Be Fit to Ski: The Complete Guide to Alpine Skiing Fitness

By S. Kramer MS

Every winter, world-class racers schuss down race courses at speeds upwards of 80 mph, going all-out for 2 minutes of racing. Die-hard recreational skiers spend weekends exhausting themselves to catch that last chair-lift ride. Professional ski instructors devote their free time to honing skills in technique and tactics to meet specific national standards.
Regardless of the number of days spend on snow, all participate in a sport that demands a balanced combination of peak conditioning in targeted fitness areas, called performance abilities- endurance, strength, power, speed and agility.
As part of a thesis for the completion of a Masters degree in kinesiology, Be Fit to Ski incorporates over 30 years of research on alpine skiing and athletic training toward the development of a year-round fitness program. The idea of periodization, a block-training approach using microcycles and macrocycles, forms the basis of four training phases that begin in the spring and culminate with the end of the ski season.
Divided into three sections, Basics of Training, Performance Abilities, and The Training Year, this book provides all the necessary answers to develop year- round fitness training for skiing that will result in quicker skill improvement and guaranteed more vertical per day.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Apr 16, 2015
• ISBN: 9781499083354

S. Kramer MS

Sue Kramer has worked in the ski industry as a ski instructor and race coach since 1985. Over the past few decades she has reached the highest levels of certification as a ski instructor and has become an Examiner with the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) organization, travelling all over New England to coach other instructors. In addition to training instructors, she is a certified race coach, working with young athletes under the age of 16 and educates other United States Ski Association (USSA) race coaches on fundamental skills and coaching methodology for working with young athletes. Wanting to know more of how the body moves, she enrolled in a Masters program in kinesiology while training to compete for a spot on PSIA’s 2012 national team. The idea for this book evolved from her off-snow training in preparation for the team selection. Following the sound concepts presented in this book she has been able to continue to ski at the highest level of performance. Kramer lives in southern Vermont with her husband and three cats, and has two grown stepchildren.

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Copyright © 2015 by S. Kramer, MS. 696148

Library of Congress Control Number:   2015901625

ISBN:      Softcover         978-1-4990-8334-7

                Hardcover        978-1-4990-8333-0

                EBook              978-1-4990-8335-4

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Rev. date: 05/13/2015

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For Eric

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Contents

Preface

Acknowledgment

Introduction

Part 1

Basics of Training

Chapter 1   Getting Started

Chapter 2   Fundamentals

Chapter 3   Training Concepts

Chapter 4   Periodization

Chapter 5   Measuring Performance

Part 2

Performance Abilities

Chapter 6   Endurance

Chapter 7   Strength

Chapter 8   Power

Chapter 9   Speed and Agility

Part 3

A Periodized Plan for Skiing

Chapter 10   Adaptation

Chapter 11   The Training Year

Appendix

Endnotes

Preface

I run, therefore I’m fit, was my belief. I ran and I read Born to Run by Christopher McDougall—three times, cover to cover. I bought flat sneakers and ran along forest trails and up, over, and down mountains and state highways. Discovering muscles in my feet and ankles that I did not know existed, I was couch-bound for two weeks. This did not help me get fit to ski. Come autumn I did my cursory forward and side lunges and box jumps. I performed those exercises with the same all-or-nothing manner as the flat-shoe running experiment. My efforts were rewarded with torn thigh muscles and two weeks of channel surfing on the sofa.

That winter season, I was competing for a spot on the eastern Professional Ski Instructors of America’s (PSIA) team. The test consisted of skiing a variety of difficult maneuvers from precisely carved turns down Whiteface’s iciest slopes to a nonstop bump run down Lookout Below, a steep and narrow chute. I skidded and snowplowed my way back to the lodge and downed 1,200 mg of Ibuprofen. I placed fourth in the skiing and gave myself a ruptured disk at L4-L5. I was not fit to ski.

They say it is not the destination but the journey that counts. From what began as a thesis for a master’s study program in kinesiology, this book became a personal guide for fitness training specific to alpine skiing. My destination was the PSIA’s 2012 Alpine National Team. Everything that I discovered about training helped me to avoid back surgery, to be fit to ski, and to ski at my absolute potential. While I did not make the final cut for the 2012 team, I was runner-up, and that’s another story.

