28 March, 2009

How to Get Fit for Ski Touring

by Matt Dickinson






At Mountain Tracks we are often asked how to get fit for ski-touring. Whether going day touring or hut to hut touring, being in good physical shape is essential, both to enjoy the tour and avoid injury.

Ski touring is a combination of physical effort, taking us into remote untouched mountain areas and great downhill skiing So we need a combination of both aerobic fitness for the up hills and ski fitness for the down hills.

Preparation for the Up-Hill

Skinning is an aerobic exercise which requires more in the way of stamina than strength. A rhythmic steady pace is desirable often for hours at a time. It is important that the muscles are never allowed to ‘pump’ or for lactic acid to build. We need keep a reasonable pace, and also perform at altitudes over 3000m where thinner air is a factor.

The best way to train for this is hill walking, cycling or running. 1 or 2 hours per session is enough and the frequency should be increased as your trip approaches. You should concentrate on sustained motion, the ‘interval’ style workout is not necessary. Remember, the objective is stamina, not speed and strength. As you get more aerobically fit, you will notice your breathing rate drop and become more controlled, aerobic exercise strengthens the muscles involved in respiration, and helps the flow of air in and out of the lungs, this will be very helpful at altitude.

Preparation for the Downhill

Downhill skiing is highly dependent on strong leg muscles and your routine should target muscles important for skiing as well as burn calories and increases metabolism. The inner and outer thigh muscles are important because they surround and stabilize the very important knee joint. The knee is vulnerable to twisting forces which can damage ligaments, so it is important to keep the legs well exercised prior to your ski trip, especially if your day job is mainly sitting.

My favoured activities for building leg strength and knee satiability are steep hill walking and cycling. Both these activities send a lot of power through the knees and keep the tendons, ligaments and muscles ‘taut’ which in turn keep the knee stable.
In addition you can use gym machinery. A leg press for upper quads, a leg extension for lower quads and a leg curl for hamstrings. Several machine types work the inside and outside thigh muscles.

Of course the best warm up for skiing is skiing. So if time allows, ski a few days before your trip, taking care to build up slowly.

No comments: