Snow Ready Fitness
Week 1: Ready, Set, Snow!
Welcome to the start of your pre-course fitness plan. We have devised this programme especially for trainee ski and snowboard instructors – follow it day by day and you will feel fitter and perform better during the crucial first few weeks of your ski or snowboard course.
Perform the warm up, then the day’s exercises followed by the cool down. Refer to the videos at the bottom of the page for correct exercise technique before you start training.
Make sure you keep hydrated by having water to hand and use a timer or a stop watch for timed exercises.
Perform the fitness test at the start of this week, this will give you a base to improve from. Download and print the fitness test – we ask you to perform the fitness test at the beginning of weeks 1, 3, 5 and at the end of week 8.
Warm Up
Prepare your body and mind for physical activity. Loosen and stretch your muscles and increase you heart rate. You’ll raise blood and oxygen flow prior to your main work out. Perform each exercise for 30 seconds with 15 seconds rest in between.
Time: 45 mins – 1 hour
Focus: Legs & Aerobic Cardio
Benefits: Increased leg strength and aerobic fitness will see you skiing or boarding for longer each day.
Legs
Set your timer for 8 minutes and complete each exercise continuously for the number of reps shown. Rest for two minutes and repeat.
Aerobic Cardio
Go out for a long gentle walk or jog for 30 – 60 minutes. The length of time will be dependant on your current fitness level.
Time: 40 – 50 mins
Focus: Arms & High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
Benefits: Arm strength is essential for balance and pole planting, HIIT helps prepare your body for anaerobic sports like skiing and boarding – when you require short sharp bursts of energy followed by rest periods.
Arms
Set your timer for 8 minutes and complete each exercise continuously for the number of reps shown. Rest for two minutes and repeat.
HIIT – Sprint Interval Training
In an open space, start out at a gentle jog for two minutes, following with a 1 minute sprint. Repeat 6 times followed by a warm down jog for 2 minutes.
Time: 45 mins – 1 hour
Focus: Abs & Aerobic Cardio
Benefits: A strong core help maintain balance and improved cardio endurance decreases risk of injury.
Abs
Set your timer for 8 minutes and complete each exercise continuously for the number of reps shown. Rest for two minutes and repeat.
Aerobic Cardio
Go for a long gentle swim for 30 – 45 minutes. If you don’t have access to a pool, head out for a walk or jog for the same amount of time.
Time: 35 – 45 minutes
Focus: Balance, Agility & High Intensity Interval Training
Benefits: Improved balance helps skiers and snowboarders to adapt quickly to changes in terrain and plyometric HIIT exercises help train your muscles to adapt to rapid changes in speed and intensity.
Balance & Agility
Set your timer for 8 minutes and complete each exercise continuously for the number of reps shown. Rest for two minutes and repeat.
HIIT – Jump Lunges
Perform 5 sets of 10 reps.
Time: 45 mins – 1 hour
Focus: Fully Body & Aerobic Cardio
Benefits: Skiing and snowboarding are cardio activities using muscles in every area of the body, so increased strength will mean improved performance on the slopes.
Full Body
Set your timer for 8 minutes and complete each exercise continuously for the number of reps shown. Rest for two minutes and repeat.
Aerobic Cardio
Go out for a long cycle on a bicycle or on an exercise bike at the gym for about 45 minutes. If you do not own a bike or attend a gym, go for a long steady jog outside.
Post Workout Stetches
Kick start muscle recovery and prevent injury by performing these stretches after every work out session.