Your
body is the most important piece of equipment you will ever own.
Your
body is the most important piece of equipment you will ever own.
Musculoskeletal
Demands
Alpine skiing is an exercise
in dynamic balance. Skiers need to be able to decelerate their bodies
against gravity while maintaining balance and control, often at high
velocities. Skiers must be able to rapidly adapt to variations in
terrain, and must be able to function in all planes of movement. This
requires strength, flexibility, power, and endurance throughout the
entire kinetic chain. While most skiers focus on lower body strength,
many training programs ignore upper body strength, core strength,
strength exercises in the transverse plane, agility, and explosive
power. You are only as strong as your weakest link!
Common Muscle Imbalances
Although every individual is different, there are common muscle
imbalances seen in alpine skiers. Muscles that are commonly tight and
need to be stretched include: glute medius & IT band,
gastroc/soleus complex, quadriceps, hip flexors, pectorals and anterior
shoulder girdle. Muscles that are commonly weak and need to be
strengthened include: gluteals, VMO, hip adductors, hamstrings,
tibialis anterior, trunk stabilizers such as spinal erectors and
abdominals, posterior shoulder girdle and scapular stabilizers.
Imbalances may need to be addressed not only to improve skiing
performance, but to prevent injury.
Training Components
Components of a properly designed skiing program include flexibility,
strength training, balance and agility, plyometrics, aerobic and
anaerobic cardiovascular fitness.
Common Skiing Injuries
Many common skiing injuries occur because of fatigue at the end of the
day. Knee and leg injuries get a lot of attention, although injuries to
the thumb (bracing a fall with your hand) are probably more common.
Injuries can be minimized by skiing with properly maintained equipment
and skiing within your ability at all times.
Option 1.The most effective
option is to work one on
one with a professional Strength and Conditioning Coach to ensure that
you are doing the most efficient exercises correctly. You will first
have an assessment
to determine your current cardiovascular fitness, flexibility, and
muscle strengths and weaknesses prior to beginning a training program.
K's Body Shop will then utilize that information to design a customized
program that determines appropriate exercises and intensities so that
you can maximize your skiing performance and minimize the chance for
injury. Since there are no contracts, you can work with your trainer as
often or as little as you please.
Contact
K's Body Shop to schedule your appointment or get more
information.
Option 2. If you have a group of skiers in the Twin Cities area who are interested in having a professional Strength and Conditioning Coach oversee your small group strength training workouts, contact K's Body Shop. This is a great option for training partners to contain costs while still getting some professional instruction. Since each athlete is different, the workouts will not be completely customized, but you will have the option of discussing appropriate exercise progressions based on your abilities. Prices vary depending on number of skiers and location of sessions.
Option 3. The least expensive option is to follow a pre-designed strength and conditioning program. These programs are "as is" and do not include additional coaching. Customers simply pay for the program of their choice via PayPal and it will be delivered as 8 different PDF files via email, typically within 24 hours (usually faster) of purchase. PDF readers can be downloaded for free from www.adobe.com. All programs include pictures and/or descriptions of each exercise; such as dynamic warm-up, cardiovascular activities and intensities, strength training exercises, stretching exercises, and cool down. See sample to get a general idea of the format.
We currently offer 2 different levels of strength and conditioning programs for alpine skiers based on the athlete's strength training experience. These programs are available for purchase here or in the Program Catalog. Each program includes 5 different workouts: 2 day off-season rotation, 2 day pre-season rotation, and 1 in-season workout. Athletes who will benefit the most from this option are self motivated and already have basic weight training experience.
Please review our terms of service before purchasing a pre-designed program.
Level 1: should have some basic strength training experience, be in good health and injury free. Workouts use free weights, stability balls, medicine balls, cables, plyometrics, balance and agility drills.
Level 2: should be post-puberty with a minimum of 3 years of current regular strength and conditioning experience, be in good health and injury free. Some workouts include high intensity complex supersets, plyometrics, and advanced balance exercises.
|
Training Program |
Program Information |
Target Population |
Price |
Purchase |
|
Alpine Skiing Level 1
|
Off Season Workout A: 12 exercises Off Season Workout B: 13 exercises Pre Season Workout A: 10 exercises Pre Season Workout B: 11 exercises In Season Workout: 6 exercises Flexibility: 8 self myofascial release exercises & 18 stretches Dynamic Warm Up: 9 exercises Cardiovascular Conditioning |
Skiers of all abilities who are interested in improving their strength and conditioning for alpine skiing. |
$19.97 |
|
|
Alpine Skiing Level 2
|
Off Season Workout A: 13 exercises Off Season Workout B: 11 exercises Pre Season Workout A: 12 exercises Pre Season Workout B: 12 exercises In Season Workout: 7 exercises Flexibility: 8 self myofascial release exercises & 18 stretches Dynamic Warm Up: 9 exercises Cardiovascular Conditioning |
Skiers with strength training experience who are serious about improving alpine skiing performance or alpine racing. |
$19.97 |
If you are unsure which program is most appropriate for you, contact the trainer.
Call today and get started on a fitness program designed just for you!
