Dry land machine/system?

[braindamage]

Is there any dry land slalom machine or system that I can use to train? I'm thinking for both form and strength.

 

It's getting late in the season here in WI and though I haven't put away the boat and ski, I'm looking at the Upcoming cold and thinking of prep for next season.

 

A few years ago I set up a rope in my basement to practice my "stacked" form. It worked ok but was klunky and didn't really help with the timing or transitions. I have since moved and my new basement isn't really conducive to even this.

 

I did a quick google search and found nothing. It seems like there would be a way to create a machine to mimic the movements for slalom and promote good form.

 

I thought I'd see what comes from the collective genius of BOS!!

[Than_Bogan]

(runs for cover)

[MISkier]

I have found nothing that replicates actual skiing for maintaining all the muscles used or practicing proper form.

 

My advice is to use the off season to maintain and improve your general conditioning and flexibility. Keep your weight low, your endurance high, and your strength at peak. Strengthen abs and core to ensure you can hold good body position when the blessed ski season returns.

[Horton]

Dry land simulator = Unicorn

[UWSkier]

Short of making monthly trips to someplace warm to ski, there's not much I've found either. :(

[Wish]

Many moons ago, my brother in-law (exercise physiologist) developed a workout specific to slalom for his graduate program and I was the test subject. Did that program all winter. Hit the water in the spring (MN) and it was like I had done nothing different then any other season. Remarkable how slalom is so hard to simulate. The one thing I have stumbled across that really hit a lot of the same muscle groups hard and is fun to do is indoor rock climbing. It's been the only thing I've found where it's about the same muscle fatigue level and you don't want to fall so you push yourself.

[Wolfeie]

I agree no exercises can replace skiing, but I found doing pull-ups daily and putting a

handle on a heavy object and simulating pulls helps a lot in the spring.

[Horton]

The only time I was ever not sore when I started skiing after months away from skiing was the winter that I surfed a lot

[braindamage]

Bummer. I have my off-season workout plan so we'll see how that goes.

 

For form maybe I'll set up a rope to a tree.

 

Thanks!!

[ozski]

After taking a decade out of the sport I used a rowing machine to prepare for a return to skiing, wind the resistance up and a rowing machine works similar muscle groups. Its not the same but it will build good fitness and strength.

[dchristman]

I was going to suggest the tree.

 

[MISkier]

@ozski is right. The rower does take some of the sting out of the season startup. Wouldn't hurt to add that into your program. Also, be sure to do some anerobic exercises or HIIT. Just aerobic conditioning won't quite get it all.

[Keith_Menard]

picked up a water rower myself

 

[6balls]

I remember something advertised in the back of Waterski mag back in the day. Was some big, flat piece of iron at a 45 degree angle from the floor or some such with an attachment for a handle such that someone could stand feet flat on the 45 degree iron piece and lean against it in ski position. Obviously it didn't catch on...

[MISkier]

@6balls, that was probably PerfectPull. It usually gets discussed when this topic arises. Last I recall, the original inventor was selling the patent and specs to anyone who wanted to start making them.

[vtmecheng]

Lifting helps a lot too. Deadlifts, squats, calf raises, Romanian deadlifts, shrugs, and cable seated rows should be regulars with the normal things everyone does... bench press and lat pulldowns. Beyond that, I've got nothing. We're in a seasonal sport unless you live where it stays warm.

[Zman]

Ha, not that I promote getting injured, but my best early seasons came after the few times I had to spend the winter doing rehab. Maybe those PT guys know something ....

[WaterSkier12]

Bkreis where are you?

[OldboyII]

Winter is a good time to take care about the rest of the body. Not only skiing muscles groups.

[lpskier]

Religously, I watch exercise videos before I get out of bed in the morning.

[seveet]

+1 for HIIT training. As I age this seems to be very effective for maintaining fitness without getting injured. I am currently working through some of the Athlean programs. I like that the workouts are different everyday.

[Lovell]

The only that ever worked for me was pull ups everyday.

