Shape Yourself Up For Skiing
Knowing which Ski Conditioning or Mountain Training to attend can be confusing. You may have other friends who joined a more generic class and enjoyed it or other friends who did the ‘one vomit per class minimum’ workouts. This article lays out a few rules to help you make an informed decision and know which class might be best suited for your specific needs.
If you read the Denver Post article and wanted to know a bit more about different things you can do for Ski Conditioning, you might want to check out THIS BLOG POST featured on www.BonzaBodies.com, a local fitness studio that has a forward thinking approach to ski conditioning and classes running right now!.
If you came here looking for a place to workout:
Here’s a short video clip that shows Bonza Bodies (located right in downtown Denver on 1800 Glenarm Place, a block away from the Brown Palace) and just a few of the ways we are different:
Bonza Bodies Goal Based Training Studio from Bonza Bodies on Vimeo.
While there are many programs out there that help you get ready for skiing, not all programs are built equal. Here’s what to look for to make sure you are truly prepared for skiing.
Does the program/class involve exercises even close to a skiing movement?
While spinning or yoga can make you better at riding a bike or achieving enlightenment, neither necessarily give you the strength combined with the agility and balance that is needed on the mountain when skiing or snowboarding. While there are multiple exercises and group classes that can be great workouts, the key term here is ‘relatively speaking’. That is to say ‘relatively speaking’ there are much better movements and workouts that can be done that can help get you better results other than a spinning class (just as an example. I have nothing against spinning, it’s a great workout – there’s just not that much balance being tested on a stationary bike, if you get my drift)
Is the program run by a qualified instructor who can ski and/or snowboard?
While the good athlete is not necessarily a good coach, there are way too many programs out there that are simply ‘leg-killers’ with no real purpose or forethought given to the actual physiological needs of a ski or snowboarding program. Be sure your instructor knows at least what it feels like to strap on the boots and carve up the powder.
Does the program account for special needs such as tele-mark skiing or mogul skiing? Do snowboarders and skiers get lumped into the same package?
While there are benefits from generic snow-sport-related movements, there are also significant benefits from working a muscle specifically in different movement patterns to get specific results. A short video below discusses three specific exercises for snowboarding. While the quality of the video might not be the best, the information gives some real insight into what a specific program looks like:
Whichever program you choose, remember to select a class that starts at your level or is adaptable by the instructor to your level of conditioning as you improve. I have seen too many torn acl’s as a result of people working too hard (or hard but not smart).
A new studio has opened up that features one of Denver’s best programs for Ski and Snowboard conditioning .
Just like any workout program, the proof is in the pudding. Here’s an example of one of the exercises that is commonly used for glute activation and development.
To get in touch with the studio CLICK HERE or call (720) 203 3084
Yours in Health,
Fitness By Atlas Ski Conditioning
