Upper Body!
Just thought that this was a good little tid-bit on upper body work outs.
Dear SkiPost;
I had a question about upper body workouts with skiing in mind. There are a number of lower body dry land training options (biking, hiking, running). There do not seem to be as many easily accessible upper body workouts (kayaking in some limited areas, swimming, hiking or bounding with poles, roller boards, ...). Assuming rollerskiing is not an option for getting in 2-3 upper body workouts a week (and kayaking is a limited choice), what are other creative suggestions on maintaining / improving upper body work capacity in the dry land season? I keep coming back to swimming being probably one of the most accessible options. In the off season, it is easier to keep the lower body going. But I know I lose upper body endurance. Would like to work on that and would appreciate thoughts and suggestions.
Hello,
Thank you for your question. Upper body work is something that, as you mention, will certainly help you out when the snow hits the ground. Upper body endurance is one aspect of the equation that is going to really come around when you are able to do double pole training, but if that is hard to do there are other options.
Swimming can certainly help you maintain your endurance throughout the dry-land season. One very good exercise is to use one of the buoys for 'pulling' that most swimming pools have available, and do laps with just your arms. Pulling can be done without the aid of the buoy, but it is much easier with the help of this device.
Don't forget the benefit of the weight room. Conventional lifting for major muscle groups will give you a really solid base to build from when you get back to snow. Natural body weight resistance can help build strength, and endurance all at once. The roller board is a good device for double pole motions, but can also be simulated using strong elastic resistance bands.
Finally, don't forget to incorporate the medicine ball into your weight training. This can add an explosive power element to your training that will be difficult to simulate with conventional weights or bands. We hope this gives you a little help with your question.
There is one other source available to you through Central Cross Country Skiing (CXC). It is a CD-ROM that can be purchased HERE.
Thank you again for your question!
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