The Many Benefits of Redlight!

 

Redlight Therapy is becoming very popular.    So, what is red-light?  And what are the benefits?  

Whenever you go outside into sunlight you are experiencing many different parts of the Sun’s electromagnetic spectrum including:

UV - Ultraviolet Light – while eyes cannot sense Ultraviolet light – UV is responsible for tanning, sunburn, and production of Vitamin D

Far Infrared light – this is invisible to our eyes but we feel this as heat! 

Redlight – we see this quite literally as redlight and the percentage of the sun’s rays that are redlight are highest earlier and later in the day (think sunset or a campfire!).    

Blue light – think typical indoor lighting and your computer screen.  The sun has plenty of blue light earlier in the day and less late in the afternoon and evening when red takes over.    This type of light stimulates the brain and nervous system which is why it is a good idea to go outside early each day into the sunlight whenever possible.

NIR - Near Infrared Light – we cannot see this with our eyes but near infrared light has many benefits similar to the benefits of redlight.   About 40% of the Sun’s Rays consist of Near Infrared which is one of the reasons being in sunlight can have many benefits if you follow safe sun exposure rules!     To learn more about safe sun exposure see this blogpost:  https://workoutanytime.blogspot.com/2022/08/the-incredible-health-benefits-of-safe.html 

How does Redlight and Near Infrared Light Work?

Redlight and Near Infrared Light work through the Mitochondria of your cells.   You may remember Mitochondria from high-school biology as “the powerhouse of the cell.”   Almost all cellular energy comes from your mitochondria.   As we age we have less mitochondria and they function less well.   Redlight and Near Infrared Light increase oxygenation of the mitochondria resulting in big increases in cellular energy production.   More energy means better cell function.

What are the Benefits of Redlight and Near Infrared Light?

Redlight is extremely beneficial for the skin!   It stimulates collagen production and reduces inflammation which can improve skin structure, strength, and elasticity.    It can help improve many skin conditions including:

Acne

Alopecia (male pattern balding)

Reduction of stretch marks

Reduction of wrinkles, fine lines, and age spots

Improvement in psoriasis, rosacea, and eczema 

Most of the benefits of redlight therapy are skin deep but Near Infrared Light can penetrate much deeper into the body.     The benefits of near infrared light are similar to redlight including:

All the skin benefits provided by redlight.

Decreased joint and muscle pain including low back pain.

Improved wound healing.

Improved circulation and Recovery

Reduction in whole body inflammation

Increased white blood cell production.

Increased cellular metabolism.     

Near Infrared Light and Cellular Melatonin

Near Infrared Exposure also generates increased melatonin production in the cells it hits.  This is different than circulatory melatonin produced in your brain at night because it does not make you sleepy!  

Melatonin has been shown to have antioxidant and anticancer effects, to play a role in the regulation of blood pressure and glucose levels, is highly anti-inflammatory, and has also been shown to lower the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and mortality.

Melatonin exists in two main forms within the body – circulatory melatonin, which is produced by the pineal gland and has its major effect on sleep and the circadian rhythm, and subcellular melatonin, which is produced and used locally by the mitochondria within our cells.

Preventing Colds and Flu through Vitamin D Supplementation

 

Optimal Vitamin D levels produce many benefits throughout the body including the prevention and treatment of many disorder ranging from Osteoporosis to improved heart health with reduction in heart attack risk to prevention of many different types of cancer.

During the winter in particular – high levels of Vitamin D are highly protective against illness including the flu.  However, you must get your blood levels high enough.  The tricky part is that the dose any individual needs to take to achieve ideal Vitamin D levels varies considerably from 600iu – 10,000iu per day!  Therefore you should test your Vitamin D levels overtime to determine your ideal daily dose!

The ideal way to get optimal levels of Vitamin D is to let your body create it through Safe Sun Exposure (see previous blog on this subject here:  http://workoutanytime.blogspot.com/2016/08/the-facts-on-safe-sun-exposure-and.html  However this is easier said than done – particularly in winter.   In addition, too much sun is clearly a strong risk factor for skin cancer!      Enter Vitamin D supplementation.

