How to get in shape?

[kfarrar]

I am looking for some advice on how to get in shape. I have done the running thing 12 -16 miles per week in the past buts its been awhile.

My time is more limited than ever so I am looking to maximize the result while at the same time minimizing the amount of time spent exercising. I figure I have at least a half hour everyday and a few days a week I could exercise for up to an hour.

Does anybody have any routines that they do prior to the start of ski season. I am not looking build a racing physique, just want the first couple times out to be more enjoyable.

[elwood]

Kfarrar,

Your best bet is to hit the gym. If you can do a full body circuit 3 times a week you will be all set. Many people don't realize the benefits of weight lifting, but they are enormous. 3 days of lifting and 3 days of cardio for at least a half hour will get you into great shape quickly. Also on the cardio, switch it up. Run one day, rollerblade another, and bike another or swim..whatever, just get it in. Another thing-- for skiing, don't go for slow controlled lifting. You want to work your fast twitch fibers, so go with a little heavier weight (probably don't want to max out at first), but do your reps quickly, with a pause before the explosive motion.

[DMC]

Mountain Bike...

Thats what(all) I do to get ready...

And walk a lot too...

[RR]

Hiking with ski poles (old beater poles are cool for that). Local parks with some ups and downs and unpaved trails having a little busy work for the small muscles of foot/ankle articulation and balance are a great close to home deal..start with what ever time has you breathing like you do skiing a steep groomer and go out in all weathers, naturally.

Bongo board, Dan Rather won't mind...the kids will go ape for it.

Stairs, jogging up and walking down ...right about now the stair walkers are getting numerous in tall buildings, but lately that's been a problem with anything bigger than ten stories high. Light knee lift oriented steps will prevent the meniscal stress of heavy push off's and work on the tummy and back in a more positve way.

Ski and Skiing mags both publish on the topic annually. Outside mag prolly does too.

[RR]

One more thought: Dancing is good too...or, so my wife tells me :D

[Steveboarder]

Mountain biking is definatly good to keep the legs going I do alot of that. I have been strapping my board on over the last few weeks too and hopping around back and fourth in my room, leg lifts etc.

[DMC]

MTBing keeps your balance up too....

[targheehucker]

lots of beer for stamina and lots of sex for cardio...

i dont recommend combining the two though, it can lead to hazardous conditions

[Castlerock]

I put my daughter in a kid pack and go hiking up around and down the local green spaces with my two boys. Holt Hill and Ward Hill reservations are great for a 1-2 hour hike.

[kfarrar]

Castlerock -

I've done that two with my 20 month old daughter. And then when four year gets tired I carry her too, thats about 70 lbs between the two. It does make for some good exercise.

[kfarrar]

Sex for cardio. My wife will love that. Now I have a new excuse and she won't be able to refuse me and she wants me to be in good shape. ;)

[DMC]

kfarrar:
Sex for cardio. My wife will love that. Now I have a new excuse and she won't be able to refuse me and she wants me to be in good shape. ;) ha ha.... almost spit my coffee out... ;)

[kfarrar]

and now I can get a couple more workouts in everyweek. WHOOOO HOOOOO.

Can you here me now

But Hun, I really need to work out - really.

[Castlerock]

A couple more workouts.....Hey are you bragging or what!

[kfarrar]

Absolutely Not Castlerock,

I meant in addition to the running, lifting, hiking, drinking and then some ...

[M@]

I do lots of ankle lift kinda things. I spend a bunch of time standing at the laptop at home, and do the step exersizes. Just going from flat feet on ground to tippy toes, over and over until it really hurts. That's the only ski-specific exersize I do. Sometimes I'll do it on a little step so I can go lower, but not always.

For a great get and stay in shape plan check this:
What me? Exersize? (http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/www/chapter1_2_5.html#SECTION0250000000000000000)

It's part of the Hacker's Diet, which I also recommend. I've tried a bunch of diets, and they all work, but I've liked this one the best. And it's got the kewlest name. I use the palm pilot tools and it's worked perfectly for me. I have to describe it over and over to everyone who notices the difference... but the web pages do it best.

[Bannick]

I can not stress to people enough about the benefit of leg rasies and crunches/situps to strengthen the abs. I have had a problem with doing serious injuries to my stomach muscles while trying to jump out of deep powder or heavy snow. The first time I did it I thought I had a hurniea (sp?) or something. The answer for me has been lots of ab work.

I have been on my end of summer program for a few weeks. By the time the snow flies I will be doing between 3-600 crunches/leg lifts/obliques/pulses etc. per day depending on how I feel. I kind of get a bit obsessive after I get into it.

I have yet to wreck myself since starting my self induced program.

[Steveboarder]

Yur right bannick I pulled my abs a few years ago.... like ouch :mad: total massive pain you can never overwork the abs

[BladeGirl]

I took up Pilates (floor exercises, no equipment needed) a few years ago for the abs and back benefits for skiing. It not only strengthens all of the "trunk" muscles" butalso improves balance!

-BG

[kfarrar]

Did she say "Trunk" Muscles?
:eek:

[M@]

I didn't think the trunk had muscles.

[NHski]

I lift weights for two days a week, do cardio for 5. Started this five months ago and have lost 20 lbs.

