The snow is falling across North America. Time to put away your large donuts and double whipped mocha and go into your closet. Take out your ski pants and see if the button does up. No? Then you need to get SKI FIT.
MAXIMISATION
Maximisation is not a term that means making sure you eat ALL the fries and ALL the salad that comes with your steak. It refers to 'getting the most out of your holiday' and in particular, it means that you make sure your general fitness levels get you down as many ski runs in the day as you can fit in. Not just half way down and then puffing. Leg burn is a beautiful thing that tells you you're working hard down a hill, but if you come away from your ski vacation regretful that you weren't that little bit fitter read on below.
COLD TURKEY and EXTREME MACHINES
Getting ski fit doesn't mean you enter a marathon if you're usually a couch dweller. It means stepping up in moderation what you'd usually do. Taking the stairs instead of the lift, drinking soda waters in between vinos and cutting back on the fags, if you're that way inclined. Having said that, Since reading David Gillespie's book 'Sweet Poison' two weeks ago I have gone Cold Turkey on sugar and fruit juices. Let's hope the information in that book is enough to put me off sugar-related food for life.
TOP 10 SKI FIT EXERCISES
You don't have to join a gym, all you need is a towel or a yoga mat, a wall, some weights (can be milk bottles or bags of rice) and a strong desire to get a few more runs out of your ski vacation. In no particular order here's Betsy to show us how it's done:
SKIPPING
With or without a skipping rope, in front of the TV or to music, skipping is an oldie but a goodie for a cardio workout, improving general levels of fitness and testing out your pelvic floor muscles (women only).
WALL SIT
Great preparation for 'thigh burn' coming down those runs. See if you can hold for 30 seconds, then 1 minute. Great for in front of the TV or on the phone, especially when you're on 'hold' to India.
LUNGES
Walking lunges or lunges on the spot. Great thigh burn preparation. Sets of 10 on one side then swap over. Feel it now or feel it when you're with your friends on the home run in a blizzard. Your choice.
SUMO SQUATS
Hold something heavy in a wide squat. Ball, small child, washing basket, pot plant (ok, maybe not).
Do some sets every day. Feel that stretch. Ahh, hurts so good.
SIT UPS
Another oldie but a goodie. Great for core strength and for holding on tight skiing along a cat track in an area above your ability that leads down to a ravine. With bears. Variations on sit ups could be twists, crunches, lower half crunches or holding a weighted object to your chest for added resistance.
TRICEP DIPS
You won't regret this preparation when you come off a chairlift and have to push yourself along a flat area to find something worthy of skiing down. Otherwise known as 'arm burn'. Find a step or raised area and do some sets. Keep your hands not too far apart and your feet not too far from the body.
STEP UPS
Likewise, find a stepped up area (bench, stair, deck) and do ten step ups on one side then change legs. Great for thighs.
PLANK
MAXIMISATION
Maximisation is not a term that means making sure you eat ALL the fries and ALL the salad that comes with your steak. It refers to 'getting the most out of your holiday' and in particular, it means that you make sure your general fitness levels get you down as many ski runs in the day as you can fit in. Not just half way down and then puffing. Leg burn is a beautiful thing that tells you you're working hard down a hill, but if you come away from your ski vacation regretful that you weren't that little bit fitter read on below.
COLD TURKEY and EXTREME MACHINES
Getting ski fit doesn't mean you enter a marathon if you're usually a couch dweller. It means stepping up in moderation what you'd usually do. Taking the stairs instead of the lift, drinking soda waters in between vinos and cutting back on the fags, if you're that way inclined. Having said that, Since reading David Gillespie's book 'Sweet Poison' two weeks ago I have gone Cold Turkey on sugar and fruit juices. Let's hope the information in that book is enough to put me off sugar-related food for life.
TOP 10 SKI FIT EXERCISES
You don't have to join a gym, all you need is a towel or a yoga mat, a wall, some weights (can be milk bottles or bags of rice) and a strong desire to get a few more runs out of your ski vacation. In no particular order here's Betsy to show us how it's done:
SKIPPING
With or without a skipping rope, in front of the TV or to music, skipping is an oldie but a goodie for a cardio workout, improving general levels of fitness and testing out your pelvic floor muscles (women only).
 |
| Can't beat the old skipping for cardio |
WALL SIT
Great preparation for 'thigh burn' coming down those runs. See if you can hold for 30 seconds, then 1 minute. Great for in front of the TV or on the phone, especially when you're on 'hold' to India.
 |
| Wall sit. Use those thighs and core muscles |
Walking lunges or lunges on the spot. Great thigh burn preparation. Sets of 10 on one side then swap over. Feel it now or feel it when you're with your friends on the home run in a blizzard. Your choice.
 |
| Walking lunges. Thumbs facing forwards helps keep the shoulders back. |
SUMO SQUATS
Hold something heavy in a wide squat. Ball, small child, washing basket, pot plant (ok, maybe not).
Do some sets every day. Feel that stretch. Ahh, hurts so good.
 |
| Add a bit of resistance. So said Che Guevera anyway... |
SIT UPS
Another oldie but a goodie. Great for core strength and for holding on tight skiing along a cat track in an area above your ability that leads down to a ravine. With bears. Variations on sit ups could be twists, crunches, lower half crunches or holding a weighted object to your chest for added resistance.
 |
| Sit ups, abdominal muscles in action. |
TRICEP DIPS
You won't regret this preparation when you come off a chairlift and have to push yourself along a flat area to find something worthy of skiing down. Otherwise known as 'arm burn'. Find a step or raised area and do some sets. Keep your hands not too far apart and your feet not too far from the body.
 |
| Your triceps will thank you if you need to push away with your poles to escape angry bears or bunyips. |
STEP UPS
Likewise, find a stepped up area (bench, stair, deck) and do ten step ups on one side then change legs. Great for thighs.
 |
| Find some stairs, a bench or other raised surface. |
PULL -DOWNS
Great for those arms, in anticipation of pushing against the snow, pulling kids (or friends) who have fallen down and need a pull up. Use some nylon panty hose and stretch them around a pole, pylon or post. Feel that resistance as you pull your arms away.
 |
| Go Betsy, Go. |
PLANK
If you have not witnessed the 'planking phenomenon' of 2011, where have you been? It's been all the rage with hoodies, hooligans, footballers and C grade celebrities worldwide. They've all just been getting ski-fit, that's all. For you to do it, you'll have to do a bit better than Betsy here, she's doing the Sydney Harbour Bridge with that arch in her back. Take the weight on even forearms, with core muscles held in tight, body straight like a plank of wood. Can you hold it for 30 seconds? After a few sessions you can build it to 1 minute. Your abs will thank you.
QUALIFIED FOR WHAT?
What makes me qualified to give all these tips on getting ski fit? Apart from about 1000 circuit and gym classes, absolutely nothing so don't bother suing if your panty hose get tied in knots around your yoga mat. You are entitled to throw a snow ball at me, if you can catch me first...I'm off to do squats. See you on the hill.
 |
| I said STRAIGHT! |
What makes me qualified to give all these tips on getting ski fit? Apart from about 1000 circuit and gym classes, absolutely nothing so don't bother suing if your panty hose get tied in knots around your yoga mat. You are entitled to throw a snow ball at me, if you can catch me first...I'm off to do squats. See you on the hill.
