With Emily Sarsfield And The SkiA Ski Trainer
Emily Sarsfield, Britain’s top ski-cross athlete and seven-time British champion, should know a thing or two about getting fit for skiing. And although pre-ski preparation is often low on the priority list for those of us who only see skiing as a once-a-year holiday, the exercises she recommends aren’t just for pros – recreational skiers will reap the benefits too.
Emily recommends a mix of cardio and strength exercises, at intervals of 2 to 3 minutes, with a slightly shorter break in between. Plyometrics (jump training) are great for this as they combine both disciplines. Try the following jump squats…
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, bend your legs slightly and keep your back straight. Then jump upwards, reaching as high as you can as your feet leave the floor.
Land squarely in the same position as you started with both feet flat on the floor, lowering your buttocks back and down towards the ground. Swing your arms back and repeat the first step, starting with 20 repetitions and working upwards as your fitness increases.
Lunges are another obvious and essential ski preparation exercise to get your lower body in shape. Get set to lunge with one foot forward and the other foot back, knee to the floor. The thigh of your fore leg and the shin of your back leg should be parallel with the ground. When ready, jump upwards, switching leg positions in mid air and then landing as low as possible. Repeat as many times as you dare!
Exercises like these can be made even more effective when combined with SkiA Ski Trainers. These highly effective balancing tools simply strap onto your ski boots and can be used by any ability of skier for practice on dry land. The trainers enable you to work all your skiing muscles simultaneously, exactly as you do on skis.
Pilates and yoga-based exercises are also excellent for strengthening your core prior to skiing. The plank – as demonstrated by Emily below – is often used in yoga as part of the sun salutation sequence and is a great way to build endurance in the abs and back. Lie face down on the floor, resting on your forearms with palms flat on the ground. Push up off the floor, raising onto your toes and resting on your elbows. Keep your back flat, in a straight line from head to heel. Do not allow your buttocks to raise or sag! Hold for between 20 to 60 seconds as your strength increases and repeat several times.
You can also try side lunges. Rise up off your elbows as if getting into a press-up position, then raise one arm and leg in a straight line, and repeat on each side.
Another Pilates exercise that Emily recommends is the shoulder bridge. This combines several dynamics with a constant control level and two distinct tempos. It’s great practice for using your pelvis as a power centre for jumping through those mogul turns.
Lie on a mat and press-up into a ‘bridge’ position.
Hold this pose, then raise alternate legs off the floor, keeping your pelvis still, with only your shoulders, head, arms and other foot still touching the floor.
Begin these exercises around 12 weeks before your time in the mountains begins. Trust us, you will never underestimate the benefits of pre-ski exercise again!