The form of Vitamin D to take is Vitamin D-3 not the Vitamin D-2 form and all experts agree on this!     However when it comes to dosage things get much trickier.  It is possible – although extremely rare - to overdose on Vitamin D supplements.   Vitamin D Toxicity only occurs when consuming huge daily doses for long periods of time.

This is why simple blood testing is recommended which can easily be done through a physician, but it is also legal to order your own Vitamin D test without a prescription.   The test you want is called a 25(OH)D blood test and is offered by all major labs.  

You can order an at home test on Amazon.   The at-home tests use a simple finger prick – then you put a drop of blood on the enclosed paper and send back in to the labs.    You can also order your own blood test online and go to a lab to have blood drawn.   For more information on ordering Vitamin D blood tests go here:  https://www.questhealth.com/product/vitamin-d-test-17306M.html?srsltid=AfmBOopoSvpTj2glbo_MYXo2vMk0ILV-RjTUOw2uH46fGEZwES7eE5h4 or here:  https://www.ondemand.labcorp.com/lab-tests/vitamin-d-test?srsltid=AfmBOoqubz4totHYuOrN-_q1q-axjiF_41RAdHCy_HfYlXHzrqoWWcEx

Ideal versus Acceptable Blood Levels of Vitamin D

There is a big difference between what is considered “acceptable” or okay and ideal blood levels.   Here are the classifications of different blood levels of Vitamin D. according to the Vitamin D Council:

0 – 30 ng/mL is very low and considered a deficiency

30 – 39 ng/mL is better but still insufficient for optimal health and disease prevention.

40 – 100 ng/mL is optimal

Above 150 ng/mL is toxic!

The key is to test and if low take a supplement then retest 2 – 3 months after regular vitamin d use because each person is different in how much supplementation they need based on many factors including sun exposure and skin type.     The RDA for Vitamin D for infants is 400IU/10mcg.    For Children 1 – 13 and adults through age 70 the RDA is 600iu’s and for those over 70 the RDA is 800iu.

Unfortunately, these recommended dosages are way too low for many people who require much higher dosages to get into the optimal range.  This is the reason testing is really worthwhile – so you can optimize your Vitamin D dosage based on your genetics.   In many cases people need 4,000iu – 10,000iu or more per day for at least a month to get where they need to be for optimal health!   For dosing guidelines based on your blood levels check here:   https://www.grassrootshealth.net/blog/finding-right-dose-vitamin-d/

Preventing Vitamin D Toxicity through the Co-Administration of Vitamin K-2

As stated above Vitamin D toxicity is very rare, and there is also a key co-factor that can decrease the chance of any toxicity when taking Vitamin D.   This co-factor is Vitamin K-2 (not to be confused with Vitamin K-1 found in many plants).    In an ideal world, you can get all the Vitamin K-1 you need from eating plenty of green, leafy vegetables, and your body can turn it into K-2.   Unfortunately, this conversion is lacking in many people.

More importantly K-2 is can be taken with Vitamin D.    K-2 is best taken as a supplement in the MK7 version which has been heavily researched and shown to improve bone health and prevent arterial calcification which can potentially occur with too much Vitamin D.    For a more complete understanding behind how K-2 works with Vitamin D and why it is a great idea to take the MK-7 vorm of K-2 with Vitamin D check out this article :   https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2024/03/05/vitamins-d3-and-k2-coronary-artery-disease.aspx

Taking 100 – 200 mcg per day of Vitamin K-2 will help optimize the effects of Vitamin D and minimize risks associated with Vitamin D Supplementation.   There are combined Vitamin D and K2 Supplements such as Now Mega D-3 and MK-7 which contains 5,000iu’s of Vitamin D and 180mcg of MK-7 form of K2.

Does the "30-30-30" Rule Work?

The 30-30-30 rule is trending high on TikTok and Google – but does it work?   The 30-30-30 rule involves eating 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking up followed by 30 minutes of low intensity exercise.   Sounds great right?   Not so fast.

What are the Benefits of 30-30-30?

It encourages a high protein meal and hitting protein targets for the day is unquestionably important for all people and all goals – particularly anyone interested in maintaining lean muscle mass during weight loss or seniors who have accelerated loss of lean mass!

This habit helps encourage a consistent exercise routine – exercise done is better than ANY form of exercise you do not perform regularly!

