SKI FIT #2 – ROWAN CHESHIRE’S INJURY PREVENTION TIPS
Welcome to Part 2 of our Ski Fit and injury prevention tips from Team GB freestyle skier Rowan Cheshire.
Part 1 focused on the all-important warm-up and this episode takes things to the next stage with some pro tips on how to avoid injury.
As a pro skier Rowan has suffered her fair share of injuries and as a qualified Personal Trainer, she’s pretty well equipped to advise folks how best to train those ski-specific muscles to minimise fatigue and injury.
Over to you Rowan…..
As knee and ligament damage are the most common injuries to acquire when skiing it’s important to hit the gym and prepare your body for the slopes. This will help prevent injury and also allow you to have the fitness to ski longer and in more challenging terrain
STABILITY
I’d recommend warm ups being focused on single leg stability movements, such as single leg hops and hops on and off a box, in different directions. This will help build power and strength in the legs and build stability around the knees.
BALANCE AND PROPRIOCEPTION
Including balancing exercises are important to increase core stability and prepare your legs and also prevent injury. You can perform great single leg balance exercises on a bosu ball, by balancing on the flat side while trying to stay as stable as possible. Adding movements to this is a great progression.
FOCUS ON FULL BODY
Skiing involves your full body so making sure you work out all the major muscle groups is very important.
LOWER BODY: Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Calf complex (gastrocs and soleus)
UPPER BODY: Abs, Pecs, Delts, Traps, Lats, Back muscles (erector spinae), Biceps and Triceps
REST AND RECOVER
You need to rest properly, skiing can be a very taxing sport and if you push it and ski when you’re too tired you could be putting yourself at risk of injury.
Stretching and keeping your body fuelled well will aid in the recovery process.
FUEL UP
Being out in the snowy mountains and in that cold environment can often bring on illnesses such as a cold. This can bring a downer on the trip but also you put yourself at risk of injury if you decide to power through as you’ll be less focused and able to react.
Make sure you stay warm, eat healthy food, get your vitamins and try to stay clear of excess alcohol consumption and you should stay clear of those annoying bugs.
Next time – Rowan’s 5 essential items to pack in your suitcase to help maximise skiing and avoid injury.
