Alpine skiing fitness program

Facebook-f Twitter Instagram. Ski Racing Programs. Recreational Programs. Blue Square Black Diamond Menu. Whatever sport you take part in, it's wise to remember certain basic principles when devising a training program If it is possible to identify which of the body's energy systems contributes to a particular type of sporting performance, then it is relatively easily to train specifically.

With some sports, say the marathon or m dash, this isn't a problem. But with many others, it is not too easy to determine what percentage of the energy is being derived from which metabolic pathway. Alpine skiing is one such sport, and it may be for this reason that skiers so often ignore the specificity principle, especially in their off-snow training.

Is It An 'Explosive' Sport? Alpine skiing consists of four disciplines. There are the 'technical' events of the slalom and giant slalom, and the 'speed' events of the downhill and super giant slalom. Many people think of alpine skiing as an anaerobic exercise because it appears to be an "explosive" sport, with its rapid movements and repeated maximal contractions.

However, alpine skiing is extremely deceptive, and biomechanical analysis has shown that it is not actually an explosive sport at all, although, confusingly, this does not mean it is not an anaerobic sport. Alpine skiers demonstrate great strength when performing isometric and slow muscle concentric contractions.

When performing high-speed contractions, skiers have not done as well as power athletes such as sprinters and jumpers. This type of strength is probably a specific adaptation to skiing and not a result of off-snow weight training. Given these findings, it is not surprising that muscle biopsies show that alpine skiers do not have a preponderance of fast-twitch fibres.

Step-By-Step Video Tutorials. Advanced Workout Stats. Workout Plan Summary The alpine skiing workout program is specifically designed to meet the unique needs of a skiers. Alpine Skiing Plyometric Workout. Iso-Explosive Bodyweight Jump Squat. Workout Goals. No Reviews yet. Log in to leave a comment. Join Today! Upgrade to PRO today and add any workout into your logger with one click. Treadmill Jogging 1 sets, Pistol Squat to Bench 3 sets, 12 reps, rest. Ring Bounding 3 sets, 16 reps, rest. Wall Sit 3 sets, Standing Barbell Calf Raise 3 sets, 12 reps, rest.

Bench Press 3 sets, 8 reps, rest. Burpee Push-Up 3 sets, 10 reps, rest. Mountain Climber 3 sets, 20 reps, rest. Plank 3 sets, Side Plank 3 sets, Reverse Crunch 3 sets, 20 reps, rest. Bounding 3 sets, 12 reps, rest.

Regardless of your event, you will always need a great deal of eccentric negative strength to absorb force upon landing. Skiers should emphasize the lowering phase of the squat, lunge, and step-up exercises.

In addition, like all sports where success depends on relative strength amount of strength per body weight , a skier should have a low body fat percentage. Your relative strength will be improved by adding muscle mass and decreasing body fat. Therefore, you will have more strength relative to your body mass. Less body fat will mean less mass you will be forced to control during a ski run.

This program is dead on for what skiers require, because it addresses all the muscles and emphasizes single-limb training. Even though you ski on both legs, there are few times if any that each leg contributes equal force during a run. Increase your work capacity and muscular endurance in the squat position by holding the parallel squat "Ski crouch" for increased lengths of time.

Starting with bodyweight only, descend into a "Ski Crouch" parallel squat and hold this position. Determine a specific length of time you want to hold the position for i. Perform sets of crouches. You may need to begin with a shorter work interval and progress. You can also increase the intensity of the exercise by performing the exercise with a loaded bar. This recommendation is based on data from fitness testing of the Canadian Olympic Ski team, performed by Dr. Duncan MacDougall and Dr.

Digby Sale. The results of testing showed that there was little correlation between downhill times and aerobic fitness. However, the better skiers more often had greater leg power.

Thus, the focus of your training should be leg power, not aerobic fitness! Here is some key information from a relevant, yet technical, article from the June issue of the American Journal of Physiology Bangsbo et al.