Is there any value in doing exercises that simulate ski movements in a non-ski setting?

[Wilhelmson]

Well that will put most people in their place. My 220 lb brother and I used to pretend wrestle and I could Gorilla drop him. No way I can do that now.

I can’t dunk anymore either but can at least touch the rim. Actually, for an average 6 foot person dunking takes as much technique as strength.

 

[SkiMore]

The title of this post made me think of this video from Kuri Yamamiku. I think this checks the box for ski movements in a non-ski setting. This is some next-level flexibility.

 

[François Pugh]

The title of this post made me think of this video from Kuri Yamamiku. I think this checks the box for ski movements in a non-ski setting. This is some next-level flexibility.

My knees hurt just looking at that.

 

[RoninSkier]

For every skier, proper dryland 3-4 month before the season is critical to prevent injuries, to maximize enjoyment.
Strength training + plyometics + impact management + agility training built up progressively are key IMHO.

 

[Guy in Shorts]

Past six weeks without ski boots on the feet have been wonderful. Still in the toes in the sand mode. Winter will return due time.

 

[tromano]

Went hunting for 2 weeks last fall. Roadless area. Hiking off trail, 8-10 miles and 2500 vertical a day, off trauls, through the shrubbery, 3' snow drifts, scrambling up cliffs and over blow down trees.. with 35lb of gear ... worked well getting me ready for last season.

In years past it's been fly fishing in freestone streams. So good for the balance.

No need to over think it. Just do your thing.

 

[slow-line-fast]

Past six weeks without ski boots on the feet have been wonderful. Still in the toes in the sand mode. Winter will return due time.
View attachment 173284

Compact transition training

 

[Brian Finch]

No value……

 

[crgildart]

Might be here already. tl/dr

 

[Andy Mink]

Might be here already. tl/dr

Was the knee brace from before or is that something new?

 

[geepers]

Examples:

Jonny Moseley



Tom Gellie

Back to the original question.

Now had two multi-day snow trips....

The 1st noticeable benefit of training is next day muscle soreness. Still feeling fatigue at the end of a big day but bouncing back far better the next day. Would normally come home from these mid-week trips and hobble around the house for the next week in a good deal of discomfort but no such problems this season.

The 2nd was in being able to utilize a more compact stance especially in bump absorption. Due to a 2 year break generally feeling the skiing is some way below my best however bump absorption is one area that feels improved. Big Picture Skiing has an interesting vid lesson on using absorption to control speed in the bumps - a topic that has been discussed in the past - and Tom's method/cues work. Not sure my posterior muscle chain fitness would have been able to manage it in 2020. (For context Tom's lesson was filmed with a 62 y/o skier in Aspen as the student - which ideally fits with my moderate approach to bumps.)

So is it due to ski specific exercises (like BPS Ski Moves) or to general strength training (like squats, lunges, etc?)

Tend to think both are beneficial. The general stuff works the bigger muscles and the Ski Moves works some of the smaller muscles, all of which are important on snow.

In any event will be continuing this combined approach for the foreseeable future.

 

[cantunamunch]

Out of curiosity, anyone getting a pump from the day before the day before? I'm not talking about DOMS, not talking about next day fatigue, I'm talking about a pump? It's like your body today shows what you did 2 days ago - in a positive way.

 

[LiquidFeet]

Out of curiosity, anyone getting a pump from the day before the day before? I'm not talking about DOMS, not talking about next day fatigue, I'm talking about a pump? It's like your body today shows what you did 2 days ago - in a positive way.

Are you using chemical enhancements?
Or maybe it's the lighting?

 

[cantunamunch]

Are you using chemical enhancements?
Or maybe it's the lighting?

Hah.

I'm sure it has to do with periodization design and is probably highly individual in scale.

For example, if I want to have good legs for a long strenuous ride on Sunday, I head out for a single-speed low cadence grunt day on Thurs. eve or Fri. am. And it has to be a grunt muscle-up day, not a spin day. For whatever reason, on Sunday it reduces the evident fatigue from Fri eve or Saturday. Same thing with swims - an Indian club session Sun eve or Mon makes a noticeable, positive, difference in swim feel on Weds.

I'm sure there's a dozen ways to make "you're compensating intensity for ___ on the intermediate day" arguments but the pattern is there whether or not I actually miss intermediate day.

I'm sure I'm not making any body changes whatsoever on so small a time scale. But it's there and it's weird. I think it might be sort of related to something @Tony S was talking about in a different conditioning thread - how the first long ride / century of the summer tends to turn a corner and make everything just that little bit easier in the weeks just after it. Mental? maybe.

I have yet to figure out how to game it for downhill skiing, tho.

