Winter seems to be an off time for exercise. The dark hours and cold climate make finding motivation to exercise quite difficult for some; however, rather than let the climate pause your strength training routine, manipulate the situation to work for you. Last winter I wrote an article about the great ways to actually take advantage of the snow and slush, and how to incorporate it into an exercise routine. While snow removal, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing are all great as core workouts, alpine skiing is by far the most intense strength training one can do in the snow. So this winter put the hot chocolate down, and hit the slopes to tone your core!
While it is advised to be relatively physically fit before attempting to downhill ski, it is not only referring to the ability to balance and move your legs. Downhill skiing requires a lot of physical strength and works out the legs, arms, glutes, and more importantly, core muscles. Alpine skiing is not only exhilarating, but it is a great way to build solid core strength and tone abs. During the summer it is advised to begin doing leg and core workouts in preparation the first ski of the season. Many trainers recommend abdominal resistance and lower back resistance workouts done for about an hour, a few times a week. This will put the runner in great shape to hit the slopes at the start of the season.
While on skis, downhill skiing uses all of the core muscles, and it is a sufficient workout. Specific ski workouts are also available in many areas. A workout on skis can be challenging, as it focuses on short bouts of intense physical activity. Using different techniques and pole positions, specific strength workouts can be completed to work out the upper body and core areas. Downhill skiing is great for this, but cross-country skiing can also be a great activity for core strength training. Paths with a slight incline provide resistance, which offsets the slow speed of the skis. Workouts on skis should last about an hour, but a day out on the slopes or on cross-country trails naturally provides an all-encompassing workout period.
The key in most ski workouts is the repetition and the intense bouts of physical activity. After a day out in the snow, most skiers can feel the burn in their core, leg, and arm muscles. Even if not in the best shape, it is easy to get started with a ski workout routine. After four months out on the slopes, there is no doubt that you will have an amazing beach body to debut in the spring. So, this winter, find the nearest ski area, rent some equipment, and try out a ski workout. If a gym-based core strength workout doesn’t work to woo you, the exhilarating race down the slope sure will.
