Running

[skispray]

I've started running recently to stay in shape in general, but I'm also hoping that being in better physical condition will lead to improvements on the water as well.  Running and other cardio activities like swimming are, to me, the most enjoyable workouts because I feel more agile and better conditioned - more athletic.  In terms of off-season training for water skiing, however, is there any activity that would be better suited?

[RichardDoane]

I work in my yard, since I ignore it during the tournament season.

[Ed_Obermeier]

I ruined both my knees and my right hip from 15 years of distance running, a problem I spend every winter working on now so I'm physically able to ski during the season.  Yeah I was in excellent shape but I now pay dearly for having done it.  Save yourself my problems.  Get a bicycle, much easier on your joints and you can cover more ground, see more country side.  Or an elyptical. Or a rower.

Core strength and core conditioning is probably one of the best things you can do for your skiing.  Cardio is important too of course but proper pulling position is most easily attained and held when your core is very strong.  Check any pro skier's workout program; I'll bet $$$ that to a person core is a major, significant component of their conditioning. 

I work with a trainer in the off season specifically on core strength, trying to get my back better and my core stronger, really has made a noticable difference.  Rowing addresses core to some extent but is mostly a full body workout, hits most of the major muscle groups together.  Probably someone here much more familiar with the benefits of rowing than I am who can go into more detail.  FWIW I usually start my every-other-day workouts with 10 minutes of rowing, I try to cover 2300 meters in 10 minutes, makes for a good warmup.

There are better less damaging ways to get into shape than distance running.  IMO you'd be well served to find something else.

Ed 

[skidawg]

Try crossfit, it is 100% punishment, but it will make you strong and mean!

[Tuney]

Hit the gym man. A nice strong trunk would do wonders. Skiing isn't all cardio after all. that said I wouldn't completely dismiss running either just make sure you have shoes that are designed for your arch type. Rowing is good for the back and cardio function, I tried it and I hate it so I stick to other back muscle stimulus like deadlifts, rows, back extensions and pull ups. Core and back(especially back) are absolutely the most crucial skeletal muscle groups for your health(back pain, mobility etc) and I would make sure you work those even if you aren't training for skiing.

[MattP]

I row to stay in skiing shape... or do I ski to stay in rowing shape...

[Steven]

Pilates.....strengthens your core and increases flexibility without getting all Hulked out. Another benefit to it is that you don't need a bunch of equipment and don't need to have a gym membership. It also promotes weight loss. I dropped major poundage when I initially started the program! It's down and dirty and doesn't require a huge time commitment.

[boarditup]

Running works, but it is hard on the joints.  Keep your running distances short.  I have cut my distances down to 1-1.5 miles 4-5 times per week.  What I do, however, is interval training after an intensive circuit training workout.  That means a .1 mile warm up, 40 yard all out sprint, jog the rest of the .1 mile loop, repeat.  Final cool-down lap.

Personally, I prefer rowing, but cannot afford the price of the concept 2 rower.  My local high school gym is free.

[skiron07]

Rowing is killer- entire body work but mainly legs...cardio without a doubt if done correctly, i.e., high intensity- I would highly recommend it, been doing it for 9 years since giving up running back in '99 (bad ankles) but I do supplement it with weight training afterwards.  For rowing one can do either steady states (same pace); negative splits (increasing pace during length of piece), pyramids or HIITS...

for starters I would try to do a 2000m piece under 8:00 just to see where you are physically- this is kind of a break even starting point for beginners; work up to at least a 4000m piece at the same 2:00/500m split time or try for a 5000m piece

Running- fine if you're going up stairs/stadium stairs where you actually have to lift your legs...running on flat terrain is good but there are things much better

 

good luck

[454SS]

If I run i do it on trails no cement or sidewalks, I am just getting into the whole rowing thing as well as some crossfit type workouts.

[Old MS Accout]

Get some roller blades or play hockey. Huge core workout while having fun.

Check out the latest Water Skier mag. Freddie has a great core workout.

You do not need a gym membership or a bunch of toys to stay fit. Anyone south of Iowa should be able bike all winter.

Insted of distance running, find a short incline hill and sprint up, walk down, run back wards up, walk down. Killer on the legs and core. Your hammies will scream at you while running uphill backwards. Short intervals of hard sprinting would be better then distance running for slalom skiing. 

[MattP]

skiron07 has some great rowing workouts listed if yall need any more just ask, im sure we both can point you in the right direction. I have been competitively rowing for awhile now and I can help put some workouts together if you want them.

[h2odawg79]

I know this post started as a "Running" post and then kind of turned into a post season work out thread... So I will throw in my 1/2 cent!

"Different strokes for different folks" just might be the most applicable words that can be spoken on this subject. Personally, my recommendation comes down to; a successful work out or program must be "Interesting, Challenging and Personally Rewarding"... It makes no real difference what the activity is, if it fails to meet this criteria it will simply fail...

Hopefully everyone will strive to incorporate enough activities that inspire and motivate them to a Higher level of fitness and Mind, Body and Spirit awareness.

What ever encourages one to employ activities that include:  Explosive strength, endurance, flexibility and balance is in the end what matters most. With respect to Core strength at the very top of the priority list for the skier!

"Personal fitness is a journey of a thousand roads, never a destination"...     

[Stevie Boy]

The goal is to shift  21 Llbs, I thought I was fairly fit, could do a good hard 40 minutes on the rower after doing 20 minutes on the bike, then I had my first session with a personal trainer, what a wake up call !  that was hard , I mean hard, my Glutes, Quads, Shoulders, and Chest feel like they have had a good working over with a Baseball Bat , Really looking forward to the next session LOL, but I am determined and I am going to get there, I am going to be a lighter, fitter and a better skier next season.