Acknowledgment

A special thanks goes to Marjorie King from Plymouth State University, who was as enthusiastic of the subject as I and who painstakingly went page by page with me to make sure I conveyed my ideas in such a way that skiers of all types would understand these concepts. Thanks for passing the manuscript along to Dave Heikkinen from Fitchburg State University, who made a few thought provoking comments about muscle tissue, which encouraged me to learn more. That’s always a good thing. I appreciate the questions and requests for clarity. Thank you to my sister-in-law, Dr. Deborah Hammer, who so willingly took time from her busy practice to answer questions about back exercises. To Patti Smith who advised me on the biographical information. Thanks to the folks at the Bromley Outing Club and to my PSIA family, especially to the Eastern Alpine team members and exercise physiology students I have had over the years who encouraged me to finish this book. It was only because of being an instructor myself with so many unanswered questions that I was compelled to take on this project.

A special thanks goes to my parents for introducing me to the mountains and skiing as a young child. To George Kramer, Barbara Palmer, Larry Kramer, Catherine Brown, and Andrew Kramer—thanks for believing that I am still living the dream. Most days out on the hill, I feel like I am. And to my deeply missed late mother who would be thrilled to see that I have picked up the writing baton.

Lastly, to my husband, Eric, whose patience with me has not gone unnoticed. His incessant questioning on the subject of strength conditioning and training has fueled my own curiosity. And to answer that question—no, I don’t believe that you are ever too old to learn or to go to school or to write a book, for that matter.

Introduction

Millions of people worldwide voluntarily expose themselves to the harshest of climates to participate in this Spartan activity called skiing. While the average person busies himself with flight reservations to tropical islands during the winter months, the committed recreational skier will abandon family and work obligations upon hearing news of epic snowfalls in far-off lands. The truly dedicated give up salaried jobs and routine lives to live the life of the professional ski bum. It only takes one season of working as a ski coach to realize there is so much to learn about this complex sport. For those who can manage the time, certification becomes a lifelong journey. I have heard part-time instructors admit that passing their targeted certification exam felt more rewarding than passing the Bar exam or medical boards. Whether a recreational skier, ski instructor, or race coach, being athletically fit to perform at the highest level makes sense. Skiing is a sport. Time is limited, and there’s no point in spending $120 to ski at an exclusive resort if the legs are going to give out after lunch.

To give some background of my personal experience, I have worked in the industry for nearly thirty years. I’ve reached the highest of certification levels within my division. It has not been without hard work and sacrifice. Professional alpine ski instructors are both highly qualified educators in the sport of alpine skiing, as well as expert skiers who can maneuver down any ski trail, on any mountain, whether it is within the boundaries of the resort or accessible only by foot or chopper. These pros must train themselves to ski any terrain with accuracy so as to be able to demonstrate and teach a student the proper techniques and tactics for any situation. Testing at the highest level takes place on steep terrain in variable conditions while executing technical tasks lasting from 45 seconds to 3 minutes. These tasks require high levels of leg strength, aerobic and anaerobic fitness, as well as agility and coordination and are reflective of the type of skiing that an expert skier might want to do for fun. The snow is unpredictable, the mountains can be as high as 3,500 meters, and the skier must have constant awareness since misjudging distance and speed can result in a fatal encounter with a rock wall, cliff, or otherwise immovable object. Temperatures range from –20° Fahrenheit to 70° Fahrenheit. Only accomplished skiers can safely enjoy the challenges offered from this diverse terrain. Sport scientist Richard Ferguson described skiing in this 2010 article (from http://ep.physoc.org/content/95/3/404.full):

Alpine skiing is characterized by high-intensity exercise of between 90 and 120s duration that requires repeated phases of high-force isometric and eccentric contractions. The nature of these contractions, during which all fiber types are active, results in restricted blood flow to the working muscle, thereby reducing oxygen delivery and increasing metabolite accumulation. The consequence of this will be skeletal muscle fatigue, through both central and peripheral mechanisms, and a potential loss of motor control, which will ultimately limit skiing performance (p. 404).

