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Off season workouts to stay in shape....


spinxt

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Unfortunately we are approching the end of the season up here in the northeast...I feel like I made such progress getting into skiing shape and i don't want to lose it over the winter. I started searching for a workout to keep me in shape (let's face it, I'm like everyone else and don't have the best eating habits). I needed something with a good mix of cardio and strength training. My friend recommend a program to me called P-90X that he had been doing. Of course I was skeptical because I had seed the obnoxious late-night infomercials; and we all know that stuff never works. I let my friend be the guinea pig and purchase the system first and he swore by it and talked me into it. I have to admit, it is an excellent program....very intense....but anyone can do it.

The whole system works on a concept called "muscle confusion". Basically you do a set number and type of workouts for 3 weeks, then you switch to slightly different excersices for 3 weeks, and alternate. Like I said it's a mix of cardio and strength training and the best part is it only takes an hour a day.

I'd like to hear some feedback/thoughts for anyone that has tried it (or any questions anyone has about it)

Sorry if I sound like a commercial........

Chris

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The concept I agree with, but it really all comes down to how you feel it's working for you. I unfortunately have a lower back pain that has been with me for over 3 weeks so any exercise for me is out right now. I actually had to cut our season short due to my lack of ability to go and get any skiing done.

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I unfortunately have a lower back pain that has been with me for over 3 weeks so any exercise for me is out right now.

I too am plauged by lower back pain, but I'll tell you what....working out really helped. There are a lot of pull ups and curl ups in the routine which strengthen the upper back and shoulders. Then there is a killer Ab/core workout that really has made my lower back feel better. It's amazing how strong abs/core will pull your back into alignment and make some of the pain go away. JMHO

Edited by spinxt
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Many years ago, Herschel Walker was quoted saying his entire workout throughout his career up to pro footbal was pushups, situps and running sprints. Only after he made pro, did he hit the weight room. That said, my workouts are pushups, situps, running (not sprints) and cycling. I am in the best shnape I have been in for probaly 15-20 years. My boarding this summer was much improved, even for a 44 y/o guy, and my puck stopping is back where it was 15 years ago, if not the best it's been. I found I did not need to spend money on systems, programs, gyms, etc. We had a home gym that turned into a clothes rack. I have a small pile of free weights that take up space in the basement. The oly gadgets I use are a hand squeeze thingy for stick & glove hand strength and a home made wrist twisty thingy. Y'know - the handle with a rope and a weight hanging from it so you roll it up and down?

Trust me, it's working. Last year this time I was at about 220+, this morning 184.4. No real dietary changes. Yeah, I know, running in New England in the winter is tricky, but you're in PA... That's tropical Whistling.gif

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Agreed....that's basically what P90 X is. Pushups, pullups, situps, squats, and cardio. For me, it gives me motivation and direction each morning....rather than getting up and saying to myself "Alright do 50 pushups". It's fun working out with others, even if they are only on my TV screen (and they say the same things everyday :unsure: ).

Now if i could just fix that darn beer drinking thing.....I'd be working on a beach body Thumbup.gif

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Agreed....that's basically what P90 X is. Pushups, pullups, situps, squats, and cardio. For me, it gives me motivation and direction each morning....rather than getting up and saying to myself "Alright do 50 pushups". It's fun working out with others, even if they are only on my TV screen (and they say the same things everyday :unsure: ).

Now if i could just fix that darn beer drinking thing.....I'd be working on a beach body Thumbup.gif

True - 12 oz. curls don't count in the program. What a shame - do enough and they add up to something. Like a couple thousand calories! Dontknow.gif

C'mon 20 pushups while waiting for the hot water to come up. Nothing to it. Even at 6AM!

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I'll give a huge thumbs up for P90x. I've worked out for years and never had the results I've gotten from this program. If you like pushups and pullups, you'll love it.

Edited by bareftskier
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concept 2 erg machine at most gyms is about as close to a slalom workout as possible, I compliment it with swimming twice a week, daily cardio, and 2 practices and 1 hockey game per week, and some alpine and xc skiing with the family. I found a decent workout on waterski mags website:

http://www.waterskimag.com/article/Instruc...-Slalom-Workout

I alternate between 30min elip machine and row on concept 2, and 30min elip machine and WS Mag workout. I alternate those 2 with pool time.

But... still have trouble keeping away from the 12oz curls...ok, who am I kidding, I love the 12oz curls and do the rest to keep things somewhat even...

