Prepare Like An Olympian

 

EIS - 11.12.09

We can’t all expect to have the speed, strength and agility of an Olympic snowboarder, but English Institute of Sport (EIS) Strength and Conditioning coach Liz Sinton, one of the experts behind Britain’s number one snowsport athlete Zoe Gillings, has offered some valuable tips for those lucky enough to be heading off for a snowboarding holiday this winter.

Speaking to the Science: [So What? So everything] campaign Sinton, who has been working with Gillings to make sure that she is in peak condition for the Winter Olympics in February, suggests the following top tips to help you avoid injury and maximise your performance on the snow…

Preparation

Liz says: A key part of avoiding injury and maximising performance is ensuring the legs are strong enough to tolerate the days boarding, and the less dominant areas (i.e. glutes and hamstrings) are also conditioned and ready.

Strength and conditioning support focuses on functional movement patterns, in other words, how a snowboarder will move when they are in action, rather than on particular muscle groups. For instance, rather than looking at the quadriceps (muscles in the front of thighs) in isolation, they will look at how this part of the body will be used, such as in squatting, and where the athlete’s weight will be distributed as they land.

Whilst Zoe Gillings training and preparation for the Vancouver Winter Olympics has taken place at the EIS base at the University of Bath over a four-year period, most people won’t have as much time to dedicate to their pre-snowboarding holiday training.

Focus on the following areas of your body in preparation for your holiday:
• Hip function – working hip extension which you could do with kettle bells, simple bridging movements (i.e. lie on your back, knees bent feet flat on the floor. Contract abdominals and glutes then raise hips (feet & shoulders stay in touch with the floor). Most weight pushing through your heels. Working up to 3 sets x 20 reps) or single leg movement patterns.
• Leg conditioning – working the quads with squat and mat jump work (jumping on a soft crash mat, working up to 3 x 60s non-stop)
• Hamstrings – leg kicks, swiss ball curls and arabesques
• Cardiovascular conditioning - on a rower, cross trainer or spin bike (mixing up intervals with endurance steady state efforts within your week)
• Sessions focusing on trunk strength work

Warm up

Liz says: Once you reach the snow, you can start the day with 10-20 minutes of cardiovascular warm up before breakfast (perhaps a walk, slow jog or bike), followed by some floor based activities and stretching. However, if this sounds like a bit too much effort for a holiday, you can still benefit from a warm up which Zoe does when she gets up the mountain.

• Do some squats, lunges and jumps to get the blood flowing and improve dynamic flexibility
• As you get warmer, you can increase your range of motion further and focus on specific areas of the body
• If you are stationary for a long period, you can do a smaller warm up which will help to keep your muscles warm

Avoid Injury

Liz says: There are a number of precautions you can take which can help to reduce the risk of injuring yourself on the slopes.

1. Preparation

First and foremost, you can prevent a lot of injuries commonly cause by tumbles by making sure that you’ve prepared your body for snowboarding. In particular, focus on increasing core stability and strength, which will allow your body to take the strain when turning and landing, and reduce your likelihood of injury. You should also increase your cardiovascular fitness, which will make your holiday more enjoyable, as you won’t get so tired.

2. Warming up and down
 
A few minutes spent warming up and stretching at the beginning and the end of the day will be time well spent, as they can reduce the risk of injury, as well as reducing your chance of aches at the end of the day.

3. Fall Safe

When you’re learning to snowboard, you are likely to fall a lot. If falling forwards, try to keep your arms slightly bent and to absorb the fall with your forearms, rather than jolting your wrists. If you’re falling backwards, bend your knees to keep lower to the ground, and try to land on your rear end. Keep hunched forward to avoid your head from hitting the ground.

4. Be Safe:
 
Good kit will help you to avoid injury. A crash helmet can protect from concussion and head injuries. Whilst these injuries are relatively rare, they are the number one cause of death in snowboarders so it’s worth investing in a helmet. Wrist guards can help to protect against broken or strained wrists and hard shell boots will protect your ankles from sprains.

5. Take it Steady:

Don’t try anything that you’re not ready for. Stunts, jumps and tricks are fun but are also increase the chance of injury. Make sure that you’re well prepared by taking lessons from a qualified snowboard instructor. This will mean that you don’t learn bad habits which can lead to injuries.

Photography © Getty Images