Offseason Adventures
Last week Jess and I were able to step away for a few days and headed out to explore Oregon. We try to take a trip every fall and find somewhere new to explore. A lot of times this is offseason for these destinations. Traveling in the offseason can only lead to one of two outcomes. Either the weather is perfect and extraordinarily beautiful with markedly less people in a popular area. Or the weather is as expected and you end up with what we in our household have termed “offseason adventures.” Oregon was no exception.
This year's offseason adventures included a very wet, but profoundly beautiful hike through the woods along the Oregon Coast, that opened up into a cove along the ocean. Followed by a cold and foggy adventure in Crater Lake National Park, but with patience cleared out with the sun and turned into a view unmatched. For us, these offseason adventures create some of the most entertaining stories with how some of them turn out.
If we’re talking offseason adventures, it means we're talking snow. And if we’re talking snow, skiing and snowboarding is right around the corner. If you are a skier or snowboarder, here’s what you should be prioritizing right now in your lifting:
1) Lower Body Strength (Bilateral & Unilateral)
Examples: Front Squats, Goblet Squats, Deadlifts, Lunges, Step-Ups, Kettle Bell Swings
Strength is the foundation to any solid program and sets the tone to build upon for not only prepping for the various terrains but force production and control required.
2) Power Movements
Examples: Box Jumps, Deep Tier Jumps, Broad Jumps, Yielding Jumps, Depth Drops
Strength sets the tone and foundation, power allows us to control and manage the speed that comes with skiing and snowboarding.
3) Tempo Work
Examples: Eccentric Squats or Lunges, Wall Sits, Pulsed Movements
Being able to absorb impact and forces allow us to improve our capacity for carving, landing cliffs and jumps, and sustaining stamina for the whole run.
4) Core Stability & Rotational Control
Examples: Farmers Carries, Suitcase Carries, Medicine Ball Throws, Chops
A strong, reactive trunk supports balance and transfer of force between the upper and lower body for force production and absorption on the slopes.
While Jess and I enjoy the erratic nature sometimes of what offseason travel has to offer, your skiing and snowboarding training doesn’t have to be. This is the time to dial in and get ready, even if you’re a casual outdoor athlete. Don’t know where to start, reach out and schedule a discovery call and we can figure out where we can help.
Helping athletes RESOLVE THEIR PAIN by CLEARLY DEFINING THE PROBLEM and IMPLEMENTING EFFECTIVE SOLUTIONS to get them back doing the activities they love!
If you are currently struggling with an injury or unable to perform in the activities you enjoy. Please follow the link to schedule a consultation call to discuss how we can help you.
