Revving Up Intensity For Our Five Basic Exercises.

[Editor Note: Last month, we reprised a set of baseline exercises focusing on legs and hips as part of a get-ready strategy for this season’s snow sports activities that was originally published in 2016.  This week, our exercise guide, physical therapist, certified strength and conditioning specialist and teleskier Rick Silverman, shows us how to up these exercises to the next level. As with any exercise plan, make sure you don’t overdo it; recognize your limits. If you have any issues or complications, please check with your medical advisor. In a couple of weeks, we will show you the highest intensity level for these activities.]

Static Quad Wall Sit

We used to do this in our college freshman dorm as a macho challenge. Sit against the wall, legs at 90 degrees.  You can use a ball, as Rick does here, or just lean against the wall.  Start with a relatively comfortable time, say, 20 seconds. Work your way up to 60 seconds. And don’t overdo this one!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sit Up Leg Raises

Bring your upper body up, support yourself on your elbows.  The key here is keeping your leg straight and toes up.  Don’t rest your heel on the ground on the downbeat. A variation is to point your toes to the right on the up and to the left on the down and vice versa.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alternating Lunges

Bend knee to 90 degrees and no more. Alternate right and left if you want or do eight reps on the right, eight on the left and repeat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hamstring Bridge

You can use an exercise ball for this or a chair with rollers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glute Leg Raise

Add this hip area exercise to the Outer Hip Abductors we showed you last time.  Remember, hip strength plays a big role in all snow sports moves. You will feel this in your butt, for sure.  Don’t raise your leg too high. Again, work your way up to 16 reps x 2 sets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The most important take-away from all this is to do something to get into shape for the snow sports season.  Cycling, hiking and all those other summer sports are terrific conditioners.  If you’ve been active all summer, try some of these as a test of sorts to see where you stand, conditioning-wise.  If you’ve not been as active, please take time to run through some of exercises. If you do these every other day, you will start seeing results in a couple of weeks.