What are the Downsides of the 30-30-30 rule?

There is no magic to 30-30-30 and there is no research that backs up the claim that 30-30-30 will “….strip fat off a human being faster than this….”

A one-size-fits-all approach is not suitable for everyone.   For example, many people do not like to eat breakfast and enjoy high-intensity exercise safely and get great results from this type of program.

The rule does not take into account key lifestyle factors including sleep quality, stress management, and nutrient intake.

So if 30-30-30 isn’t magic what other simple advice does work?   Check out this article that lays out a proven and simple to follow strategy for weight loss:   https://workoutanytime.blogspot.com/2024/12/weight-loss-made-simple-prioritize.html

Mastering the Kettlebell Swing

 

Kettlebells are very popular, and when used properly they are a fantastic tool!   However not everyone should attempt all the possible kettlebell exercise until they have a mastery of the basics which provide the necessary foundation for advancement.  For the kettlebell that foundation is all about mastering the Kettlebell Swing.

The swing is a hip hinge movement NOT a squat!    Most people do not know the difference which is the first challenge.  The following shows an unloaded hip hinge using a dowel (you can use a broomstick or anything light) to keep the spine in perfect alignment which is key!

Start by doing hip hinges holding a rod held at hips and head to groove hip hinge pattern – you should feel it in hamstrings (back of your leg) and butt! Also notice how the knees do NOT move forward over the toes showing that all the movement is occurring at the hip joint.  It is critical that you maintain contact between the rod and the back of your head, upper back and lower back throughout the movement - harder than you might think! Do NOT progress until you are doing perfect reps in sets of 20 or more reps and have fully grooved the movement pattern.

                                   

Next drop the rod and pick up the kettlebell holding it to your chest and repeat the hip hinge – if you feel it in your back you are doing something wrong!    See the picture below:

To insure you really feel the proper mechanics put toes/ball of foot up on thin board which forces weight into heels and repeat movement – you should really feel it in your hamstrings and glutes and be hinging NOT squatting!  This should really help to lock in the right technique.    See picture below:

Then progress to kettlebell deadlift – stand over the kettlebell with the bell between your heels – hip hinge (do NOT squat) to grip kettlebell handle with arms straight and shoulder retracted.  Stand-up by squeezing glutes and driving your hips forward but do not hyperextend.   Repeat until they have this movement grooved.    See pictures below:

Once you have mastered the deadlift you are ready to do swings!  Start with kettlebell on the floor in position as if you were going to hike a football.  You should be in a hip hinge position with your back flat, hips back, knees NOT flexed forward, with your hands holding top of kettlebell handle in hook grip, head in neutral position with your lats held tight and shoulders down as pictured below.

“Hike” kettlebell back between your legs bracing your core so that kettlebell is ABOVE the knees! Brace your core as kettlebell hits this bottom position.

Then extend the hips – your arms DO NOT lift kettlebell – they go along for the ride and go up from the hip snap – keep shoulders down and retracted and lats tight – the kettlebell should not rise above your shoulders.

Let kettlebell fall back and as it reaches the hips - hinge the hips back again.

At end of swing replace bell in front of body in hike position THEN relax your body and release bell.  It is VERY important to keep the hinge position and brace until bell is back in starting position.   To see a great video on this progression click here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYHbu2LRqD0 This video made by Mike Boyle is one of the best there is to teach a kettlebell swing progression.

Once you have mastered the swing movement begin to link your breathing with the movement:  Inhale as you swing down and exhale sharply at top of swing.  Remember to brace your core as you hit the bottom of the swing.  Recommended starting weights are about 36lbs for men and 25 pounds for woman or if you have access to kettlebells marked in kilograms use 12 for woman and 16 for men.   Then slowly progress.

Once you have the movement do big sets of 20 – 40 reps and build to the point where you can complete 200 – 300 repetition in a workout 2 – 3 days per week.  When you get here you and everyone around you will start to notice a difference!

How to Keep Your New Year's Resolution!

 

As the saying goes “Talk is cheap”, and most New Year’s Resolutions end up not happening.    So here are some tips on how to make sure you actually follow through on your resolutions!   

