FITNESS Don’t slump on the slopes

TRAIN FOR TIREDNESS?Muscular fatigue can impair your skiing performance.

Don’t slump on the slopes


Personal Trainer
Paul O'Brien

Ski season is upon us and for many people a skiing trip is the pinnacle of the year. Skiing holidays really do have it all – beautiful scenery with majestic mountains, snow-filled valleys, the chance to participate in a thrilling activity, a great social scene and a very vigorous workout.
As a skier, you may have a variety of goals. As a beginner, it may be simply having fun whilst slowly improving your skiing. More experienced protagonists may want to seriously improve their performance whilst ensuring that they prevent any injury that may limit their full-blooded participation. Whatever your ability level on the slopes, you will benefit from a correctly designed training programme in the months and weeks before your trip.
A training programme for skiing should address a number of factors. One of the most important is how to delay the onset of fatigue. A day on the slopes can lead to extreme muscular fatigue and the cumulative effect of this over a number of days can lead to performance impairment and leave a skier more exposed to injury. A generally higher level of fitness can therefore ensure your continued enjoyment of your passion.
Most skiers are aware of the benefits of exercises like squats and specific core training for their sport. How should these be structured within a planned training programme though? This is where a qualified trainer comes in. A certified trainer can design a programme based on a specific anatomical and functional evaluation of a client. Such a process will help to design a programme that addresses bio-mechanical irregularities, muscular discrepancies and previous injury history.
In general terms, a training programme for skiing should also include specific core exercises that help stabilise the upper body whilst the legs perform more dynamic movements. A weak core will lead to compromised technique and the early onset of fatigue in the extremities (arms and legs) as they try to pick up the slack. Attention should also be given to balance training to prepare the body for the dynamic movements and weight shifts that occur on the slopes.
Training specific to skiing should also be included, but only upon a foundation of the factors already mentioned. Sports specific movements would use functional moves like squats and a creative trainer can adapt these to the specific needs of skiing.
Finally, imparting a basic knowledge of muscle structure and how this applies to skiing would be of huge benefit to clients, and trainers should aim to impart this knowledge at every session. A structured, specific training plan will help you to get the very best from your performance whilst decreasing your injury risk. The result is more time on the slopes, doing what you love to the best of your ability.

Paul O’Brien is a personal trainer and life coach based in Westport.