Fall Sports Season Conditioning

The winter season will soon be upon us.  Now is the time to start your preseason conditioning so you can stay injury free on the mountain , walking on snowshoes or backcountry skiing. The trick to injury prevention, of course, is to have trained for that winter activity during the autumn months.  Hopefully, you already have some sort of baseline fitness level and can now focus on sport specific training.  There are many sport conditioning courses available and are recommended, if you can find the time.  If not, here are a few exercises that you can do in the gym or at home on your own.  If exercises are hard to do alone, then try to find a partner to train with you.  Sometimes, creating a circuit for training can be more fun and easier to do than performing exercises in isolation.  Set up stations and perform each exercise for 45-60 seconds.  After a 30 second rest, move on to the next exercise.  Move through the entire circuit (usually 12-15 stations) and repeat 2-3 times .  Rest 2 minutes between circuits.  Make sure none of the exercises hurt. If the exercises are difficult, you can start with 30 seconds each and build up to 60 seconds. Start with 1 set and then increase to 2 sets.

Here are a few tricks you can do to try to avoid injury this winter:

Strengthening: Lower Extremity 

Wall Slides -  Place back against wall, with feet about 2 feet from wall.  Squat up and down, so your knees and hips create a 90 degree angle (imagine you are sitting in a chair).  Make sure knees are directly over toes.  Hold the position for the duration of the exercise.

You can also do this using a chair, squat down like you about to sit but don’t let yourself collapse into the chair.  Progress to using only one leg.

Bridging - (This exercise targets the hamstrings) Lie on the floor and place one heel onto chair.  Keep other foot in the air.

Bend knee 90 degrees and then raise butt off floor, making sure you do not arch your back.  Cross arms over stomach.  Hold the position for the duration of the exercise.

Step Ups -  Use stairs or create 24” block with wood.  Step onto step with one foot, making sure you do not push off with ground leg.  Recover to starting position and repeat for the duration of the exercise.

½ Lunges  -Place one toe on 24" - 36” stair.  Place the other foot 2 feet in front on the ground.  Bend front leg to 90 degrees, making sure your knee stays over the toe. Recover to starting position and repeat for the duration of the exercise.  You can also do straight lunges, either walking length of room or in place.  Add weights in hands.

Step down - Same as ½ Lunges, but start on top of stair and then lower one heel to floor, in front of other leg so you are at 90 degree angle with hip and knee.  Don’t push off ground.

Plank -  Get on the floor and prop up on your forearms and toes.  Imagine you are a plank.  Keep your butt down and back straight by pulling stomach back towards spine.  Hold the position for the duration of the exercise.

Side Plank - Lie on one side with forearm directly underneath your body.

Raise trunk, hips and knees off ground, staying in a straight line.  Hold the position for the duration of the exercise.

Weighted Ball Chest Press - For this exercise, use a medicine ball, hand weights or weighted backpack.  Stabilize spine by tightening your abdominals and move weighted object out in front of your chest.  Hold for the duration of the exercise.

Squat with Weighted Ball Diagonal Moves - Use a weighted object as in the Weighted Ball Chest Press, but squat to 45 - 90 degrees, lowering weight in front of chest.  Stand up, raising the weight in front of left shoulder in a diagonal motion.  Repeat, switching sides for the duration of the exercise.

Push Ups - Traditional pushups, making sure hips and buttocks are in same plane.

Cable Arm Exercises:  Do this exercise if you have a bungee or exercise power cord.  Place the center of the cable above a door, securing it firmly.  Take grips in each hand and then keeping elbows straight, bring your arms back behind your body.  Use a slow even motion against the resistance of the cable.  Recover to starting position, do not allow the cable to whip your arms forward.  Repeat for the duration of the exercise.

Diagonal Cable Pull:  Start with cable secured over the door and reach across body with one arm.  Pull diagonally towards outer leg, keeping elbow straight.  Switch arms and repeat .  Repeat sequence for the duration of the exercise.

Sword Pull:  Place the cable under the door and secure it firmly.  Grab the end in one hand, reaching across body and then pull up diagonally, keeping elbow straight.  Switch arms and repeat.  Repeat sequence for the duration of the exercise.

Lateral Lunges:  (If you have wood floors or vinyl flooring, this is a great exercise.)  Stand on one leg and with the other slide leg along the floor until you feel the pull. Then pull outer leg back towards other one. Switch legs and repeat.  Repeat sequence for the duration of the exercise.

Balance:  Stand on rolled up pillows or other unstable object. Balance and hold for the duration of the exercise.  If this is easy, close your eyes, hold for the duration of the exercise. If this is still easy, use one leg.

Lateral Kicks: Same as Balance, but stand on one leg and perform lateral kick outs. Switch legs.

Balanced reaching: Same single leg balance, but reach towards ground and come back up.

Fall Hiking

Fall is often the best time of the year for hiking as the temperature is not as hot, the bugs have disappeared and the crowds have thinned out. However, this time of year can often have weather changes several times a day. Here are a few suggestions for a healthy and safe fall hiking season.

  • The roots and rocks are often slippery first thing in the morning because of dew and moisture. Be especially careful after rain.

  • Bring lots of water, even if the temperature is cold, and hydrate often.

  • Bring healthy snacks that don’t require refrigeration. Examples are: gorp, raisins, peanuts, grapes, snack bars.

  • Bring extra clothing that would protect you from inclement weather.

  • Bring an emergency kit consisting of band aids, ace wrap, and ibuprofen. Cell phone or walkie talkies are handy if you should get lost.

  • Always tell someone where you are going and your expected arrival time.

  • Walking or hiking sticks are a great idea for balance, taking stress off your back, knees and hips.

  • For a great agility workout, hop from rock to rock or root to root on the way down. Try to control your body as you land and have a “soft” landing.

  • Speed hike on the way up with some intervals of running. Try to maintain a run, speed hike for 3-5 minutes and then back off to a slower walk. This will increase your cardiovascular system and endurance. This will also help your power.

  • Think lunges or step ups when climbing onto big rocks. Try not to push off ground leg as you step up.

Exercises to do while you Travel:

Many people travel for a living and find they have to break away from their normal exercise routine. If the place where you are staying does not have an exercises room, the exercises below may be helpful. Heidi used these exercises this summer while traveling out west in order to keep fit on the road.

  • Wall Slides

  • Straight Lunges

  • Bridging

  • Push Ups

  • Plank

  • Side Plank

  • Calf Raises: Raise up on toes and lower body. Try this using only one leg as well.

  • Triceps:  Sit on the edge of a chair. Place legs out in front, keeping knees straight. Slowly lower butt to floor and then raise butt off floor to level of chair.

  • Crunches:  Lie on floor and bend knees up, keeping heels on the floor. Try to raise shoulder blades off the ground but make sure you keep your back flat to the ground. Repeat 20 times.  Do 4 to 6 sets.

  • Side Crunches:  Lie on your side with hips, knees all in the same plane. Try to raise lower shoulder and trunk off ground. Repeat 20 times. Do 3 sets each side.

  • Bent over Arm Rows:  Kneel over a chair or bed keeping back straight.  Bend elbow to 90 degrees.  Squeeze shoulder blades together as you raise arm up (think of rowing a boat).  Another variation is to keep your arm straight. Remember to squeeze shoulder blades.

Do 12-15 repetitions of each exercise. You can perform 2-3 sets. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. If there is a pool, swim laps or run in the water. You can always walk to dinner or lunch. Trying to maintain your normal exercise routine while you are gone will help you maintain your overall fitness level.