Write Down Your Goal - the act of writing goals is a concrete action and makes you more likely to follow through in taking action to achieve the goal.  Use the SMART goal format:

Specific – vague goals are dreams and dreams never happen.

Measurable - being able to measure progress and success is critical.

Achievable - do not set yourself up for failure by setting unrealistic goals!

Relevant - make sure the goal is something that is important and meaningful to you.

Timebound - you must set a deadline for achieving the goal because without a deadline the goal is just a dream!

Focus on one goal at a time - science has proven that we only have so much willpower and if we set to many goals we run out of steam.    Focusing on one goal at a time allows you to conserve your willpower and discipline enhancing your chance of reaching your goal.

Create habits that lead to your goal - when something becomes a habit it takes a lot less mental energy and willpower to complete it.   So start with small, easy to achieve habits that help you move towards your goal.   For example, committing yourself to a 5 minute walk each morning or evening is a simple and relatively easy commitment.     Then when you follow through and start to do it each day you create a habit.   

Plan Your Work - Then Work Your Plan -science also shows that people who create a plan are much more likely to achieve their goal.  Part of your plan should be becoming aware of the triggers of your bad habits and planning on avoiding them.   For example, if you are trying to quit smoking and you know that going to a coffee shop is a trigger for lighting up – plan on avoiding coffee shops.   Many bad habits are associated with specific locations.

Share Your Goals with Others - sharing your goals with friends, family or co-workers can help provide support.   Studies have shown that people who share weight loss goals with family are 22% more likely to succeed.

Plan on Mistakes and Focus on Progress not Perfection - we all make mistakes, but just because we make a single error of judgement or have a short lapse in willpower does not mean we need to give up on a goal!    If you make a mistake, such as having a high calorie meal while trying to lose weight, do not give up on the whole effort.    Acknowledge the lapse – and get back on the horse!

By focusing on progress, you put mistakes in context.   For example, if your goal is weight loss and you have a week with 6 days of following your plan perfecting and have one bad meal – realize that overall you are doing well!

Holiday Travel Workouts and Gifts

 

It is easy to get out of your regular exercise habit during the holidays – particularly if you are travelling!    The good news is with a little preparation it is easy to get in an effective workout anywhere.

Here are a couple of ideas for getting your workouts in anywhere, anytime and some make great gifts for the Fitness Enthusiasts in your life:

Workout Anytime App Workouts – if you do not have our app download it now – there are literally hundreds of workouts for every goal, ability level, and equipment available (or no equipment BW workouts).    This video guided workouts can be accessed anywhere, anytime, and it is super easy to caste them up to your nearest flat screen!

X-3 Bar System - https://shorturl.at/vdfeO - The original resistance band/bar and footplate system that started this incredibly popular trend.    This provides an amazing full-body resistance training program.   While not inexpensive – it really works!  You can also put together a much less expensive options by combining purchases of bands, footplate, and bar such as:

           Less expensive footplate from Amazon - https://shorturl.at/5eAp0

           Less expensive resistance band bar from Amazon - https://shorturl.at/ybcxN

           High quality resistance bands from Amazon - https://shorturl.at/SPiWZ

These three options together only cost - $196 and make a great gift for the fitness lover in your life – or for you to use on the road!

TRX Suspension Training - https://goo.gl/TtpmAA - The TRX Home System provides another great travel workout option including a great app that shows you exactly what to do!  Another easy to use travel system that makes a great gift as well.

Bodyweight Routine - https://www.muscleandfitness.com/training/workout-routines/best-bodyweight-workout-all-time - this Men’s Fitness Bodyweight Routine provides several options that require zero equipment.

3 Best Bodyweight Exercises - https://workoutanytime.blogspot.com/2016/03/the-three-best-bodyweight-exercise.html - a simple, yet highly effective workout check out these three bodyweight moves that can be done anywhere.

Walking or Running can be done in many locations, and with proper clothing you can go for a walk or a run even during cold weather.  In addition, cold weather workouts provide the added benefit of revving up your metabolism (cold exposure is a proven way to boost metabolic rate).

Stairs can be found almost everywhere and walking or running up and down stairs provides a fantastic interval based cardio challenge while also challenging lower body and core strength.

