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January 26, 2023
5 EXERCISES TO PREPARE YOU FOR WINTER SPORTS
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Playing a winter sport really makes enjoying the cold season easy. It also improves our mental and physical well-being and helps us spend time outdoors.
In previous summers, we’ve given you
some exercises to help prepare you for summer sports. If you are also a winter outdoor enthusiast or simply want to start a winter sport, here are 5 ultra-efficient exercises to help you prepare for some of the most fun and popular winter sports.
🏂 DOWNHILL SKIING OR SNOWBOARDING
Whether you’re speeding downhill on two boards or one, your biggest challenge will be maintaining your balance and leg endurance. Here is an overall exercise that will work out both your legs and stabilizing muscles.
BOSU BALL SQUATS:
- Set up the BOSU BALL with the ball side down.
- Put one foot on the BOSU BALL, then the other, and stabilize yourself.
- Shift your pelvis back and down to a squat.
- Keep your knees in line with your toes.
💪Muscles exercised: Quadriceps, gluteus maximus, and several other stabilizing muscles
⛸
ICE SKATING
Whether you’re skating on a lake, at the arena or at the outdoor rink in the park, the movement you make is the same. It is important to have strength in the lower body when you bring your leg back.
We had previously recommended a
pulley hip extension exercise to help you practise for in-line skating. Today, on top of this, we’re also proposing the “bridge” exercise that you can perform on the “glute drive” machine. To improve your leg strength, quickly raise your pelvis and lower it more slowly while keeping in control.
GLUTE DRIVE BRIDGE
- Install the weight you wish to lift.
- Sit on the bench and fasten the belt.
- Push lightly into your heels and declamp the device.
- Push through your heels and quickly lift your pelvis as high as possible. Then come down more slowly, making sure to stay in control.
- For more information on this exercise, please see this video.
💪 Muscles exercised: Buttocks, hamstrings
❄ SNOWSHOEING
For snowshoeing enthusiasts, the biggest challenge is often to get the snowshoe out of the snow once it’s in! Most winter sports require you to push with your legs. But with snowshoeing, you have to pull your legs up for each step.
Here is an exercise that will work your pulling muscles as well your core, which helps you to keep your balance in the snow.
SUSPENSION HIP EXTENSIONS
- Select the free weight you will use.
- Place your elbows on the machine’s cushions.
- Grab the free weight between your feet.
- Lift your knees up, keeping your pelvis against the cushion, and then lower back down.
💪 Muscles exercised: Hip flexors and rectus abdominis
⛷ CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING
Physically, cross-country skiing is a really complete sport. You work out both your upper and lower body. Also, unlike downhill skiing and snowboarding where you glide down the slopes, cross-country skiing requires you to propel yourself forward to move. To do this, you must perform a “pull” motion with your arms and a “push” motion with your legs.
For the leg movement, do the same exercise as in the “ice skating” section. For the arms, here is the exercise we recommend:
PULLEY SHOULDER EXTENSIONS
- Select your weight.
- Install a bar on the hook and set it in the highest position.
- Grab the handle and extend your arms upward.
- Keeping your arms straight, bring them up to your hips and then bring them back up.
💪 Muscles exercised: Latissimus dorsi
🚲 FAT BIKE
Although you can practise this sport all year round, it is the only type of bike you can really use during winter. The difference between fat bikes and regular bicycles is that fat bikes stop almost immediately after you stop pedalling. You have to keep pedalling, which requires a lot of effort when riding in the snow.
We therefore suggest a leg exercise that will improve your endurance. This exercise should be done one leg at a time. We recommend doing a few sets of 20 reps.
SINGLE LEG PRESS
- Select your weight.
- Sit on the bench with one leg on the platform in line with your hip (so not it in the middle or too wide).
- Push the platform slightly to unclamp the device.
- Push on the platform to bring your leg almost straight. Then, bring your knee toward your chest.
- For more information on this exercise, please see this video.
💪 Muscles exercised: Quadriceps
Every outdoor activity can be enhanced by doing a few exercises throughout the year at the gym. For more exercise ideas, see our
Entrainement au gym section on our
YouTube channel.
If you want to train for a specific activity or sport or training goal, choosing a personalized private trainer is always the best option.
Fittcoach offers private training sessions with a qualified trainer at your Econofitness gym.
Above all, have fun, get moving and enjoy winter!