I’ve got five years of pre-season workouts in my archives.

I’ve got workouts just for alpine skiing. Workouts to get you in shape for snowboarding, and one killer routine to build your nordic strength and agility (that’s for all you tele-skiers).

But after five years, last year’s workout remains my favorite.

It’s quick. It’s efficient. And the only special equipment needed are inexpensive bands.

Last season, I was slow out of the blocks, so when I got together with the physical therapy team at Rocky Mountain Orthopaedics, we focused on efficiency.

And on hips. It turns out that strong hips equal strong (and protected) knees.

I’ve done this workout, off and on, all year. So here is is again…an encore of The Procrastinator’s Guide to Getting in Shape for Skiing.

Whether you procrastinate or not, it’s a good one.

Enjoy!

Let’s Go!

Warm up for 10 minutes. Ride a bike, do jumping jacks, run in place. Do whatever you need to get your heart beating and your muscles warm.

Five Standing Exercises

1. Sideways Walking. Place a band around your ankles. With your feet together and your toes forward, walk sideways back and forth across the room for thirty seconds. Pause for 5 – 10 seconds and repeat two more times.

Form notes: Keep your knees soft. Don’t lock them. Make sure your shoulders are stacked above your hips. Don’t rock to the side. Don’t lean forward or backward. Step cleanly, don’t drag your feet.

2. Zigzag Walking. Keep the band around your ankles. Walk forward in a zigzag, skating motion. Step forward and to the right. Bring your feet together and pause. Step forward and to the left. Bring your feet together for another pause. And continue, alternating feet.

Do this for 30 seconds, take a 5-10 second break and repeat two more times.

Form notes: Keep your knees soft. Stack your shoulders over your hips. Don’t lean forward or backward. Step cleanly, don’t drag your feet.

3. Sideways Walking in a Squat: Repeat the Sideways Walking exercise, but this time squat as you walk. Go for 30 seconds, pause for 5-10 seconds and repeat two more times.

Form notes: Pretend you are sitting in a chair. Make sure you can see your toes. Keep your core tight. Don’t tip forward and squat only as low as is comfortable.

4. Standing Squats. Move the band to just above your knees. For thirty seconds, do as many smooth, controlled squats as you can. Take a 5-10 second break and repeat twice. The band will keep your knees aligned and prevent them from drifting to the sides.

Form notes: Don’t hunch forward. Keep your back straight. Make sure you can see your toes.

5. Hip Abductors. Balance on one leg, with your knee slightly bent, and a band around your ankles. Move your free leg forward, and then back to start. Then move it to the side and back to start. Finally move it backward, and back to start.

Repeat this cycle, forward, side, back for 30 seconds. Switch legs after a 5 second pause. Repeat the entire cycle with both legs two more times.

Form notes: Keep your standing leg knee slightly bent and your core firm.

Two Lying Down Exercises

1. Side-lying Hip Abductors. Lie on your side with your hips stacked, as if a rod is connecting your hips to the ground. With your lower leg bent at the knee, keep your top leg straight, raise it as high as is comfortable and then lower it. Repeat for 30 seconds, pause for 5-10 seconds and then do two more sets. Repeat the entire sequence with the other leg.

For more challenge, pull your top leg back so that your shin is touching the lower heel. Keep your hips aligned and do the above exercise from this position.

Form notes: Focus on keeping your hips aligned. Don’t roll forward or backward. Keep the top leg straight.

2. Single Leg Ab Reach. Start on your back with one knee bent and your foot flat on the floor. Lift your free straight leg up and then pull it back toward your chest before extending it out again. It’s kind of like riding a bike with one leg, but you’re moving your leg in and out, not around in a circle. Repeat for 30 seconds, take a 5 -10 second break. Do a total of three sets with each leg.

Form notes: Keep your back flat and tight. Don’t let your free heel touch the ground.

Cool Down and Stretch

Save a few minutes at the end of your workout to stretch your calves, quads and hamstrings.

Many thanks to Bryan Whitesides and his PT team (Brenda and Shelbi) at Rocky Mountain Orthopaedics for developing, and demonstrating, this workout.

More Ways to Get In Shape:

Get in Shape for Skiing and Snowboarding, October 21, 2013.
Get in Shape for Ski Season, October 24, 2012.
Get Ready for Ski Season in 15 Minutes Per Day, October 13, 2011.
Getting In Shape for Skiing (Alpine Skiing, That Is), September 14, 2010.
Getting in Shape for Snowboarding, September 16, 2010.
Getting in Shape for Telemark and Cross Country Skiing, September 15, 2010.

© 2015 – 2017, braveskimom. All rights reserved. Any use or publication of content, including photos, requires express permission.