Yoga Routine – Yoga can be performed anywhere and there are many great online videos including this one from Pop-Sugar:  https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/10-Minute-Power-Yoga-Workout-31081952

 

Tips for Handling Holiday Stress!

 

Although the holidays are a fun time of year they are also a very stressful time of year!   45 percent of Americans say they would prefer skipping the entire season because of financial pressure.     Most Americans feel that the stress really starts to build around December 13^th, grows worse through the 18^th and peaks on Christmas Day.

This holiday stress can be highly detrimental to your health, and it is sad but true that many take their lives during this season.    The physiological impact of this stress manifests as increased cortisol which boosts blood sugar levels, helps drive weight gain, and breaks down muscle.

Here are some tried and true ways to combat holiday stress:

Get your workouts in!  Now is NOT the time to skip workouts – even a short one can have an immediate and lasting effect in reducing your mental and physiological stress response.    A quick high intensity workout - just three 20 second sprints with one – four minutes of active recovery – is all it takes!   Remember something is always better than nothing when it comes to working out.

Get your Sleep!   Easier said than done, but focusing on when you eat and when you go to bed and wake up can keep your body in a good rhythm.    A simple way to do this is to get up and go to bed at the same time every single day regardless of the day of the week – do NOT change your schedule on weekends. 

Then try to keep your food and beverage intake (except for water) in a 12-hour window so that you are NOT eating or drinking anything (except for water) for 12 hours.   For example, if you wake up at 6am and drink a cup of coffee at 7am (the clock has started at 7am).   That means you want to take in your last food or beverage no later than 7pm.  

If you know you are going to go out to parties try to take in your first food and non-water beverage later in the morning.   If you start at 8am – 9am this gives you until 8 or 9pm to finish all food and beverage intake.   By keeping your sleep/wake cycle consistent along with your eating and not-eating schedule you allow your body to recover better.

If you are going to go out to parties – drink any alcohol early and stop drinking early or just start drinking water and nothing else once you hit the end of your 12-hour window.    Each drink takes about an hour to fully metabolize and you want this process complete BEFORE you go to sleep!

Set an alcohol budget – and switch to water after you hit it.     Doing this along with scheduling your wake/sleep cycle and food intake cycle can prevent a lot of issues while allowing you to have a great time!

Do not overbook yourself or your family – plan on downtime and keep it simple.  Less is often more in life, and the holidays are no exception!

 

 

Weight Loss Made Simple - Prioritize Protein and Fiber!

 

Weight loss requires you to consume less calories than you use, but there are many factors that influence both calorie intake and calorie burn!  This complexity is why many weight loss interventions fail.     Regardless of how people lose weight most people regain all of it because they revert to old habits.

Another reason is that our fat cells have an epigenetic memory meaning that cells respond to dietary and movement patterns which activate specific genes (either good or bad depending on the patterns!).      In the case of poor eating and movement habits cells tend to be resistant to changing their genetic expression.     In other words, once you become overweight or obese you become more susceptible to regaining weight.

In order to lose weight and keep it off we need to make sustainable dietary and movement pattern changes.     According to a new study this change may be as simple as eating more protein and fiber!

Participants who ate more protein and fiber lost significantly more weight over 12 months compared to those with lower intake and this did not involve counting calories – just a focus on eating more protein and fiber rich foods.

Satiety = Protein and Fiber

Satiety refers to feeling satisfied and not hungry.    Protein and fiber both promote satiety through distinct mechanisms.    Fiber promotes healthy gut bacteria, improves bowel regularity, helps maintain blood sugar in the optimal range, and reduces cholesterol.     Consuming fiber rich foods such as vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds and whole grains are also linked to lower all cause mortality.     Fiber also promotes satiety after meals.

Protein also increase satiety compared to sugar and starch or fat.  Protein causes the release of specific peptides that interact with receptors in our gut to control appetite.  Protein also provides two other important benefits related to weight loss and maintaining weight loss:

Protein increases post-meal thermogenesis (technically called post-prandial thermogenesis) meaning that it takes more energy to digest protein so that you actually have to burn some calories to digest protein.  This means you get fewer usable calories from protein.    When you consistently prioritize protein this adds up to a lot of calories burned!

