Hi all, I'm off skiing in february for the first time in a couple of years. In the past I've suffered from the old burning legs etc, so this year I'm determined to be prepared.
Can anyone point me to some exercises (YouTube etc) that will help me get in shape for the winter?
Ta
A
Anything that works the thighs and the core would be a good start.
General aerobic fitness is also a good idea.
Squats !! and General cardio / endurance work would be good for long day of bumps and deep powder.
This is pretty comprehensive. http://www.epicski.com/a/exercises-for-pre-season-ski-training
Now, get on the ski/snowboard thread and tell us all where you're going!
Lean against the wall, back straight, knees bent to 90 degrees. Hold still for as long as you can manage, repeat as often as you can bear.
If you've got access to a gym or have some weights at home, lots of squats and lunges.
These are a favorite of my ski trainer.. warm up for 10 minutes then...
Do 30 seconds of squat to jump (i.e squat down then jump up and repeat) then hold the last squat for 30 seconds.
Bit of core work
Then do side to side jumps and hold the squat.
Bit of core work
Then do forwards / backwards jumps
Bit of core work
Then do lunges but jump transition (especially if you're a telemarker)
Then repeat the above 3 times
The collapse
Squats !! and General cardio / endurance work
+1
DH, XC or touring? Core stability exercises useful for all of them (plank etc), and squats on some kind of balance ball/board pretty good too for the quads. Mtb can be pretty good for similar upper body workout depending on where and how you ride. Some good stretching routines are useful too. Edit- and of course tele jumps. Rotations of these these with a static core exercise and squats is a good starter.
Do what tonyd said, but without the wall.
One of my old ski instructors recommended finding a high building and doing stair climb reps.
TBH I would think cycling (especially hill sprints) would be pretty useful. Proper barbell squats would be the best gym exercise, otherwise body weight squats/lunges etc. Martial arts "horse stance" and plank are two useful isometric exercises. You haven't left yourself much time though, so you'll need to work pretty hard to see any real benefit assuming you've got about 6 weeks. Mincing along to YouTube videos for 10 minutes ain't gonna cut it.
Gym work on the legs does really help but cycling does wonders. We used to do a lot back in our racing days, but then alot of speed work too. Upper body strength just as vital.
Burning legs is more of an issue of poor technique than fitness.
Just to counter what zilog is saying, (although I'm no expert) the bike will be good for CV, but to strengthen the legs I'd be looking for resistance work, squats, lunges etc over hill work.
Do 10-15 squats, then hold the squat static for 30s, and repeat. That WILL start to burn. Hold your core tight when you squat, keep your knees over your toes. Spine in neutral position. Sod it, look on youtube for correct technique 🙂