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  • 1 month later...

I tried the wieght training a few years ago with medium wieght and high reps. I tried to do workouts that I thought would use the same muscles as skiing. I have to say I wasn't impressed with the results I ended up with come ski season. I played league basketball 1 or 2 nites a week at that time too. I gave up the wieghts and ended up going to basketball 3 or 4 nites a week, which we play during the school year. I felt so much better since. I also think playing in the hotter weather in late May and June puts a good finish on the conditioning. Like they say about basketball NBA=nothing but athletes.

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This past summer I turned 52... WOW, 52! I could hardly make a few passes and was wiped out. Saw a picture of me at my B-day dinner and said that is it. I started P90X 7 weeks ago. I have lost over 15 lbs and moved my belt 2 notches tighter. 9 of the 15lbs in the last 12 days. I feel better and the clothes fit better. I can't do all the exercises to the full counts as they do but I do my best and watch the heart rate.

I found the Yoga to very hard to do but it seems to well worth it. The cardio exercises that I have done, rather Plyo, Yoga, or Kempo, really burn the fat. Wow, I can even see the beginning of, dare I say it, a six pack! I haven't seen that in years. Seeing these results has me energized to keep going. I haven't followed the diet and I can only assume that if I had, I would have seen even better results to this point.

5 more week to go!

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I like to view personal fitness as one of my hobbies but I am not an expert by any means. My trainer uses similar methods as the P90X program and it produces great work outs with results. The only thing that my trainer states is that "I wish I would have thought of that program myself," which is about as good of an edorsement of someone's product that you are going to get in the fitness world (he has his NGA pro card for bodybuilding).

Keep up the good work and next summer it will pay off.

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I like the concept 2 rower in conjunction with strength training 3-5 times/week if your schedule allows.

What workouts do you do with the C2? On the one at the gym, I select the 2000m workout, and that's usually enough to cook me good. Yesterday I tried the 5000m and stopped at 2500. I have a hard time sitting there rowing for 12+ minutes- how do you go longer than that? It just seems SO boring. I find myself staring at the TVs, glancing around the gym, and watching the meters click away as I row and row. I'm usually rowing 29-33 strokes per minute. I don't know if that's too intense or too slow. Basically, any suggestions on dealing with the C2 would be helpful if you have them!

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I like the concept 2 rower in conjunction with strength training 3-5 times/week if your schedule allows.

What workouts do you do with the C2? On the one at the gym, I select the 2000m workout, and that's usually enough to cook me good. Yesterday I tried the 5000m and stopped at 2500. I have a hard time sitting there rowing for 12+ minutes- how do you go longer than that? It just seems SO boring. I find myself staring at the TVs, glancing around the gym, and watching the meters click away as I row and row. I'm usually rowing 29-33 strokes per minute. I don't know if that's too intense or too slow. Basically, any suggestions on dealing with the C2 would be helpful if you have them!

I row at least 5 days a week on my C2. Normal workout is either a 5k or a custom interval program I set up. I don't find it too boring as I always have tunes on the iPod as well as something worth watching on the TV. I find it's less boring since my times started dropping. It's unreal to see how fast some of the peeps can row a 5k. I'm just about ready to break the 20 min barrier for a 5k...the fast dudes in my age / weight category are rowing it in under 18 mins.

Your stokes per minute are just fine...any idea what heart rate you're at for the 12 mins? The more I row it seems the faster times come with good technique.

GToad likes to get on it and row 10k's, believe it or not.

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I've found that a straight back and a low handle makes the rowing much easier (sounds familiar right?). Maybe I should try the iPod idea. The C2 is basically a torture device but I'd rather do that than run! I'll keep at it. I'll let you guys know when I can do my first 5K!

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I think this would be very good for core strength. I printed out all the workouts but just haven't started week one yet.

100 pushup challenge

Good artical GRN, think I'll try it. One time in my life I could do 40 pushups where you turn your head to the side and go all the way down to the side of your face - that little extra distance did make a difference.

Someone mentioned basketball (great cardio), to me what is my weakest link when skiing? For me its been cadio and running really helped there. One of my ex's told me I ski good, but "I look like a blowfish" - gasping for air. My knees say "no mas, no mas" to running, so I've taking up biking and that really helped.

