Going Skiing This Winter? Get In Shape!

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You will enjoy your skiing vacation much more if you get your body in shape! And, you will be less likely to injure yourself! Skiing is a tough sport! Your body needs to be conditioned to properly enjoy the sport of skiing!

First off, I recommend that you adopt a "lifestyle of fitness" and not just a short "fix-me-up" exercise program!

Today is the best day to start your exercise program! Use your planned skiing trip to motivate you to start your lifetime fitness program! Procrastination is one of the biggest barriers to achievement, fitness goals or otherwise.

I also realize that you can get started exercising in different ways. The important thing is to start exercising and continue!

I'm not a skier (I prefer snow tubing or sledding) but you will have a better time on your expensive trip if you are in physical condition!

Here's a tip: you are more likely to get a serious knee injury like, a knee ACL tear, when you ski! Most knee ACL injuries occur when you decelerate, come to a sudden stop or land with improper technique while placing too much stress on your knees.

Another common mechanical breakdown is when your knees protrude far in front of your feet when decelerating, landing or squatting. This puts undue stress on your knees and often causes injury. Also, when your quadriceps are much stronger than your hamstrings, this can cause an ACL injury. Research has shown that the hamstrings play an important role in stabilizing the knee and protecting the ACL during deceleration.

Females injure their knee ACLs at 6 times the rate of males, usually because of weak hamstrings! You can reduce your injury risk by getting your body conditioned to take on the fun task of skiing!

Get your body in shape to ski with a full-body circuit strength program and interval cardio training. Training will help give your body the endurance it needs to ski. If you have not been active, get your doctor's clearance. Exercising for 3-4 weeks before your ski trip can make a huge difference! And, you will have lost some fat and weight by then!

Here are some good exercises to prepare you for skiing:

Dynamic Flexibility: side shuffles, walking lunges, side lunges, arm circles, leg swings, hip turns and various medicine ball rotational exercises

Core Strength: planks, side planks, ab ball rollouts, ab ball jackknifes, bridges, medicine ball chops, supermans, back extensions, bicycles and mountain climbers

General Strength: bodyweight squats (1-leg and 2-leg), deadlift, front lunges, step ups, bentover rows, bench press, shoulder press, triceps dips, biceps curl and calf raises

Ski-Specific Strength and Power: slalom jump rope, ski jumps, side lunges, transverse lunges, long jumps, depth jumps and squat jumps

Happy and safe skiing!

Mark Dilworth, Certified Personal Trainer
Her Fitness Hut http://herfitnesshut.com

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