The complexity of alpine skiing in combination with the harshness of the environment has made it difficult to research. The limited research available addressing the physiological requirements of alpine skiing has mainly focused on elite junior and adult alpine racers within the four competition disciplines that have been an integral part of the Winter Olympic Games: downhill (DH), super G (SG), giant slalom (GS), and slalom (SL). The duration of these ski racing events last from 45 to 150 seconds. Examining the literature conducted upon athletes in racing competition and simulated competition from the past thirty years can help increase understanding of muscle activity and energy use at the elite level. Within the alpine skiing research community, there is much agreement that elite alpine skiing relies on eccentric activity of the knee extensors,¹ and some disagreement on the degree of significance of aerobic fitness.² ³ ⁴

Be Fit to Ski is a fitness training guide that is geared toward professional ski coaches and expert recreational skiers. Professional Ski Instructors of America and the American Association of Snowboard Instructor (PSIA/AASI) have over thirty thousand members nationwide, and nationwide, millions of Americans participate in this winter activity. To date, there are limited resources available that provide training and conditioning recommendations for the respective sports. For the purpose of personal interest, the focus of this book is placed solely on alpine skiing. The terms skier, ski pro, coach, and athlete are used interchangeably throughout.

The book is divided into three main sections: the Basics of Training, Performance Abilities, and a Periodized Plan for Skiing. In addition to providing thorough background information for exercise science concepts, performance abilities, and prescribed training, chapters 1–9 explores the relevant research. The research reviews are placed where it seems appropriate. It is not expected that every reader delve into the reviews, but it is there for the most curious and those suffering from severe insomnia. Like all other fitness programs available, it is expected of the athlete to use wise judgment in goal setting and in the execution of difficult maneuvers. When questions arise, it is recommended to consult a physician or professional athletic trainer.

Part 1

Basics of Training

Chapter 1:   Getting Started

Chapter 2:   Fundamentals

Chapter 3:   Training Principles

Chapter 4:   Measuring Performance

Basics of Training

Alpine skiing places specific demands on the body that differ from other sports, like Nordic skiing. The alpine skier needs to develop the capacity to generate energy through different metabolic systems, as well as possess peak muscular strength to resist maximum force. In this first section, athletic training variables and the basic tenets of fundamental sport science principles are described within the context of alpine skiing so the skier will understand the science behind building a conditioning routine that is fun, motivating, and effective.

Getting Started

Confucius is known to have said, When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps. Motivation for change is admirable, but without a plan and measurable outcomes, the end goal may not be realized. In a world of fast everything and extreme adventurism, skiers who want to improve their fitness level can easily miss their target by working out too hard, too fast, resulting in injury. For both the professional ski instructor and the expert recreational skier, Be Fit to Ski provides the action steps necessary to best prepare the body in meeting the challenges of high-level skiing.

Whether it is training for a triathlon or just going out for a daily run or round of golf, most alpine skiers are physically active in the off-season. However, some of these training activities may not be the most effective in preparing for the winter. Training for a marathon in the off-season will improve one’s aerobic capacity and low-intensity endurance but will interfere with increases in muscular power and strength.⁵ ⁶ Preseason, or dry-land training, helps prepare the skier, but improvements made by November may be long gone by February unless some form of training is continued into the ski season. One Nordic instructor believed that cycling 2,500 miles in the summer would prepare him for the rigors of Telemark skiing but found that his quads still burned at the start of the season. An alpine ski instructor described the discipline required to run 25 miles per week in order to prepare for skiing but, once on snow, felt that her core was very weak. Both of these instructors were in good cardiovascular condition but were admittedly lacking eccentric leg strength, core strength, and muscular endurance.

This begs the question, Is what you are doing enhancing your ski performance or possibly hindering it? Albert Einstein is credited with saying the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. It is possible that with all good intentions, the training plan at the local gym may not be specific enough to alpine skiing. P90X, Insanity, CrossFit, and other trendy intense exercise programs provide great workouts but may encourage a skier to work out at levels beyond one’s ability and expose one to repeated injury. The alpine skier should prepare the body for the ski season using as much current information as is available, not because there is a secret winning quality or plan, but because alpine skiing is a demanding sport that requires peak performance for an extended period of time, involving a unique combination of factors.

According to Ericsson, Prietula, and Cokely (2007), it takes 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to develop expertise in something like sports or music (http://research.cs.tamu.edu/prism/prg/ericcsson2007makingExpert.pdf). For someone who ski coaches 100 days per season (25 days per month for 4 months), of those 100 days, the average focused personal skiing hours may be 260 hours (13 hours per week for 20 weeks). According to the 10,000 hours theory, it would take a ski pro 38.5 seasons to master skiing! As a recreational skier, it would take about 45 seasons to become a true master. And even for someone skiing year-round, it would still take decades to truly master every aspect of the sport.