Really reduced upper body soreness, hand and foreman fatigue.

[mrpreuss]

A great thing to work on without skiing is my "transition pull ups".

These also help with the weakest area by far among amateur skiers.

I'll see if I can put a video together

 

 

[igkya]

Farmers carry, Waiter walk, several variations of this exercise. Works multiple muscle groups related to skiing.

[braindamage]

Transition pull-ups, like this? I couldn't do 1

 

 

 

[mwetskier]

those transition pullups look like they'd be super easy for me. however i would have the bar much much lower of course.

[UWSkier]

Get a snowmobile, an old pair of unwaxed skis, and a ski rope and go nuts out on the ice this winter. :)

[braindamage]

I have a 4wd. Maybe I can mount some metal edges on an old wooden slalom ski and practice out on the ice behind it...hmmm

 

I wonder if it's legal without a spotter?

[aupatking]

Mount a couple boots to a skate board, hook up a rope to your wife’s bumper and follow her to the grocery store. In most cases, probably safer than riding in the car.

[vtmecheng]

Just remember that proper position puts the handle to your hip during the higher loads, not out in front. If you get your muscles stronger for that position then it will be easier to keep the handle to your hips and you won't get injured as easily. Back, abs, and shoulders need lots of work for that. Doing things like deadlifts and Romanian deadlifts will help a lot and have the added bonus of increasing grip strength. Doing solid sports oriented lifting throughout the entire off-season can do wonders. When I do that it's amazing how much more I can ski per day. Everything is just easier.

[The_MS]

Hockey

[Stevie Boy]

Question about gym work, some exercises require you to use your arms , my main problem when skiing is my arms are tense or I pull on them every now and again.

My thinking is that I need to do exercises that will teach me to relax my arms and not pull on them.

Any ideas ?

[MattP]

@Stevie Boy proper rock climbing and indoor rowing will teach you this in the off season.

[sunvalleylaw]

@dchristman , if the snow conditions were right, one could replace that tree with a snowmobile. Mebbe.

 

But more on topic and realistic, I am trying out a trx system, and would love to find, or recreate, something like the perfect pull to do some work on position. Other than that, my alpine and nordic skiing, and good core work and stretching/yoga, and roller work/pressure ball work, to open hips is what I am hoping to do this year.

[Ckrueg]

@Stevie Boy heavy deadlifts and shrugs should help with that. You have to keep your arms straight for those.

[lakeaustinskier]

I have a Perfect Pull Slalom trainer that I'll give to anyone that wants to pay the shipping.

PM me.

[sunvalleylaw]

@lakeaustinskier , pm sent.

[vernonreeve]

In additions to seated rows, chin-ups, and dead-lifts, the Chest Expander Pull Exerciser hits the same back shoulder muscles that get sore the first time out.

[mrpreuss]

No, my "transition pull ups" are not overhead,

they develop strength and muscle memory exactly like skiing.

[braindamage]

mrpruess: Thanks for helping. I am hoping you can put out a video or something.

[lakeaustinskier]

I still have my Perfect Pull and am getting ready to throw throw it away. I'll give to anyone FREE if they pay the shipping. Due to the size and weight of the device plus where you live shipping runs is estimated to be in the range of $80 to $110.

 

Next week it goes away one way or the other.

[waterskicorey]

@lakeaustinskier can you post pictures of your Perfect Pull?

[sunvalleylaw]

PM sent.

[Jmoski]

I improvised a “maintain the stack” exercise for my list of off season cross training items.

 

I girth hitch a section of rope to a post and clip my ski handle to it, and stand on a bosu ball with the flat side up. This allows me to develop muscle memory of the correct position while leaning & balancing on the bosu ball.

 

The items I concentrate on while getting a good static burn are: chest up, handle down, knees together, pressing with the balls of feet, and good alignment.

 

Adding the balancing on top of a bosu ball makes a huge difference in making sure I apply balanced pressure through both feet.

 

I do several sets of this static hold for a minute on each side (simulating off side and on side).

 

Works great.