Working It: Preseason Warm-Up at Girl Gets Board

Working It: Preseason Warm-Up

Have you ever felt like hurling during a workout? I have. Twice. One time during a track practice in high school and then again last Wednesday during a ski conditioning class at the UW. So not awesome.

Why did I put myself in this position in the first place? Well, I decided to take the class to get ready for the upcoming season, so that when the time came, I wouldn’t be in the lodge nursing a sore bum with a hot chocolate an hour into the first day out on the snow.

Remember all of the floor exercises that you had to do in junior high? That is what this class is all about, and its a mix of cardio and strength so that when it comes time to hike for some sweet pow and take smooth turns down a long run, you have the lungs to climb through snow and the legs to hold those edges for a long time. (Probably also useful for cutting across the mountain on cat trails.)

Even though I did feel sick during class, all of the pain will be worth it when I am out having fun on the snow all day long. Here are a few exercises to help get you ready for the upcoming season:

SQUATS
What it works: Hamstrings, glutes, quads, calf muscles, lower-back muscles.
Benefit: Have rock-solid legs for a full day on the snow.
The how to:

Stand with your feet hip-width apart, feet facing forward.
Keep your abs tight.
Bend your knees and slowly pretend like you are going to sit in a chair.
Don’t let your knees go in front of your toes–be sure to stick your butt out!
Don’t squat more than 90 degrees.
Stand-up. Repeat.

LUNGES
What it works: Again, hamstrings, glutes, quads, calf muscles.
Benefit: More rock-solid goodness.
The how to:

Stand with one leg in front of you and one leg behind you.
Bend your knees and lower your body until your knees are at 90 degrees.
With your weight in your heels, push up with your back leg until you are at a standing position.
Repeat.
Switch legs.

Just a note: Like with the squat, the front knee shouldn’t go past your toes, so be sure to reach your front leg out far enough so your leg is at 90 degrees without your knee going in front of your foot.

CRUNCHES
What it works: Your six-pack, or not so six-pack, abs.
Benefit: Strong ab and back muscles will help you with your balance and your overall ability to control your board.
The how to:
OK, I’m guessing you know how to do crunches. (For step-by-step instructions, check out wikiHow.) Try doing oblique crunches. You can also do crunches with both legs straight up in the air, with one leg straight out and the other one bent and on the ground, or with both of your legs flat on the ground. All of these different variations work different parts of your abs.

A few things I learned in the class:

Keep your lower back pressed to the ground when doing crunches. Don’t let it arch, which puts pressure on your spine–not a good thing.
Don’t pull on your head or neck when doing a crunch. Try to relax your neck muscles and aim at lifting your shoulders up to the ceiling, rather than towards your knees.

* I am not a licensed personal trainer. Take a class at a local gym to learn more about getting ready for the season.

** The stick figures do not represent actual people. Any likeness is purely coincidental.

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