Description
Lift-assisted, alpine skiing has very specific fitness demands.
The first is eccentric leg strength.
When alpine skiing, gravity “bounces” you down the hill. From a strength perspective, your legs first fight gravity from being forced into the mountain, and then pop up, out of the hole, into the next turn.
Early in my coaching career, I learned the hard way we can’t train eccentric leg strength with exercises like front squats and back squats. These train primarily “concentric” strength – the strength it takes to press out of the bottom of the squat.
This plan uses our “Quadzilla Complex” to train your eccentric leg strength. The Quadzilla Complex is a more intense complex of lunges, jumping lunges and squat jumps – where I use loading – dumbbells – to maximize its effectiveness. There is a lot of loaded hopping and jumping in Quadzillas, causing the athlete to land under the force of loaded gravity, and rapidly slow their deceleration. In this way, we train eccentric leg strength.
You’ll complete Quadzillas on Mondays and Thursdays in this plan and as you work through, the volume increases.
Beware …. eccentric leg strength training is intense and you’ll likely be quite sore. We give you Wednesday’s off in this plan to help with recovery.
The second specific fitness demand of alpine skiing is what I call “Leg Lactate Tolerance” – the “burn” you feel in your quads at the end of a long ski run or at the end of a full ski day.
This training plan deploys Touch/Jump/Touch Intervals on Tuesdays and Fridays to train your mind and body for this demand. Over the course of the plan, we increase the overall number of the intervals you complete, as well as increase the work interval and decrease the rest.
Third, alpine skiing demands solid rotational, anti-rotational and extension core strength.
This plan trains these also. On Mondays and Thursdays, you’ll perform Scotty Bobs – an upper body strength exercise which has a solid rotational core component, and on Tuesdays and Fridays, you’ll perform a focused core circuit between sets of Touch/Jump/Touch intervals.
WEEKLY SCHEDULE
- Monday: Quadzilla Complex, Scotty Bobs
- Tuesday: Touch/Jump/Touch Intervals, Core
- Wednesday: Total Rest
- Thursday: Quadzilla Complex, Scotty Bobs
- Friday: Touch/Jump/Touch Intervals, Core
- Saturday: Total Rest or light recreation
- Sunday: Total Rest or light recreation
The training sessions include a warm up, and are designed to be completed in 30 minutes. Work briskly, but not frantically through each day’s training.
Progression and focus are key to the design. Over the 4 weeks in this plan, we “progress” the volume of the Quadzilla Complex and Touch/Jump/Touch intervals you complete. Same thing, only harder.
This training program is specifically designed to be completed the 4 weeks directly before your ski season or ski vacation begins.
Overall, this training is efficiently designed to get you to the slopes sport-specifically fit, strong and stable – so you can get the most out of your turns at the beginning of the season, or enjoy your ski vacation to the fullest.
COMMON QUESTIONS
What if I miss a day?
Begin where you left off when you return to training. This program is progressed – each session builds upon the prior session – so don’t skip a session or skip around. Follow the training sessions in order, regardless.
Where do I find unfamiliar exercises?
See our Exercise Library HERE. The Run/Ruck Calculator is listed as an exercise.
What about nutrition?
See our Nutritional Guidelines HERE.
Can I see sample training?
Yes. Click the “Sample Training” tab to see the entire first week of programming.
How do I access the plan?
Access is online, via username and password. You can log in either through our website or through our app (Mtn Tactical Fitness) available for IOS and Android.
Can I print out sessions to take to the gym?
Yes – you can print a week of programming at a time.
More Questions? Email: coach@mtntactical.com
DISCLAIMER
Before beginning any exercise program, consult with your physician to ensure that you are in proper health. Physical training contains inherent risks including, but not limited to, muscle strains, tears, physical and bodily injury up to and including death. This training program is not meant to provide medical advice; you should obtain medical advice from your private health care practitioner. If you are unable to assume these risks then you should not engage in this training program. No liability is assumed by Mountain Tactical Institute, Inc, its owners or employees, and you train at your own risk. Mountain Tactical Institute makes no warranty, express or implied, of any kind in connection with this training program.