Winter is approaching and with it a new season of all winter sports, from skiing, snowboarding and cross-country skiing to ice-skating. All these sports have the advantage of being practised in the fresh air. We train our muscles and cardiovascular system and strengthen our immune system through wind and weather.
If the sun also shines and supplies us with valuable vitamin D, not only the body but also the mind is happy. Vitamin D is not only an important supporter of bone density because it helps to store calcium, but also contributes significantly to a good mood.
But what is the best way to prepare for the upcoming winter sports season? We strongly recommend a combined workout consisting of strength and endurance training. While the benefits of endurance training are widely known in our latitudes, strength training unfortunately still plays a relatively minor role. In addition, fit legs and a trained trunk are the trump card for winter sports! If you want to get fit, it is best to train two or three times a week, there should be a calmer day between the sessions, but on which a relaxed endurance training can be carried out. Which muscles are particularly stressed in which winter sport and with which strength exercises will you be fit for your favourite winter sport? Read for yourself, depending on the type of sport you are pursuing:
Skiing: Here is mainly a good front and rear leg musculature. To get fit it is best to train strength endurance (over 15 repetitions per set). In addition to the classic knee bend and the lunging step (depending on the training level with or without additional weight), it is also recommended to hold the static knee bend, i. e. downhill squat and to work the muscles isometrically. But not only the legs, but also the trunk should be trained, because a skier needs a good back and abdominal muscles to hold and stabilize the movements. to compensate for this. Here help especially Supporting exercises such as front, side and back support to train the middle and important deep-seated trunk muscles. Advanced users can also use unstable aids such as a BOSU Balance Trainer for leg and trunk training.
Snowboarding: Here too it is mainly snowboarding. the leg and trunk musculature (especially in the latter case) the straight, oblique and inner abdominal muscles), which are important to initiate the respective swing. If you also jump while snowboarding, you should include plyometric exercises (jumping exercises) as well as one-legged and two-legged box jumps, as well as jumps from the box (drop jumps).
Cross-country skiing: In terms of thrust, the following are particularly important here The leg muscles are important, but also the arms play an important role, because they also work hard in cross-country skiing. Last but not least, a stable abdominal and back muscles ensure that the trunk is stabilized and leg extension is supported. Effective preparation exercises involving the legs, trunk and arms are among others Burpees (a push-up-knee bend and jump combination) and Mountainclimber (a strength exercise in front support position).
Ice-skating: The inner and outer muscles around the hip joint are especially relevant here (especially the muscles around the hip joint). the abductors and adductors) as they stabilize the respective support leg. These can be excellently trained with a simple miniband by performing straight and lateral steps under traction and with high band resistance. In order to train the torso, you can alternate with conventional stabilisation exercises by using a sling trainer such as the TRX, which challenges the centre of the body in a support position with the feet in the slings.
Old” classics such as neatly executed knee bends, lungeing steps, push-ups and exercises that combine these movement patterns make you strong and fit for the winter with regular training.
Functional training equipment can bring a nice change into the workout.
For more fun, stability and safety on the slopes, cross-country ski runs and on the ice.
Furthermore, you can still win a gymnastics ball for your workout of wecarelife powered by Generali!