You may wonder what hip hop dancing and skiing have in common. The answer is both utilize plyometric moves. Also known as jumping exercises, plyometrics improves agility and balance while strengthening quadriceps, glutes and hamstrings. Many plyometric exercises that can help you get in shape for the slopes are hopping and jumping moves. And the strong beat and rhythms of hip hop music provide an energetic background for a plyometric ski workout.
Plyometric Principles
Plyometrics builds power through explosive moves. This involves moving from a stable position, such as standing with both feet on the ground, and pushing or jumping forcefully into another position, such as into the air, or jumping from a bench to the ground. Repetition of these kinds of moves helps increase agility, power and reflexes. For a skier, this means being able to respond quickly to changing terrain as you move down the slope at speed. For the dancer, this means responding quickly to the changing beat of the song.
Hip Hop
Hip Hop dance routines mix fluid and sharp moves in combinations to form dances. Take out the fluid moves and transitions and many of the remaining sharp moves, especially jumps, are plyometric moves. Rapid changes of body position and explosive jumps work the body in the same way as exercises targeted to skiers and other athletes.
Exercises
The simplest plyometric exercise for skiing involves jumping from side to side, your legs moving while your upper body remains relatively still. This mimics the moves you make with quick, sharp jump-turns on a steep slope. Skiers also practice level changes, jumping from a bench or box to the floor and back up again, as fast as possible, many times in a row.
Risks
According to New York University's Langone Medical Center, plyometric exercises carry a greater risk of injury than some other kinds of exercises. Plyometrics places strain on the joints, especially the knees. In order to minimize risk, do these exercises for short bursts of time, and don't do them every day. Stretch before you begin exercising, pay attention to good posture and wear supportive shoes.
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