Protein also builds and preserves lean mass including muscle!   Muscle and other lean mass are the big calorie burners in your body so building more muscle and minimizing muscle loss during weight loss is key to successful weight loss that you maintain!   Studies suggest that high-protein diets cause almost twice as much fat loss as moderate-protein diets.   

Participants in this study were taught how to choose foods with high levels of protein and fiber.   Participants aimed for 7 – 11 grams of protein per 100 calories of food and 1.8 – 3.2 grams of fiber per 100 calories of food for weight loss.   For weight maintenance participants aimed for 4 – 8 grams of protein per 100 calories and 1.4 – 2.8 grams of fiber for 100 calories.   Participants did NOT count calories!   This equated to 140 – 210 grams of fiber per day and 28 – 56 grams of fiber daily.

An Easy Nutrition Program

To make this even easier shoot for a minimum of 1 gram of protein per lbs. of lean mass every day.     To measure your lean mass, ask a trainer about getting a complimentary Styku Scan which will measure your lean and fat mass.    To make it even simpler – you can focus on consuming 1 gram of protein per lbs of your bodyweight.   

Here is a link to a free downloadable list of high protein foods:  https://reallifenutritionist.com/high-protein-foods/

When it comes to fiber focus on getting at least 25 grams of fiber per day.   Here is a list of High Fiber Foods:  https://reallifenutritionist.com/high-fiber-foods-chart/

An Effective Ski Conditioning Program

 

In order to design an effective ski conditioning program the first task is to understand the key physiological requirements of skiing ski specific:

Strength

Balance/Stability/Kinesthetic Awareness

Speed

Muscular Endurance

Cardiovascular Endurance

Flexibility

What is Ski Specific Strength?

Ski specific strength requires strength of the key muscles used in skiing and the right type of strength relative to the specific muscular contractions required in skiing.  The key muscles include the Quadriceps (front of thigh), hamstrings (back of thigh), Gluteals (hip musculature), inner thighs, outer thighs, calves, core musculature, low back, shoulder, back, and arms.    These muscles will use all three contraction types: Concentric (muscle shortening to project force externally), Isometric (static contraction to prevent movement), and Eccentric (muscle lengthening to absorb forces – like moguls!).     

The unique requirement for skiing is Isometric and Eccentric strength and endurance which requires a specific set of conditioning exercises that mimic the sports requirements from these muscles.  The core muscles will also mostly be used in an eccentric and isometric fashion and need to be conditioned specifically as well.

Strength Training for Skiing

It is important to use mostly compound, multi-joint exercises for the majority of strength training exercise for skiing.   For example, a leg press will provide better overall benefit for the quadriceps than a leg extension because it is a compound, multi-joint exercise.  Better yet, if you are able, choose an exercise that also requires balance such as a squat or a lunge that is also a compound, multi-joint movement yet requires much more stabilization and balance resulting in better transfer of benefits to skiing. 

These same ideas apply to upper body strength training. For example, a machine bench press will provide more benefit than a Pectoral Fly Machine (aka “Pec Deck”) because the bench press movement is a compound, multi-joint movement rather than an isolated single joint movement like the pec dec.  However a bench press will provide more benefit than a machine bench press because it requires more stabilization and balance, and dumbbell bench presses provide an even greater carryover of strength since there is an even higher stability and balance requirement!

Great Ski Training Strength Exercises

Squat with barbell or dumbbells

Wall seat for time

Lunge with dumbbells or barbells

Walking lunges

Side lunges

Lunges on a slide board (very strong eccentric component)

Standing Adductor Exercise on Slideboard

Push-ups

Dips

Pull-ups/Pulldowns

Seated Rows/Dumbbell Rows

Pulldown with rope handle linked with a tricep extension to mimic the mechanics of poling.

The reACT Trainer – Ski Specific Training Tool!

The reACT Trainer (see a video demonstration here: https://youtu.be/w83ALxHwujY?si=dJuq5OjUmgEwhYYI ) is by far the most effective tool for developing ski specific strength, endurance, power, balance and stability.    It emphasizes eccentric muscle contractions which are so important in skiing while also demanding balance and core strength.    5 – 10 minutes twice a week for 3 – 6 weeks before ski season will make an incredible difference in your skiing performance!

What is the best way to do Ski Specific Cardio Training?

