Written by Vivika Stamolis, NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Nutrition Coach
Want to shred longer and stronger this season? Build strength and endurance between powder days. With a balanced routine, you can advance your abilities across the mountain. Let’s get those legs and glutes fired up for the chutes.
Skiing and riding require a lot of energy and engagement. If we want to continue to crush this season, we need to condition our muscular and cardiovascular systems with regular training. Putting in the extra effort at home will prevent injury and excessive soreness after your mountain adventure. When you keep your muscles warm, the muscle fibers are better able to smooth out any knots or tightness. That’s rad, right?
These functional exercises mimic your movement on the mountain. By practicing proper form and technique at home, you are teaching your muscles how to respond correctly in action. They’ll be primed for better control and quicker reaction time.
At the “core” of these integrated, total-body movements are your abdominal muscles. They are essential to your balance and stabilization. A solid core prevents injury because the muscles protect your back and hips. Focus on engaging your abdominals during each exercise. This becomes more natural over time, at home and on the slopes.
Here to demonstrate correct form and technique is Elise Ceccanti from Vie Athletics in Bonney Lake!
Elise Ceccanti
Growing up in a ski family I was lucky enough to compete in alpine ski racing for about ten years. Like any sport, pre-season training was critical to a successful winter. Training consisted of weights, agility and short-distance endurance training. Although my racing days are behind me, my passion for skiing, health, and fitness are not – I’m an avid weekend-warrior at Crystal, and I still take my nutrition and off-season conditioning seriously.Last fall I started working out at Vie Athletics and couldn’t believe how much I loved the workouts and what a difference it made in my skiing. Vie Athletics is a class-based fitness studio, specializing in full body strength endurance workouts and focused on empowering, uplifting, and supporting women. Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to become a coach at Vie! It’s truly an amazing community and I’m loving every minute of it. If you are looking to train for that next race or are just looking for a workout, come workout with me!
The Black Diamond Bodyweight Workout
This is a no-equipment workout for you to do anytime, anywhere, 2-3x per week. All you need is your body and your stoke. Build strength and stability while revving up your heart rate with dynamic movements targeting your lower body.
WARM UP
30 sec: Standing Knee Hugs (alternating)
20 sec: Bird Dogs/Quadruped (right leg)
20 sec: Bird Dogs/Quadruped (left leg)
30 sec: Lateral Lunges (alternating)
STRENGTH-ENDURANCE
30 sec: Squats
*Feet hip-width apart, hips back, weight on your heels, chest up and shoulders back.
30 sec: Skater Hops (Lateral Bounds)
*Lateral jump to land smoothly on one leg, slightly bent. Moderate to fast tempo.
20 sec: Lunges (right leg)
*Back knee just above ground, front knee directly above ankle.
20 sec: Lunges (left leg)
*Back knee just above ground, front knee directly above ankle.
30 sec: High knees
*Drive one knee up and opposite arm up. Fast tempo.
30 sec: Single-leg Deadlifts (right leg)
*Hinge forward at hips, extend left leg behind. Strong core, straight back. Slow tempo.
30 sec: Single-leg Deadlifts (left leg)
*Hinge forward at hips, extend right leg behind. Strong core, straight back. Slow tempo.
10 sec: Squat jumps
*Proper squat form. Jump up explosively, land softly. Fast tempo.
2 Minutes: Rest & Hydrate.
Repeat Strength-Endurance sequence 1-3 times, depending on ability.
COOL DOWN
20 sec: Standing Quad Stretch (right leg)
20 sec: Standing Quad Stretch (left leg)
20 sec: Figure Four Stretch (right leg)
20 sec: Figure Four Stretch (left leg)
30 sec: Child’s Pose
Workout complete!
High-five and hydrate. You crushed it. Remember to refuel with a healthy snack or meal. Your body needs a balance of protein and carbs to recover quickly and completely before your next black diamond. Keep up the good work! Your strength will show on the slopes.