 

[Rod9301]

Hah.

I'm sure it has to do with periodization design and is probably highly individual in scale.

For example, if I want to have good legs for a long strenuous ride on Sunday, I head out for a single-speed low cadence grunt day on Thurs. eve or Fri. am. And it has to be a grunt muscle-up day, not a spin day. For whatever reason, on Sunday it reduces the evident fatigue from Fri eve or Saturday. Same thing with swims - an Indian club session Sun eve or Mon makes a noticeable, positive, difference in swim feel on Weds.

I'm sure there's a dozen ways to make "you're compensating intensity for ___ on the intermediate day" arguments but the pattern is there whether or not I actually miss intermediate day.

I'm sure I'm not making any body changes whatsoever on so small a time scale. But it's there and it's weird. I think it might be sort of related to something @Tony S was talking about in a different conditioning thread - how the first long ride / century of the summer tends to turn a corner and make everything just that little bit easier in the weeks just after it. Mental? maybe.

I have yet to figure out how to game it for downhill skiing, tho.

This makes sense. On Thursday you are stressing your muscles, and after a two day recovery they are stronger. You could also lift weights, probably more effective, with less chance of hurting your knees. Because you would have 3x12 tried instead of hundreds.

 

[Seldomski]

It's like your body today shows what you did 2 days ago - in a positive way.

Shows bigger (swole) or feels more capable?

2 day improvement sounds like it could be a neuro thing, as in you are better at recruiting all the fibers you have versus the fibers are actually more capable.

Or maybe it's a metabolic thing? Like your body stocks up more glycogen in the muscles than it had on day 1 for day 3, and your body is primed to use those stores first versus other slower energy pathways. Wait too many days and the body readjusts the glycogen level in muscle back to a more normal instead of overcompensated state.

This site seems to indicate it may be the latter:

How to Restore Glycogen (with Pictures) - wikiHow

Glycogen is the fuel reserve that keeps our body running. Glucose, obtained from carbohydrates in our diet, provides the energy we need throughout the day. Sometimes, the glucose in our body runs low, or even is depleted. When that...

www.wikihow.com

Completely depleting the glycogen stores prior to the event, then loading with carbohydrates, works to expand the glycogen storage capacity even further. This allows the athlete to push harder and further, and hopefully improve his performance during the event.

 

[Sherman89]

After going through shoulder surgery as a result of a GS crash last February and laying up for 2 months I started back 3 weeks ago cycling, and riding my in house rowing machine. At the ripe young age of 73 one does not recover as fast as one used to. Five weeks after shoulder surgery I had more surgery done to repair an abdominal hernia that was becoming a problem and being laid up with the shoulder I decided to kill 2 birds with one stone. I have recovered from the hernia repair and am back cycling and rowing and will start back roller blading next week now that my sense of balance has returned. I also have a ski machine that helps but the rollerblading and cyclingares the best if you can find good ground that you do not have to share full time with autos.

 

[cantunamunch]

Shows bigger (swole) or feels more capable?

More more capable than shows bigger.

2 day improvement sounds like it could be a neuro thing, as in you are better at recruiting all the fibers you have versus the fibers are actually more capable.

I think I agree with that more than:

Or maybe it's a metabolic thing? Like your body stocks up more glycogen in the muscles than it had on day 1 for day 3, and your body is primed to use those stores first versus other slower energy pathways. Wait too many days and the body readjusts the glycogen level in muscle back to a more normal instead of overcompensated state.

This site seems to indicate it may be the latter:

How to Restore Glycogen (with Pictures) - wikiHow

Glycogen is the fuel reserve that keeps our body running. Glucose, obtained from carbohydrates in our diet, provides the energy we need throughout the day. Sometimes, the glucose in our body runs low, or even is depleted. When that...

www.wikihow.com

Because depleting glycogen doesn't really depend on muscle activation speed.

 

[David Chaus]

I recently started taking Tai Chi private lessons from my old Sifu (Sensei) from years past. It turns out he retired to a small town 30 minutes away, which is lot easier for me to get to than his old Dojo in Seattle. I moved from Seattle myself 12 yeas ago, another reason I stopped practicing I suppose. That and skiing kind of took over.

After my MCL injury last year, I decided I needed an all-around flexibility and range of motion activity and it's something that I already knew well, but maybe forgot. I am focusing on Chen style, because it more....well, it's just more. More athletic, more internal energy storing and expression, greater range of motion, change in pace of movements, and generally harder to learn and do well. And it's doesn't stress my body as I age.

 

[LiquidFeet]

Apropos to the thread title is this video done by Deb Armstrong with coach John Leffler.
It's all about building proprioception.

"You can effectively train for skiing off snow"