Ski season is around the corner, which means it’s time to get your body ready before you hit the mountain. It’s vital to learn how to train your body for the slopes and recover properly to avoid any injuries.
Marc Digesti, Founder and Director of Performance at PerformancEDU, specializes in ski-specific training. With his extensive knowledge and expertise he’s created a system, Dryland Movement Program, to get adventure lovers ready to hit the mountains.
The Dryland Movement Program is broken into three phases:
- Phase 1: Foundation Phase (Finding Stability)
- Phase 2: Maintain Strength and Revisit Stability
- Phase 3: Absolute Strength
Since skiing or snowboarding involves a great deal of balance and stability, working on your foundation is key to staying injury-free. Digesti says, “If your body does not move well on the training floor, the same will be visible on skis. By improving stability and mobility in your shoulders, legs and hips, this will reduce the likelihood of injury, while increasing performance.”
A Sample Workout for Stability
Movement Preparation
- Glute Activation: Mini Band Walks Lateral: do two times for 10 yards.
- Lunge to Knee Hug: Six on each leg
- Lateral Lunge: Six on each leg
- Carioca: Do two times for 10 yards.
- Drop Squat: Six on each leg
- Inverted Hamstring: Six on each leg
- Hand Walks: Six times with full arm extension
Pillar Strength
- Single Leg Glute Bridge: Two sets, 10 on each leg
- Pillar Bridge With Hip Extension: Two sets, 10 on each leg
- Lateral Bridge With Leg and holds: Two times for 20 seconds
- Prone Arm Extension: Two sets, six on each arm
Neural Activation
- Ladder Dissociation: seven minutes
“Lateral strength work is specific for edging and pressured movements,” says Digesti.
Elasticity
- Lateral Box Hops: Three sets, 15 seconds each
- MB Rotational Slams: Three sets, six on each side
Strength 1
- DB Bench Press Alternating: Three sets, 10 repetitions
- Standing Wall Slides: Three sets, 10 repetitions
- Two Arm Two Leg RDL: Three sets, 10 repetitions
Strength 2
- Half Kneeling DB OH Alternating Press: Three sets, 10 on each arm
- Active Straight Leg Raise: Three sets, 10 on each leg
- TRX Eccentric Curls Single Leg: Three sets, 10 on each leg
Don’t forget to cool down afterwards. “Recovery is crucial, yet it is often overlooked. In fact, recovery is an essential part of rebuilding muscle,” says Digesti. Use a foam roller and stretch to maintain strong muscles. Digesti suggests, “Foam rolling can help to relieve built up fascia, which can limit the body to move properly. Static stretching helps to maintain, and even regain range of motion in joints and lengthening your muscles and fascia.”
Fara Rosenzweig is the Lifestyle Editor for Active.com. She is a fitness fanatic, yogi and runner who loves to try new activities.
