CARING FOR ATHLETES
GET INTO TOP SKI SHAPE
Close your eyes for a moment and imagine yourself standing at the top of a snow-packed mountain, your senses filled with winter’s glory. Now picture yourself schussing down that mountain on two narrow boards traveling at 40 miles per hour, catching the blur of evergreens as you fly by. Then ask yourself: Am I prepared for the physical challenges of the new ski season? If your answer is no, it’s not too late to begin your preseason conditioning program. A balanced exercise program that combines muscle-strengthening, stretching, and aerobic conditioning, begun even two weeks before you ski, can make a big difference. Not only can such a program prevent serious injury, it will also increase your enjoyment of skiing and make learning and performing technical skills easier.
Your preseason program should begin with a thorough medical-fitness evaluation to determine any areas of weakness unique to you that may cause problems on the slopes. Any and all predisposing physical risk conditions need to be identified and remedial measures suggested. A muscular strength inbalance in your thigh for example, could lead to serious knee injury when the legs are asked to maintain proper; skiing position (45 degrees to a 90 degree angle) over an uneven course.
Four areas of fitness are especially significant to the skier and should be evaluated prior to embarking on your conditioning program: muscular strength and endurance, joint stability, muscular flexibility, and cardiovascular fitness. Muscular strength and endurance is most effectively assessed using computerized Cybex equipment, a reliable and objective testing mechanism.
A sports medicine specialist’s measurement of joint integrity can identify the presence of sound ligament stability of the major joints, especially the skier’s knees and ankles. Muscular flexibility test determines which muscles need special stretching to avoid unnecessary muscle pulls and to assure muscular symmetry. The most accurate indicator of cardiovascular fitness is a submaximal cardiovascular stress testing which determines the amount of oxygen your body uses during exercise.
Now that your personal anatomical and physiological needs have been determined, and individualized conditioning program based on your unique needs is the next step. It is important to note that your fitness evaluation and conditioning prescription be performed by competent sports medicine specialists, who are best qualified to administer the specific and thorough testing procedures while utilizing objective and reliable sports medicine equipment to explicit criteria as set forth by such creditable organizations as the American College of Sports Medicine. In addition, essential information such as warm-up instructions, cool down instructions, specific exercises, number of repetitions, target heart rate and essential state of the art educational information as related to skiing should be provided.
Of all the physical qualities you need for skiing, muscular strength and flexibility are the most important. Ski experts recommend placing particular emphasis on strengthening your legs, back and abdomen. With special attention given to developing the musculature surrounding the knees and ankles. Isokinetic weight training has proven to be the most effective method of strength development.
Just as important to the skier as strength is flexibility. If you are not flexible enough to make your joint’s full range of motion, your strength can actually work against you. Though flexibility-developing exercises should be an important part of your preseason program, continuous stretching throughout the skiing day is essential. Utilize; your time by stretching in lift lines, at the top of the run, and even on the chair lift.
Cardiovascular, or heart-lung, conditioning exercises are also vitally important to the skier, especially in the thin oxygen of high altitudes. John Jatkins, sports consultant for the U.S. Olympic Alpine ski team, recommends cycling and rowing machines as the best aerobic exercises for skiers, since they give a heavy workout to the quadriceps and hamstrings and at the same time build heart and lung fitness. Atkins suggests using a bicycle with tow clips, which will develop your hip flexors, the muscles needed for sidestepping up hills to retrieve lost poles or gloves.
A comprehensive, individualized conditioning program based upon a comprehensive and objective evaluation while directed by qualified sports-medicine specialists, will not only help you experience the thrill of Alpine skiing, but will help protect you against a season-ending injury.