on the legs as more muscle =more lactic acid id imagine.Ill be going for more stamina based workouts and pints at teh wkend for alochol tolerance so i can enjoy my holidy to the full

Alcohol tolerance I got covered!

Had just started to get into Boxing before the floods in Cork destroyed me gym. But was really feelin my fitness levels pick up thanks to it. Half the reason I posted the topic was cause I didn't want to loose the gains I'd made with the boxing. A bit late now anyway.

Been doing the squats away, don't reckon you could build too much muscle based entirely on bodyweight stuff could you? going for tolerance and what not at the moment (lots of sets of lots of reps). also the flooded gym limits my access to weights.

really startin to see the gains in my cycle to work now though, so hopefully that will translate to good skiing.

olaola

I was thinking of some spinning myself. Finally got back to the gym, still coughing like a dying horse though. Getting funny looks

davmol

Psydeshow wrote: »

Been doing the squats away, don't reckon you could build too much muscle based entirely on bodyweight stuff could you? QUOTE]

No doing body weight exercise wont build up too much muscle.you 'll hit a plateau with the amount of muscle youll build up doing body weight squats,i was referring to some people ,lke a friend 2 years ago,who went mental on squats(with increasing weight),leg extensions and hamstring exercises on the machines mostly.Build up a grand ole set of legs but got those lactic acid burns in them and cramps most days when skiing any prolonged length of time.Ive a decent base from muay thai-lots of skipping etc so i think spinning will just add that extra push i need.

am i bovvered

balancing on a exercise ball is good... http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ZiT6vjksQjI/SLAu2p6NcxI/AAAAAAAAAG4/S41MS19kfzM/s400/balance+ball.jpg

Psydeshow

Well I'm back, and I survived injury free! the ol squats and leg work deffinately helped me to survive the two weeks.
The only weak spot I had were my ankles, my right in particular started to complain towards the end of week 2, out of interest has anyone any suggestions on how to strengthen this? or is it just a case of bad technique?