There is a small, yet established, corner of the internet that understands summer is awesome but winter is a touch more awesome. You are not alone if you find yourself drifting towards thoughts of cooler days and hero pow.
Those blustery days maybe in the distant past, but at the same time they are also not too far out in the future. Less than a hundred days until winter arrives!
Pro Tip #2 of Prepping for the Season: Training!
As the winter months creep closer, it is a good time to start building up your training. You could follow the classic advice of my 83 year old grandma and prepare for ski season by doing wall sits while brushing your teeth. It’s a money move which serves one well particularly for the downhill. Thanks Grandma Bonnie!
Beyond teeth brushing wall sits here are my go to training strategies when thinking about gearing up for uphill ski season…
- Low Heart Rate Training:
- This has been the secret sauce to me breaking into 10k plus days of skinning and skiing without hitting a wall. It takes time, but if you are up for addressing the all too common Aerobic Deficiency Syndrome (ADS) then you can find yourself tapping into your lipids for energy and stretching your touring days way longer than you knew possible.
- Read up on the MAF method, ADS training, etc. and cue up a 2-3 fasted 45 minute of longer workouts each week that simulate some of the same muscles you’d use for uphill skiing. Examples…
- Easy Running to capitalize on getting your body used to accessing lipids for it’s energy system rather than carbohydrates. (BC Ski pro-tip: consider finishing your run with 40-50 lunges to engage the glutes and simulate some uphill strength)
- Hiking in the hills, or finding a steep hill, to ascend repeatedly w/ a weighted vest or your ski backpack loaded up.
- Max Incline on a Treadmill (aka dreadmill) with hand weights or something on your back. My silliest workouts for ski season have been when I had a baby in a front pack and my ski pack loaded down on my back at the same time rocking the inclined treadmill.
- Core Work:
- Toes to bar – these always seem to help build my confidence (and hip flexors and core muscles) to lug my ski boots and skis uphill all day. Lots of ways to modify this with knees to elbows, knee tucks, or if you don’t have a bar to hang from just lying on your back to then lift and lower your legs.
- Scott’s killer core workout from uphill athlete is a great well rounded approach for hitting all aspects of the core.
- Leg blasters:
- These things are ridiculous. They build crazy strength and stamina by combining eccentric and concentric strength in the combination of movements. See how to…
Leg Blaster Protocol: Start with 4 round of MINI Leg blasters:
10 squats
10 alternating lunges
10 jump lunges
5 jump squats
Building up to being able to do 6 rounds of FULL Leg Blasters:
20 squats
20 alternating lunges
20 jump lunges
10 jump squats
One way to build up to 6 rounds of FULL Leg Blasters:
What are the ways you gear up for backcountry skiing?
BC Ski Links round-up!
THE LAST ONE FOR LEVEL 1???
The stoke is high in this Level 1 trailer! Sounds like this may be the last movie for them after 20 years of awesomeness???
TRAINING TIPS FROM “THE” SKIMO COACH
In keeping with the training tips above here on some tips from the uphill ski boss himself, USSMA Coach Joe Howdyshell, telling folks how to start the ski touring season strong
https://www.wildsnow.com/26422/tips-ski-touring-fitness-base/
NEXT LEVEL ADVENTURE… WHAT DID THEIR TRAINING ENTAIL?
Well since we’ve talked about prepping for the season and training… what kind of prep did these guys do before launching out on a mission like this. Killer… https://www.tetongravity.com/story/Ski/what-does-it-take-to-bike-3560-miles-to-ski-denali#at:23:00:00Z