Welcome back to the third week of the Ski and Snowboard Series. This is a progressive strength and conditioning program specific to snow sports injury prevention and performance enhancement.
Missed the earlier posts? See them here: Week 1 and Week 2
Gluteal Progresssion – Week 3
Although it is essential to perform challenging and fatiguing large muscle strengthening exercises, it is also essential to continue working on small muscle stabilizers. Keeping stabilizing muscles active during skiing and snowboarding will protect the joints and ligaments during movements involving large torques or change of direction. As explained last week, holding that crouched posture down the slopes takes endurance mixed with bursts of power. If you don’t have enough endurance to last the entire run it will be difficult for joint stabilizers to do their job during technical moves requiring quick changes of direction or bursts of energy. Here is a video of how to keep those hip rotators strong.
Start: Sidelying clam. Perform 2 sets of 10-20 repetitions or to fatigue. Make sure your hips stay stacked and that you engage your lower abdominals to prevent low back twisting.
Progress: Add resistance tubing when you can perform 20 repetitions before tiring.
Core Progression – Week 3
This closed chained progression is the best core stabilization exercise for the lower abdominals. Having a strong core that coordinate with the hips well will dramatically improve your balance and power during technical moves. The progression to dynamic rotations is even more specific for improving stability during change of direction on the slopes.
Start: Side plank. Modify to bent knees if the full plank is too difficult or if you are just beginning. Perform 3 sets of 30 seconds or to fatigue on each side.
Progress: Dynamic rotations with the upper torso. Perform 3 sets of 10-20 reps or to fatigue on each side.
Still not motivated or don’t have enough time to practice every day? Come to Total Body Fitness every Tuesday and Saturday where we will feature specific exercises geared towards snow sports fitness.
Check back for next week’s installment of the ski and snowboard series!
CPMC Physical Therapy Sports and Wellness 