It's officially fall! Now is the time to get in shape, get stronger, and address any injury niggles BEFORE the snow starts! Set yourself up for success by finding and addressing your weakness before the winter sport season starts. In Colorado, we're about 3 months away from skiing the slopes of Arapahoe Basin, Vail, Breckenridge, Steamboat Springs, etc.. Three months is the perfect amount of time to execute an exercise program to help you have your best winter sport season yet!
Join me at the Denver Athletic Club for Tuesday and Thursday evening fitness classes: DAC
As a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS), my primary focus is injury prevention. But it's two for one - the same strength and conditioning training that helps reduce injury also helps you perform stronger, better, and with more endurance. Getting left in the dust by your friends is bad, but getting injured at the beginning of the season is even worse. No one wants to sit at home while all your friends and family go have fun in the mountains!
Unfortunately, participating winter sports (i.e. skiing, snowboarding, winter hiking and trail running, snow machining, etc.) may increase your risk for injury. Common injuries include anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, knee sprains, ankle sprains, subluxed/dislocated shoulder, skier's thumb, concussion, whiplash, back pain, neck pain, and rotator cuff disorders. Even with the most compliant exercise pain, I can't guarantee complete protection from injury. But there are many tests to perform to determine weakness and potential risk for injury.
Keep reading to identify your weaknesses and what exercises you can do to improve these weaknesses.
Step 1:
Find your weakness with the movement screens listed below:
Core Tests
1. Plank Endurance: Hold the plank as long as you can!
Normal Values for a Forward Plank
Very Good: 4-6 minutes
Above Average: 2-4 minutes
Average: 1-2 minutes
Below Average: 30-60 seconds
2. Quadruped: Can you perform the below scenerios while keeping your stance leg
perpendicular to the floor AND your hips/pelvis level?
a. Opposite arm/leg lift
b. Same side arm/leg lift
Balance
Single Leg Balance with Eyes Closed: How long can you maintain your balance without touching the other foot down and without bracing your knees/thighs into each other? Perform on your right and left leg.
Normal Values:
18-39: 9.4 seconds
40-49: 7.3 seconds
50-59: 4.8 seconds
60-69: 2.8 seconds
2. For the higher level athlete, challenge your balance on a BOSU or other unstable
surface: How long can you hold this position on each side without touching the other
foot down and without bracing your knees/thighs into each other? Perform on your
right and left leg.
Shoulder
1. Functional behind the back mobility test: reach up and over your shoulder with 1
hand and reach up your back with the other hand. Compare mobility side to side in
each position, they should be equal!
2. Strength
a. Max push ups
b. Max pull ups
Normal Values:
Men:
Fair: at least 8 pull-ups
Fit/Strong: 13-17 reps
Women
Fair: 1-3 pull-ups
Fit/Strong: 5-9 reps
Lower Extremity Strength
1. Max Squat number in a row
Body Weight Squat Normal Values:
50+ = Excellent
30-49 = Good
16-29 = Average
15 or less = Poor
2. Pistol Squat: Can you perform a full pistol squat (up and down) without loss of
form or balance? Perform on your right and left leg.
Plyometrics/Power
1. Max Single leg hops in 30 seconds: Are you right and left values equal? Goal is to be
<97% different.
2. Avg. 3 single leg hops forward: Are you right and left values equal? Goal is to be
<97% different.
3. Broad jump: Are you right and left values equal? Goal is to be <97% different.
Full Body Fitness
1. Run 1km as fast as you can
Normal Values
Excellent: 3 min or less
Good: 3min - 3:29
Avg: 3:30 - 4:29
Ok: 4:30 +
2. Row 500m as fast as you can
Normal Values
Excellent: 1:30sec or less
Good: 1:31 - 1:44
Avg: 1:45 - 1:59
Ok: 2:00+
3. Burpees: How many can you do in 30 seconds
Normal Values
Men: >16
Women: >12
Step 2:
Pick your exercises based on your weakness and imbalances. (This is where a trained physical therapy or personal trainer can be really helpful!)
Get started with these exercises:
(Or use a fitness app. Learn more here)
Core:
Forward and side planks
Yoga boat pose
Dying Bug
Bird Dog
Push ups
Balance:
Single leg balance on BOSU or DynaDisc
Squats on BOSU
Yoga
Upper extremity mobility:
Foam roller stretches
Doorway pec stretch
Yoga
Upper extremity strength
Bench press variations
Dumbbell weight lifting
Push ups
Pull ups
Lower extremity strength
Lunges
Squats
Step ups
Plyometrics
Jump rope
Skater jumps
Box jumps
Speed ladder drills
Aerobic Exercise
Run/walk program
Swimming
Biking
Rowing
Step 3:
Have an epic season! Enjoy your increased strength, endurance, and mobility and have the best winter sports season ever. To help maintain your gains through the season, continue a basic exercise routine twice a week.
Get your CO ski pass!
Other tip and tricks:
Take breaks during your activity, schedule in a rest day (or a full week), and triage any soreness before it gets out of control.
To reduce the change of overuse injuries, alter your activities, and/or participate in a variety of activities, to use a variety of muscles and movement patterns.
Recover better with soft tissue mobilization, myofascial release, and trigger point dry needling.
Do a 5-10 minute daily yoga routing to keep you mobile and flexible.
Need help assessing your weakness? Need help making a plan? Need help with accountability? ALL OF THE ABOVE?
Message me directly: Jessica@physioyogaandwellness.com
Book an appointment today: https://www.physioyogaandwellness.com/book-online