Skiing, particularly at altitude, will place demands on the cardiovascular system.  Aggressive skiing, particularly in moguls, places high end demands on the cardiovascular System.  Specifically skiing involves high levels of muscular effort for 1 – 5 minutes followed by rest while on the ski lift.  So cardiovascular conditioning should include interval training to specifically condition for the stresses of skiing. 

Slideboard Training – the ideal tool for Ski Specific Cardio and Strength Training!

A slideboard specifically stresses the key muscles used in skiing emphasizing eccentric and isometric muscular contractions along with strong concentric contractions in a dynamic manner that demands balance and stability.   

The slideboard also uses lateral movement which is required heavily in skiing and not provided by any other apparatus!  The down up down and side to side pattern of weight transfer that is so essential to downhill skiing can duplicated perfectly on a slideboard.  Slideboards are one of the few devices that Olympic skiers actually use for conditioning because slideboards work!  Here is a great company to purchase a slideboard from:  https://ultraslide.com/ 

Other Cardiovascular Training Options

Rollerblading is OUTSTANDING if you find a place where you can maintain speed safely, learn to Rollerblade properly, and wear protective gear.

Bicycle – both indoor and even better outside because of increased balance requirements

Stair climbing real stairs or using a machine (Do NOT hold on at all while using a climber). Holding on while stepping decreases the benefits of a climber by eliminating the need to balance and stabilize and also reduces the caloric expenditure – there are no bars to hang on when you ski!

Treadmill using an interval based program with elevation.

Rower, elliptical or other machine – as above

Flexibility and Skiing

Flexibility Training aka “Stretching” refers to exercise done to restore the resting length of muscle groups to their ideal position.  Flexibility requirements are different based on your body type and skiing has its own particular flexibility requirements depending on how hard you ski.  Key muscles that require flexibility to allow proper mobility of the ankle, knee, hip and shoulder include:

Calf muscles such as Gastrocnemius (long calf muscle) and even more so Soleus (short calf muscle) must be capable of a large range of motion so that they allow the knee to flex forward to keep pressure on the front of the ski while the foot is fixed on the ski.

Adductors (inner thighs) need to be capable of moving through a relatively wide range of motion and be capable of producing force throughout the range.

Hamstrings are not typically put through an extreme range of motion skiing, but flexibility is required.

Hip flexors are used frequently and because the hip is constantly in a position of flexion the hip flexors are prone to becoming overly tight from skiing.

Shoulder and chest muscles are used extensively for poling and the upper arm is moving through a significant range of motion in poling.

Static Stretching

The most recognized and safest form of stretching is called static stretching which refers to the fact that a muscle is placed in a slightly stretched position (any pain is always bad) and held there without movement for 30 -60 seconds.  This type of stretching is most effective AFTER exercise and in fact stretching before exercise has NOT been shown to be of benefit and done incorrectly can clearly cause more harm than good.

Stretching cold muscles is not beneficial which is one of the reasons stretching after exercise is more effective.  To prepare for vigorous exercise warm-up by easing into the activity.  In the case of skiing start with easier slopes well within your ability and perform lots of turns to warm the muscles up and prepare for the challenge ahead.  By holding a stretch position after exercise your nervous system turns off the tendency to pull against the stretch and allows the muscle length to reset to a more appropriate position.

Ski Stretches

Bent leg and straight leg calf stretches

Hamstring stretch

Hip Flexor stretch

Adductor stretch

Chest stretch

Speed and Power Training for Skiing

AFTER building a base of strength, muscular endurance, cardiovascular endurance, and flexibility you can begin to focus on speed and power through plyometric training.  Plyometric training utilizes jumping and other explosive drills that use energy stored in the muscle during prestretch to produce maximal muscular contractions. You have no business doing this type of high intensity training without professional guidance and then AFTER you have established a base of strength, endurance and flexibility.  

The slideboard actually provides this type of approach in an easy to control manner.   After achieving a level of skill and initial conditioning you can incorporate a down up down movement pattern that results in rapid eccentric loading followed by a vigorous concentric contraction to provide plyometric training specific to skiing.   The reACT Trainer is the ideal, safe way to develop ski specific strength, speed, power and endurance!