The snow is flying and it’s time to head up to the high country!
How To Properly Prepare Your Body For A Day On The Slopes
If you’re looking to plan an early winter trip to the mountains for some fun family skiing, now is certainly the time. However, have you put much thought into exactly what the muscle-intensive activity of skiing can actually do to your body? And even more importantly, have you learned how to properly prepare yourself for a weekend of some winter fun? If you haven’t you’re in the right place!
Here is exactly how you can prepare your body for a weekend on the slopes and ensure that you give it the recovery time it needs to make it back to work on Monday morning!
Strengthen Your Hip Muscles
That’s right, you’ll need to work out your gluteus maximus and your gluteus medius muscles to ensure that your hip muscles are well-prepared to handle all of the bending, twisting, turning, and flexing that you’ll be doing as you balance your body. To strengthen these muscles and prepare them for a serious ski trip, be sure to use the hip abductor machine at your local gym at least twice a week for about a month prior to your trip. You can even use an elastic band to help workout these muscles prior to your trip. Whatever works for you, just as long as you’re sure to work these muscles good!
Planks & Side Planks
We hate planks, don’t we? But truth be told, planks and side planks alike serve as an excellent exercise and workout for our hips, our core, and even our legs. Remember, our core is going to play a major role in helping us maintain our balance while skiing down those steep slopes. And the second you get some snow in your eye, or when it begins to build up too much and you’re unable to see clearly out of your goggles, your core is going to be what keeps you upright until you make it to the base of a hill.
Downward Dog
After some time spent skiing down the side of a mountain, your muscles are most certainly going to be in need of a rest, and perhaps a nice stretch too, right? After you’ve finished a solid skiing session, we recommend that you stretch those leg muscles long and hard. The downward dog pose should be the first stretch that you go into during your recovery process. This pose will help to target your hamstrings, your calves, and even your back.
If you’re sure to keep these pre-skiing workouts and post-workout tips in mind before, during, and after your winter ski trip, you can rest assured knowing that you’ve prepared your body for an intense session on the slopes! And better yet, your orthopedic will thank you for it, too!
Remember, when it comes to your body, there are always measures you can take to ensure that you don’t suffer an injury while completing a physical activity. And if you ever do suffer an injury, hopefully your body is best prepared to handle it and recover quickly!
Good luck out on the slopes!
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