There are two types of skiers: those who ski into shape, and those who are already in shape to ski. The goal of year-round training is to be at the absolute best when it is finally time to hit the slopes. While there is no replacement for time spent skiing, increased preparedness and specific training for alpine skiing makes good use of the time off snow. The purpose of this book is to provide skiers and skiing professionals a plan for training to minimize the occurrence of fatigue and injury and to maximize the quality of sport performance and endurance in consideration of the long winter season. Chop-chop—let’s go!

As a Ski Professional

25 d/mo × 4 mos = 100 days/season

13 hrs/wk × 20 wks = 260 hrs/season

10,000 hrs/260 hrs = 38.5 winters!

As a Recreational Skier

7 hrs/d × 8d/mo × 4 mos= 224 hrs/season

10,000 hrs/224 hrs = 44.6 winters!

Fundamentals

Alpine skiing, unlike Nordic (cross-country) skiing, is thought to be a sport requiring quick, explosive action.⁷ The complexity of the sport is such that the energy used throughout the day must come from different pathways depending upon the intensity output. The short intense bursts of activity that typify alpine skiing are 80%–90% reliant on anaerobic pathways or energy generated in the absence of oxygen. ⁸, ⁹, ¹⁰, ¹¹ When skiing at a moderate level, as in cruising the slopes for a day or teaching a group of students, energy is supplied through aerobic pathways, or energy produced with oxygen. Anaerobic, aerobic? What are these terms, and what do they have to do with skiing? Read on! For any athlete training the body for a specific sport, the focus should be on the dominant energy pathway used. Alpine skiing has long thought to be predominantly anaerobic; however, recent research has found that training the aerobic system can be highly beneficial to the skier. ¹², ¹³ Through understanding the basics of exercise science, like how energy is produced, the skier will understand how to be most effective with off-snow training time.

Fueling Muscular Activity

All cellular activity depends on the energy that comes from the breakdown of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) molecules. ATP itself is not the fuel but can be considered the carrier of the energy that’s necessary for all muscular activity (and for all those powder runs). Energy is released when ATP loses its end phosphate molecule and becomes ADP (adenosine diphosphate). Once it has released the energy, ADP must be recycled back to its original state to continue fuelling the body.

What role do ATP molecules play during voluntary muscular activity? To understand muscular activity, we should first look at the muscle fibers themselves (Figure 2.1). Essentially they are made up of tiny threads called myofibrils, each one sectioned, giving muscle fibers their striated appearance. Each section houses the proteins—actin and myosin—that are responsible for either relaxing or contracting the muscle. Within these sections are binding sites for ATP.¹⁴ During muscular contraction, actin and myosin connect with each other in a propelling-like action and literally pull the overlapping threads closer together, resulting in movement. Fortunately, each myosin head (and there are many) also contains the enzyme necessary to split the ATP into ADP, inorganic phosphate, and energy.¹⁵ Muscles only store about four seconds worth of ATP for maximum effort activity,¹⁶ so more must be made in order for muscular contractions to continue.

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Figure 2.1 Anatomy of Human Tissue

Sources of Energy

ATP-PCr

There are several ways where ADP can be recycled back into ATP. Energy production follows a progression from the simple to the complex. In other words, all activity is first fueled by the anaerobic systems (without oxygen) and then to aerobic metabolism (with oxygen). With high-intensity activity lasting up to fifteen seconds, such as pushing out of a start gate or skating across the flats, energy is supplied to the working muscle via the phosphagen (ATP-PCr) system.¹⁷ In addition to storing a small amount of ATP, the cells also contain a small amount of phosphocreatine (PCr). PCr is broken down by the enzyme creatine kinase to creatine and inorganic phosphate. This free inorganic phosphate joins up with ADP to reform ATP.¹⁸ Regeneration of ATP is very quick through the phosphagen system because the reaction is so simple. This process occurs without oxygen and thus is considered anaerobic. The downside is that the stores of both ATP and PCr are quickly used up. Fortunately, within thirty seconds, those stores are replenished by 70%, with complete restoration occurring after three to five minutes.¹⁹ So here’s a training tip: be as diligent with