Alpine skiing requires great physical conditioning. Skiers need strength, agility and endurance, but they also need tremendous balance, explosive power and anticipatory skills as they careen down the mountain. Great skiers do as much work in the gym on their conditioning and skills as they do on the slopes.
Single-Leg Squats
Stand on your left leg while holding two ski poles for balance. Extend your right leg out in front of you. Slowly lower your body by bending your left leg. Rise back up to the starting position. Do this 10 times. Then do the same movement while balancing on your right leg. This movement helps you build individual leg strength which is vital when your are skiing down the side of a mountain.
Slack Line Balancing
Alpine skiers must have extraordinary balance for downhill or slalom events. U.S. Olympic skier Bode Miller recommends setting up a slack line of rope between two trees 20 to 30 feet apart. The webbed rope should be about 1-inch wide. Walk the length of the rope and use your ski poles to help you balance. After you get used to this drill, walk the length of the rope without the ski poles. This will help you build the balance you need to carve on your edges in the midst of your run.
Lunges
Building strength in your calf muscles, hamstrings and hips is essential. Lunges will help you get your lower-body and core muscles stronger. Hold 25-lb. weights in both hands and lunge forward by bending your right knee and then returning to the starting position. Do this 10 times and then do the same exercise by bending your left knee.
Wheelbarrow Push
Fill a wheelbarrow with about 50 lbs. of stones and rocks and push it uphill. Instead of just working with static weight, this dynamic load will work your arms, upper body and core muscles. Take this load uphill and back downhill twice, take a 2-minute break and repeat the sets. This will help you build the explosive upper-body strength and power you need to make sudden movements and turns on the slope.
Member Comments