Stepping Up the Pace:
Training Beyond the Gym

As the temperatures drop, it's time to get your body ready for the rigors of snow. For best results, try dynamic outdoor workouts that more closely resemble skiing and snowboarding than anything you'll find in the gym.

By Emily Miller

The best way to take your snow skills to the next level is to bust out of the gym and head outdoors for a workout tailored to your sport. The gym still has its place: Working out with free weights definitely increases strength. But the problem is that often people go through the motions and repeat the same old routine week after week, year after year. Trust me, sitting on a weight machine that supports your body is not going to build the coordination, explosive legs, and bombproof abdominals that you need to rip it up on the hill.

The Necessary Elements

Several physical elements are called into play in both skiing and snowboarding. First, both sports require great balance. Knowing where the body is in space, called proprioception, is the platform for coordinated movements. Without it, all the strength in the world is useless. Second, a strong cardiovascular, or aerobic, system is necessary for power, muscular endurance, and recovery. Muscular strength throughout the body, with an emphasis on the core muscles (abdominals and lower back) and legs, is imperative. And finally, agility is a necessary part of the equation, to bust through crud and tackle steep jump turns.

Aerobics Sans Leg Warmers

Most women would be happy to get out of the gym for their workouts, but they wonder where to start. To cover all the elements mentioned previously, concentrate on two types of workouts: aerobic sports and field workouts.

To make a wise choice of sport for aerobic conditioning, consider a term that is key in snow sports: line picking. Line picking means choosing a path as you descend on skis or a board. Once you commit to that line, focus and timing become crucial. Timing is not only a function of experience, but of strength, agility, and quickness. To work on these elements, choose sports that emphasize line picking, such as mountain biking, inline skating (for skiers), skateboarding (for boarders), trail running, and even surfing.

The benefit might not seem obvious at first, but any of those activities helps build your line-picking skills -- especially when compared with sitting on a stationary bike or walking on a treadmill. Outdoor sports build confidence and coordination while boosting your aerobic ability and agility. Besides, they're just plain fun. Outdoor aerobic workouts should be done about four times a week; less than that, and you won't be deriving enough fitness benefit.

Fieldwork

A multitude of exercises can be successfully executed outdoors. Find a park or a field and perform your workout under the sun instead of fluorescent lights. Construct a program that includes balance exercises, body-weight resistance, agility work, and core exercises. Consider training with a partner for increased motivation. Be sure to add some stretching or yoga moves into these workouts for best results.

Incorporate the following drills into your repertoire for exercise specifically targeted to snow sports:

Balance. Stand on one leg with your eyes closed, bend the knee slightly, and hold for as long as you are able. Increase the difficulty by having your partner push you while you try to maintain your balance. Try a fun twist and play catch while standing on one leg.

Strength. These one-legged squats are particularly good for skiers. Stand on one leg on a bench or a curb. Making sure your hips are level and your kneecap is in alignment with your second toe, lower your body by pushing your butt back and sitting down as if sitting into a chair. Don't bend your knee more than 90 degrees. Try one set of 10 reps. Increase to three sets of 15.

Agility. You can adapt these lateral hops for either skiing or boarding. Skiers should stand on one foot and hop side to side in a ski stance. Repeat 15 to 20 times on each leg. Boarders can stand on two feet and jump side to side for a total of 20 jumps. Focus on soft absorption at the knees and hips.

Core. Standard ab crunches are a good place to start for people with weak or undertrained abdominals. Aim for three sets of 20 to start, one up the middle and one twisting to each side. Ultimately, you'll want to progress to more difficult abdominal exercises to achieve dynamic, explosive skiing.