The ski season is finally in full swing. Whether you've been skiing for weeks or are just getting started again, you likely know the feeling of transitioning back into this outdoor activity. Early season skiing, for me, usually involves shorter days and next-day soreness.
You always hear about the importance of pre-season conditioning, whether it's a multi-week program meant to take your riding to the next level or just a classic workout class designed to move your body.
There are several reasons why skiers and snowboarders should prepare for the ski season or continue to train during the season. It can increase endurance, help with progression, prevent injuries and improve the experience altogether.
"Injury prevention is huge. You want to have a good solid base of core strength, leg strength and cardio to go out there, perform well and have fun as opposed to surviving or only going out for a couple of hours because your legs can't make it," said Travis Weaver, the owner of Fortitude Fitness Training.
Although the season has already started, I thought I'd look into the options here in Bend that could help you feel like a pro, without having to take a breather halfway down a long run.
After doing some research, I found that Pilates is a great way to prepare for the ski season. It can be done on an exercise mat or on a reformer, a machine with a platform on wheels that rolls up and down. Pilates movements are done slowly and carefully, with a strong emphasis on technique.
"Everything in Pilates is very core-based, so it helps people with balance and helps to prevent injuries," said Debby Bowen, owner of Bend Pilates.
I've done Pilates on an exercise mat, but I wanted to see what it was like on a reformer, so I decided to try this one. I decided to go to Bendy Body Pilates on the east side. This location was close to my house and offered classes for all different levels – beginner, intermediate and advanced. I opted for the beginner class.
Walking and seeing these big machines was a little intimidating, I'll admit. However, it was a great workout. A lot of the movements focused on moving your legs and arms, with tension and balance, creating a deep core workout. Most of the class involved lying on my back on the machine, with my head in between the two headrests. Many moves in this one-hour class included straightening and bending my legs and pulling myself up with straps attached to the machine. Extra steps included incorporating an exercise ball.
While I'll admit I had to take a few breaks in between, this class was fun and challenging, forcing me to focus on each body movement. After taking it, I can certainly see why it can help with skiing.
Speaking of Pilates, Bend Pilates offers basic classes along with specialized offerings meant to help with skiing. One of the classes, Pilates Dry-Land Training for Skiers and Boarders, is an eight-week class meant to prepare people for the ski season. The class, according to Bowen, the owner, focuses on dynamic movements unique to skiing. In addition to the Pilates-like movements, the class offers circuit training meant to increase endurance for a full day on the slopes.
"I think it's good for fine-tuning, to be strong before the season starts is awesome because you feel like you can just go and do more," said Bowen. Bowen sees people of all ages in her classes, from 13-year-olds to 90-year-olds. "It really creates an amazing sense of body awareness," she said.
For those looking for something a little bit more heavy-duty to prepare for the ski season, Fortitude Fitness Training offers a six-week ski conditioning program, in addition to its personal training and group class options. "A lot of our emphasis is towards sport performance," said Weaver. The class, according to Weaver, has a lot of variety. It works on fundamentals like squats, pressing and jumping. It incorporates agility ladders for footwork drills and uses several different skills to work on balance and stabilization. "The ski conditioning classes really help prep people for getting out there and being in mid-season shape right at the start of the season, because they've been working on those muscles for months," said Weaver.
