It’s Snowing… Is Your Body in Ski Condition?
We’ve all been there: the snow falls, we lace up our boots and enjoy an amazing day on the slopes or at the Nordic Center. All this to painfully discover those muscles that we haven’t used in months. With the snow already falling, now is a perfect time to get your body toned up for the ski season.
The best way to avoid misery, and injury, is to condition your body for the season: make regular exercise a habit. Here are the key ingredients to a regular and successful exercise routine.
Build Endurance:
Cardiovascular strength might be the key to longevity; it’s health benefits are enormous. Endurance fitness programs should be on your exercise agenda 3-5x/week*. Endurance activities include: jogging/running, stairmaster, step aerobics, elliptical trainer, rollerblading, hiking, and skiing/snowboarding (when you’re ready for it). The idea is to get your heart rate elevated for a sustained period of time- 20-40 minutes depending on the activity.
Build Strength:
Skiing uses every muscle group in our bodies; some more than others. That’s why we tend to get so sore after opening day. Strength workouts should include strengthening exercises for your Quadriceps, Hamstrings and Glutes, Inner and Outer Thighs, Calves, Abs and Back, and Arms. Try pairing muscle groups so as not to overwork any one area: for example, try legs and back one day, arms and abs another. Strength training should be done 1-3x/week*.
Don’t Forget to Stretch:
Stretching, to many, is a “take it or leave it” kind of thing. But, it shouldn’t be. Stretching is one of the most important aspects of a good exercise routine. “Stretching increases flexibility, improves range of motion, improves circulation and can relieve stress,” state the experts at the Mayo Clinic.
Shoot for regular exercise, an hour a day/4days a week. In fact, it doesn’t have to happen all at once. You can get short bursts of exercise in as well, exercise that can be just as effective as an hour long class at the gym. WebMD offers great tips for “Exercising at Your Desk. Just do it with intention.
There is no doubt about it: a regular exercise routine will benefit you for all of the seasons of your life. If you don’t have one- there’s no better time than Now to start. Call a personal trainer, head to the Rec Center, or try one of the numerous- and excellent- gyms in Durango.
You’ll be ready for this Ski Season before you know it.
*Endurance and Strength Training routines/times will vary from person to person. It depends on one’s health, fitness level, experience, goals, and method of training. For the absolute best course of action for yourself: seek the advice of an experienced personal trainer.