[Ed_Obermeier]

Well said Dawg.  We all have a tendency to do what we know or what we've always done with regards to exersize.  A decent trainer will take you out of your comfort zone and challenge you with different things (things you didn't know, things you'd have never thought of) that will make you better and will make it more interesting, as Dawg said.  The reward is how you'll feel and the improved condition you'll be in if you stay the course.  It needn't be expensive either; I'll spend maybe $350 between now and spring for a tainer once a week.  In the scheme of what I spend on skiing this IMO is cheap and is money very well spent.

Whatever you do you gotta change it up from time to time.  Otherwise it becomes a really long winter...

Ed 

[ScarletArrow]

I trained for and ran in the Cleveland Marathon (first ever marathon) this past spring. I thought it was a huge help.

[Horton]

You guys are making me feel bad about being lazy. Anyone got a beer?

[thager]

12 oz. curls are good!!

[Tuney]

I've got beer. It's my post workout meal.

[wtrskii3156]

Has anyone heard about P90X?

I got it a few months ago after I heard a lot of other skiers getting great results from it.

This workout program is truly intense. It works every muscle in your body as well as some aerobic workouts. 

I recommend this program to everyone, check it out!!

[skidawg]

speaking of beer, i just finished a guiness stout, muy bueno.  My off season will consist of getting ready for a 60 mile mountain bike race at the end of march and a half iron man at the end of april.  The hard part is maintaining strength with all the cardio (last year i did zero strength training)  This year I am adding crossfit to everything else.  Should be a good season next year.

[thager]

Had a Guiness or three couple weeks ago at Durty Nellys in Ireland. Yumm!! You had some great runs last year. Why, If it ain't broke would you fix it????? Perhaps yhe zero strength training was the ticket!!

[h2odawg79]

Stevie Boy,

You may have been in better shape (more fit) then your giving yourself credit for. It was probably more of your conditioning then your fitness level... Your Mind and Body were in condition (or conditioned) to only do the work load that you had previously been doing. Your Per. Trainer only introduced your Mind/Body to a completely different stimuli (or program) to which you were not Used to.

Mind/Muscle adaptation takes only about 3 wks. WTS, every program Must continue a solid path of progression and/or be modified every 3-4 wks. other wise the body will adapt and become more efficient at doing the same thing over and over and therefore hindering one's ability to excel, especially at other activities. This is why the Basic Gym Rat can hardly excel anywhere but in the Gym and often times if they try to play Softball, Basketball or something totally different from what they've conditioned themselves for, they get sore as all Heck and also tend to get injured very easily...

A Blister is from a change in activity and a callous is the result of conditioning...       

[Gern Blanston]

I have to qualify my statement by saying that I do love to run.  The thing that drives me nuts about it is that some days 5 miles is really easy.  Other days, 2 miles is work.  On the days that 2 miles is work, if you cut the route short, you feel like garbage mentally.  If you gut it out, then you physically feel like garbage.  Either way, I feel like I can't win.

 I think the important things with running are 1) make sure you have the right shoes; 2) have someone do a gait analysis on you to insure that your form is good (do you pronate or supinate?  do you need arch support?  do you run on the balls of your feet? etc).  3) vary the work out - hills one day, interval training another, distance on a third day.

 All told, I enjoy bicycling more than running, but sometimes I don't have 2 or 3 hours to get a nice long ride in.  If you've only got 30-60 minutes, a run is a much more efficient work out.

[Bill Gladding]

I started cycling when my feet began hurting from trying to run four days or more per week.  Now I try and cycle twice, run twice and get on an escalator type stair climber twice working out afterwards.  I still have aches and pains but the work outs complement each other and seem to work out the kinks between them.  This routine seems to work well since I find I am improving steadily at each.

[h2odawg79]

Man, I can't even imagine Running "every day" as Gern stated. In fact I can't imagine doing anything (same muscle groups) strenuous even 2 days in a row. Even when I thought I wanted to be the next white hope, I only ran 3 or sometimes 4 times a wk. (normally 3 days/wk. or every other day max.)

I'm not downing running, I'm just a fan of excercise moderation. The body (muscles, joints, connective tissue, Brain...) Needs rest and recuperation just as much as it needs to be exerted or stretched or fed a nutritionally sound diet... If one is sold out to exercising every day and has the kind of life style and work schedule to support this activity, then I would still encourage one to have "Active rests" by working opposing muscle groups with lighter and Heavier or Easier and Harder days spread through out their weekly cycle.

But, to each his own...

 

[skidawg]

I somewhat agree w/ u h20dawg,  That is why i do so many different things in the winter, i.e. mtb, road bike, swim, trail run, etc. (hoping to add crossfit).  never hit two days in a row of the same thing.

[Old MS Accout]

Never hit 2 days in a row of the same thing but ski 20 in a row if you can.

 

[HO 410]

wtrskii3156

I happen to know a PT that works with a handful of MLB players. I've never thought to ask his imression on P90. I do know that my brother bought the program, but he hasn't commented much on it other than that he's sore the day after. I have been meaning to take a look at it, but you know... haven't quite gotten around to it yet. 

 

My outside impression is that it brings the structure, subsequent changes, and more importatnly the accountability that your average home-gym user doesn't have, doesn't know, or doesn't know know he needs.