[NH_tele]

Run. Lot's. Running is probably the best general fitness thing you can do. Over the summer I ran between 55-70 miles a week. Now I probably doing about 55-60-ish. It's great excercise.

Other stuff to try:
*Throwing Hay Bales- Great full body workout.
*Water Skiing (Slalom of course)- Another great FULL body workout
*Biking- Do at least 20-30 miles a day to really get something out of it (road biking; mountain biking milage is different), but it can definitely be a good way to stay in shape

[TheOctopus]

I use a rowing ergometer (aka "erg") several times a week and lift when I can. Weekends I spend outdoors on the bike or rollerblades.

I'm a big fan of the erg. Amazing cardio workout, and if you hit it hard you get a decent amount of development out of it, too -- it works every major muscle group. They're nearly indestructable, rather inexpensive (for home gym equipment), and store nicely away if you're short on space. And they're an all-natural Vermont product: www.concept2.com (http://www.concept2.com)

[Mumster]

1. Yeech, exercises. I do a 12 minute quad program every morning - total torture, but I have bad knees so I need strong quads.
2. Always take the stairs unless its over 10 flights. At times I've carried an altimeter and aimed to get 500 vertical feet up each workday. (I'm just starting back on stairs since the last knee injury.)
3. We have a Skier's Edge machine - you can get a terrific workout on it - double diamond, carving, all mountain, mogul runs. :cool:
4. Hike, walk the dog, ride the horses.

BTW, you are right...no major muscles in the trunk! :eek:

[I promise I won't pass this on to your spouses/partners, but sex isn't that good for either cardio or lower extremity fitness...when you look at the data it expends surprisingly little energy. :( ]

[NH_tele]

Mumster:
3. We have a Skier's Edge machine - you can get a terrific workout on it - double diamond, carving, all mountain, mogul runs. :cool: Do those machines actually do anything? The ads I've seen are pretty un-inspiring (they have testimonials from places like Georgia, Alabama, and Florida.

I've never really seriously considered buying one, but if they actually do something for you, there's always a chance.

Although somehow I don't think they'd help my freeheel technique very much...

[Mumster]

You get a terrific workout. I used one for the first time to prepare for last winter and wasn't sore at all when I hit the slopes. Since it simulates skiing, it's perfect for conditioning the relevant muscles. It's also fun - they have demos sometimes -> try it.

[skicdave]

How about an Endless Pool (http://www.endlesspools.com/) ? ... we need a bigger house.

Looks like I'll be skiing to get in shape for skiing this year :eek:

Well maybe cross country skiing to get in shape for downhill... and vice versa.

Keyboarding definately doesn't do a thing...

Actually one way that helps me stay in shape is running up and down the stairs. I never walk up stairs... ever. If you see someone running up the stairs, even at home that'll be me. If you see someone zipping up the stairs at the mall, yell out 'Dave!' I promise to wave back.

I go up and down the stairs at the office at least 30 times a day (mulitasking) ... maybe more.

[kmrnskier]

I like to have good core body strength for skiing, lots of ab stuff, better control that way, for me, at least. Also, I increase the weight I use at the gym for my legs, not that I have any real routine. Lots of hiking in the summer too. To me, all of the above make a HUGE difference. I also agree with running, but mixing it up with other cardio, and to PUSH it, get that heart rate up!!!!

[Castlerock]

Beer

[DMC]

Todays workout will consist of drinking at the Hunter Mountain Microbrew fest then playing drums for 4 hours.... I'll get a good upper body and leg workout... :)

[Castlerock]

See, like I said, Beer.

[DMC]

Beer stokes the furnace that runs me...
Beer provides hearty goodness for my soul...
Beer lubricates my mind and makes me relax ...
Beer quenches my thirst...

[Mumster]

skicdave:
Keyboarding definately doesn't do a thing...
It keeps your fingers in shape so you can hold your poles. :D

[Skilasnow]

The best start to a season I ever had was after my shoulder surgery. PT had me on the rowing machine a lot. Otherwise I always take the stairs at a quick jogging pace.

Mumster, be careful what you say about holding poles with strong fingers :rolleyes:

[surfy]

Not much of a workout freak. I usually in-line skate three or four times a week, 100 - 150 miles total for the week. Then starting around Labor Day, I walk backwards up stairs. I'm on the third floor at work and everyone thinks I'm a little strange when they see me coming up the stairs backwards.

Upper body consists of about 20 reps per day with a 12 ounce weight, 25 ounces if the weight holding mechanism is glass. :beermug:

Finally, to improve visual accuity, a slow walk around the college football stadium at the same time as cheeleading practice.

surfy

[NH_tele]

surfy:

Finally, to improve visual accuity, a slow walk around the college football stadium at the same time as cheeleading practice.

surfy :bum:

lol

[Mumster]

SkiLasLeñas:
Mumster, be careful what you say about holding poles with strong fingers :rolleyes: SkiLas -> Oh no, not you too :eek: ..... I thought your mind was totally pure -> you must be mingling with BG, elwood and DrPiddle after hours.

KM - I agree with the ab workouts -> the end of my quad program is for the abs - it's important for sports where core body strength/endurance is needed. And, for us femmes, it helps us avoid that "masculine beer belly".