Out the door right now, not to do 100 pushups, but 1000 shovels full of wet heavy snow. :lol:

Edited by MalibuNation
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This winter I've started on a circuit training program that alternates light weight/increasingly higher reps on odd weeks and increasingly heavier weight/low reps on even weeks. It's 10 core exercises that you split between two days, off a day, do the circuit again, and then off two days. Follow each workout with increasing amount of rowing. First week is 1000M and you add 1000M for each week. After 2 weeks I could tell a big difference in my body. Lost 7 lbs, lost 4% body fat and greatly increased my endurance. I reinjured my left Rhomboid though after 4 weeks so I'm on a bit of a hiatus for a few more weeks before I start up again.

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  • 1 month later...
Unfortunately we are approching the end of the season up here in the northeast...I feel like I made such progress getting into skiing shape and i don't want to lose it over the winter. I started searching for a workout to keep me in shape (let's face it, I'm like everyone else and don't have the best eating habits). I needed something with a good mix of cardio and strength training. My friend recommend a program to me called P-90X that he had been doing. Of course I was skeptical because I had seed the obnoxious late-night infomercials; and we all know that stuff never works. I let my friend be the guinea pig and purchase the system first and he swore by it and talked me into it. I have to admit, it is an excellent program....very intense....but anyone can do it.

The whole system works on a concept called "muscle confusion". Basically you do a set number and type of workouts for 3 weeks, then you switch to slightly different excersices for 3 weeks, and alternate. Like I said it's a mix of cardio and strength training and the best part is it only takes an hour a day.

I'd like to hear some feedback/thoughts for anyone that has tried it (or any questions anyone has about it)

Sorry if I sound like a commercial........

Chris

I got onto the P90X program March 08. It is an intense workout, but it is set up so you can modify all of the exercise programs. I initially got interested because - 1. you can do it at home 2. It is old school basics with new twist (ie no gimmicks - it just makes sense).

I started in March, modified my diet only slightly (ie smaller portions and 5 meals per day). I lost 30 pounds by Mid May and my pants went from a 36 to a 30. What I love about it is you are doing something different everyday so you decrease your risk for repetition induced injuries.

All you need is a set of dumbells (check out The Block) A chin-up bar, and a yoga mat. Personally, I think the YOGA has done the most for me by increasing flexibility and working on all those stabilizing muscles you don't usually work on. The ab workout is a killer and the core is my favorite. The legs and plyo workouts are a must for serious skiers.

I have suffered back problems for over 15 years and would normally be sore and out of commision a couple days after skiing on the weekends. This past summer, I never had soreness or weakness in my back which is probably due to the ab, core, and YOGA workouts.

I highly recommend the program. Once I completed the 90 day program I would use some of the videos during the week, mixed in with running, rollerblading, etc... This winter I got back into the stringent program and am still loving it.

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The last few years my method has been to rest, say from Oct to May, and then ski as absolutely often as possible!

I love this plan the best!

JM

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The last few years my method has been to rest, say from Oct to May, and then ski as absolutely often as possible!

That's because your don't like cold water!!! You better be ready to go in April this year!! Start riding your bike now!!

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Ditto what has already been said about P90x.

One of the things I love about it, is that it's a workout that can grow with you. They show you all the options from taking a single move, and giving you the options to modify it to YOUR intensity and strength level.

This has allowed me to do the workouts with my wife, which makes it even a bit more fun.

I'm going through round 2 myself, but have some friends that have done 4 and 5 rounds of the program and have added things like weight belts for the pullups, or suspended rings for the pushups.

I did need to start wearing combat boots and weighted gloves for the Kenpo routine, as it seems to be the one that does the least for me. I'm still surprised at how hard freaking Yoga is. :)

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Ditto what has already been said about P90x.

One of the things I love about it, is that it's a workout that can grow with you. They show you all the options from taking a single move, and giving you the options to modify it to YOUR intensity and strength level.

This has allowed me to do the workouts with my wife, which makes it even a bit more fun.

I'm going through round 2 myself, but have some friends that have done 4 and 5 rounds of the program and have added things like weight belts for the pullups, or suspended rings for the pushups.

I did need to start wearing combat boots and weighted gloves for the Kenpo routine, as it seems to be the one that does the least for me. I'm still surprised at how hard freaking Yoga is. :)

I think you'd be surprised at Kenpo...have you ever worn a HRM? I wear one and can consistently keep my HR above 160.....if you keep your HR above 160 for an hour, you're burnin some calories!!

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