winter sports skiing

Winter Sports Conditioning

by Michael Benedict, Personal Training Manager

It is inevitable – like having your locker end up being right next to someone in an otherwise empty locker room – the seasons will change. And with a new season, the demands you place on your body will change as well. If you participate in winter sports like skiing and snowboarding, you know the first couple of times on the slopes can be exhausting, and possibly painful if you haven’t prepared your body.

Even the fittest individual benefits from mixing up their routine and incorporating a variety of movement-based training methods. This increases the muscle activity of lateral stabilizers and prepares the joints for the impacts of a day on the slopes. You might have hit a PR this summer running, biking or swimming, but the demands of winter sports are different.

Success can come from training for the specific demands of these winter passions. Still, I hang my hat on the way I approach the unknown. Everything starts by building a solid foundational base, which incorporates both cardiovascular and strength training. This is referred to as your “umbrella of coverage.” Build it wide and build it deep. Without a solid foundation, you will have a faulty structure that lacks the support it needs to withstand excessive demands from the elements, fatigue and the unknown.

Our goal is to help you enjoy a full winter season without injury. Consult with a personal trainer today, join one of the winter sports conditioning programs, and set your sights on the most enjoyable winter yet!