As a sport skiing requires a lot of muscles to work, the main drivers being those in the legs: quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes and calves - but also the abs, back and arms. It is well recognised that muscular strength, and therefore endurance, declines with age. These are both key aspects to ensure injuries don’t occur while on the slopes. Muscular endurance in the leg muscles is important as certain body positions have to be maintained for long periods of time.
Exercises such as glute bridges and other such variations are a great way to ensure you build a strong supportive muscle that is not just useful on the slopes but also for everyday life. When performing these exercises make sure you remember to tilt your hips so that your back is flat on the floor, press through the feet and really squeeze the butt at the top. On the way down think as if you are rolling down from the top of the back down to the hips.
To work those all-important leg muscles exercises such as squats, lunges and wall sits will help to make sure they stay strong and can endure the stress of the slopes. Some key points for these movements include always having the weight in the heels, always engaging those all-important core and glute muscles.
Balance is a really fundamental life skill that will be of great benefit on and off the slopes. Another advantage of having good balance is that it really gets the core muscles fired up. When thinking about improving balance a great way to start is to stand on one leg when you brush your teeth in the morning and the other at night. Once you become confident in this you can go up a level by doing exercises with your eyes closed as sight plays a big role in balance.
Example Workout:
‘Glute Activation’
Loop Band Clamshell Bridges
Glute Bridge
Start with your knees bent at 45°, push down through your heels and lift your bum up until your hips are fully extended. Hold that position until the prescribed time has been completed.
Exercise for 30 seconds, then 30 seconds rest. Repeat 3 times.
Loop Band Clamshell Bridges
Start with your knees bent at 45°with the loop band placed round your thighs, push down through your heels and lift your bum up until your hips are fully extended, push your knees to your end range and Hold that position until the prescribed time has been completed.
Exercise for 30 seconds, then 30 seconds rest. Repeat 3 times.
Loop Band Monster Walks
Place the band around both thighs, bend your knees to roughly 30°, and push one leg out at a 45° angle with the back leg following and then repeat to the other side.
Exercise for 30 seconds, then 30 seconds rest. Repeat 3 times.
Strength
Wall Sit
Wall Sit
With your back flat on the wall and hips flexed to 90°, isometric hold for the desired time.
Exercise for 45 seconds, then 45 seconds rest. Repeat 3 times.
Box Step ups
step up onto the box and flex the hip to 90° before returning to the start position and repeating on the other side.
Exercise for 30 seconds, then 30 seconds rest. Repeat 3 times.
Walking Lunges
go into a lunge position, making sure your knee tracks over your 2nd and 3rd toe, then drive your back leg forward so hip is at 90° before going into the lunge following the same protocol.
Exercise for 45 seconds, then 45 seconds rest. Repeat 3 times.
Squat Jumps
Start in the upright position, squat down to 30° knee flexion and then jump up into the air as high as you can before landing as per the 2nd image and repeat the movement for the prescribed time
Exercise for 30 seconds. Repeat 3 times.
Proprioception
Single Leg Stand
Flex one leg until your hip is at 90°, then hold that position for the prescribed time.
Exercise for 30 seconds. Repeat 3 times.
Arabesque
Start in the upright position and while balancing on one leg, lower yourself as per the image so your leg is at 180° hip flexion with balance knee flexed at about 10 to 15°
3 x 10 reps.
Thanks to Kieron Vorster of Fit8 studios, revolutionising the industry's approach to #physiotherapy, #injuryrehabilitation, #personalfunctionaltraining.
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