Strength Training Program for Skiing

The October 2008 issue of Outside Magazine describes a physical training program that Ann Hodel, a former NCAA ski racer, devised for downhill snow sports. This weekend, I split my old program into two days and added exercises she recommended. I had more fun in the gym than I'd had in years.

Upper Body

Pull-ups: 50-62 reps, 7 sets. In June, I started using the Schwarzenegger method - doing at least 50 reps of pull-ups, regardless of the number of sets required. Since then, total number of reps I do has increased from 40 to around 60.

Push-ups: 60-100 reps, 3-4 sets. I added push-ups at Hodel's suggestion. I haven't worked on my chest in a year. The last time I did my shoulder joints felt like they would dislocate when I lowered a barbell to my chest. Yesterday, I did 25 clean reps on the first two sets and failed completely at rep 15 on the third set. My chest muscles have been burning since then.

Standing Barbell Military Press: Around 26 reps on heavy days, up to 60 reps on light days. This exercise requires you to extend your arms over your head while standing. The motion builds up the deltoids and back muscles.

Bent Over Barbell Rows: 30-50 reps, 3-4 sets. I start with the 45 pound barbell or the bar and quarters and work up, on heavy days, to 185 pounds.

Good Mornings (alternative to barbell rows): 16-24 reps, 3 sets. I start with the barbell and work up to 135 pounds. You place the barbell across your shoulders as if you were doing squats and bend forward until your torso is as close to parallel to the ground as you can stand. It builds up the lower back and the hamstrings. Like dead lifts, Good Mornings can blow out your lower back unless you keep your back arched.

Lower Body

Squats: 48-60 reps total, 12 reps a set, 4-5 sets. I added this at Hodel's suggestion. When I last did squats in August 2003, it felt like the exercise would make my right knee explode and spray synovial fluid all over my gym's mirrors. Tonight I worked up to a reasonable but taxing 210 pounds. The exercise felt great - the deep movement lit up my calves, hamstrings, quads and glutes. I didn't feel the slightest twinge in my right knee. I may be able to do this exercise safely at moderate weights.

Plyometric Jumps: I discovered this exercise thanks to Hodel. You stand next to a platform or box that is a foot above the ground, jump onto it sideways, and jump off sideways, as many times as you can in 60 seconds. Switch sides for the second set and stand facing the box for the final set. Jumping sideways involved a lot more coordination than I thought. Jumping onto the box when facing it required less dexterity. But at that point my legs were cached. I could get into a rhythm with the front jumps, but not the sideways jumps. My quads and lungs were begging for respite two thirds of the way into the second set. I did 39 right sided jumps, 35 left sided jumps, and 49 forward jumps.

Barbell Bicep Curls: 5 sets, 25-50 reps. I include barbell curls because the bicep assists in pull-ups by taking the strain off the latissimus dorsi.