Trainer Tuesdays
Welcome back to the weekly edition on Trainer Tuesdays. Make
sure to check in at our blog every Tuesday evening to learn the expertise of
our great staff.
Aside from being fantastic exercise coaches, they are also extremely
knowledgeable in many aspects of health and fitness; so, it's time that you get
to know them a little better! Each week, we will post a frequently asked, or
sometimes just a fun fitness related question followed by the answers of each
of the trainers at Fitness
Together Brecksville.
What are some good exercises that will help me to get
ready for ski season?
Here are some good exercises that will help you get ready
for ski season. We all know endurance is a big
Skiing primarily uses lower body muscles, the quads, glutes,
hamstrings, calves, inner and outer thighs. It is important to strengthen these
muscles before you head off on your trip. Here are a few exercises to focus on:
1) Romanian deadlifts. These are performed by having a slight bend in the knee and hinging forward at the hips. You always want to have the weight in front of your body. Dumbbells or a barbel can be used. You want to focus on pushing your hips forward and then returning to a standing position. This exercise will strengthen your hamstrings. Strong hamstrings help to prevent ACL injuries. Try 3 sets of 10 to 12.
2) Squat jumps.
Start with your feet shoulder width apart. Squat down so your thighs are parallel to the floor, then explode up and jump high in the air. Make sure to land softly, on the balls of your feet, before your heels touch. This exercise will help develop explosiveness in the quads and glutes, which in turn, will help you to ski fast and push hard out of turns. Try 3 sets of 12.
3) medicine ball pump squat
Hug a heavy medicine ball into your chest and lower down into a squat position. You want to stay low, while doing short pump squats ( pulsing up and down about an inch or so ). This will strengthen the quads, lower back and glutes. Try 3 sets at 1 minute each.
1) Romanian deadlifts. These are performed by having a slight bend in the knee and hinging forward at the hips. You always want to have the weight in front of your body. Dumbbells or a barbel can be used. You want to focus on pushing your hips forward and then returning to a standing position. This exercise will strengthen your hamstrings. Strong hamstrings help to prevent ACL injuries. Try 3 sets of 10 to 12.
2) Squat jumps.
Start with your feet shoulder width apart. Squat down so your thighs are parallel to the floor, then explode up and jump high in the air. Make sure to land softly, on the balls of your feet, before your heels touch. This exercise will help develop explosiveness in the quads and glutes, which in turn, will help you to ski fast and push hard out of turns. Try 3 sets of 12.
3) medicine ball pump squat
Hug a heavy medicine ball into your chest and lower down into a squat position. You want to stay low, while doing short pump squats ( pulsing up and down about an inch or so ). This will strengthen the quads, lower back and glutes. Try 3 sets at 1 minute each.
Skiing is a great total body workout! Some of the most
important muscle groups to focus on when preparing to hit the slopes this
season include the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and core. Your legs/lower
body muscles are constantly working to hold you in the proper position, while
stabilizing your continually changing movement patterns. For this reason, among
others (such as keeping your knees protected and strong), some of the exercises
I would recommend include squats, lunges and deadlifts. For an additional
challenge as you progress, you can try your squats while balancing on a bosu
ball, add an upper body movement to your lunges, or try your deadlifts using
1-leg at a time.
All of the core muscles throughout your torso are also extremely important for skiing, and play a huge role in holding your body in position with proper alignment, control, balance and stabilization. Some of my favorite core exercises include woodchops, torso rotations, planks and back extensions. Your trainer will make sure you are performing all exercises with proper form to get the maximum benefit and avoid injury. Your trainer can also provide you with more advanced progressions of the basic exercises as you improve. Consistently incorporate these exercises into your routine and you will be ready to hit the slopes!
All of the core muscles throughout your torso are also extremely important for skiing, and play a huge role in holding your body in position with proper alignment, control, balance and stabilization. Some of my favorite core exercises include woodchops, torso rotations, planks and back extensions. Your trainer will make sure you are performing all exercises with proper form to get the maximum benefit and avoid injury. Your trainer can also provide you with more advanced progressions of the basic exercises as you improve. Consistently incorporate these exercises into your routine and you will be ready to hit the slopes!
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