Most snowbirds start pulling their equipment out of the closet soon, which is quickly followed by booking plane tickets and accommodations for the winter. Jump into the enthusiasm of this fun crowd by organizing a workout group for skiers and/or snowboarders. You can help your current clients prepare for the mountain and attract new customers to your business.
Understand the sport
Whether or not you’re a snow skiing athlete yourself, it’s important to brush up on the biomechanics of skiing. Watch videos of high level athletes and pay attention to the movements they make. You’ll notice the body leaning right and left during downhill skiing, which utilizes lateral muscles like the obliques, abductors and peroneals. Snowboarders lean forward and back, which recruits anterior/posterior muscles like the rectus abdominus and erector spinae. In both sports the legs and core need to be strong in all planes of motion for optimum performance.
Cardiovascular, strength, balance, core and flexibility are all important to consider when designing a pre-season fitness program for skiers. Think about each category and how you could incorporate it into a fitness class.
Set up the class
*Choose the workout time: 30, 45 or 60 minutes.
*Decide how many sessions per week to teach and how many weeks total.
*Will each week be the same workout, different or will there be a progression?
*Consider a circuit format and possibly incorporating partner drills.
*Design the class using strength, cardio, balance, mat work, etc.
Create the plan for the class. Interested folks will be asking questions. You want to be able to paint a picture of what they can expect (especially if it’s your first time running it). Communicate the goals and outcomes people can expect, such as improved cardiovascular endurance, increased strength and better balance.
Market yourself
*Give a free talk or sample workout at local stores that sell ski equipment or athletic gear.
*Tell your current clients and ask them to spread the word.
*Provide free fitness assessments to peak people’s interest in their baseline.
*Consider a Facebook ad. Learn more about this here.
Sample 30-min. class
5 min. warm up (1 min. each) – marching, jogging, jumping jacks, squats, ankle and shoulder rolls
20 min. strength circuit ( 1 min. each, repeat twice)
*wall sits
*prone plank hold
*lateral hops
*wood chops
*reverse lunges
*calf raises
*side plank hold
*side band walk
*band torso rotations
*band rowing
2 min. balance moves (30 sec. each leg) – tandem stance with eyes closed, stand on one leg
2 min. stretching
1 min. breathing
Learn more about snow sports with these two articles:
Skiing and Snowboarding: Evaluate the Body for Strength and Stability
Skiing and Snowboarding: Recovery Strategies and Stretching
Learn more about being a Certified Personal Trainer, CLICK HERE.
Beverly Hosford, MA teaches anatomy and body awareness using a skeleton named Andy, balloons, play-doh, ribbons, guided visualizations, and corrective exercises. She is an instructor, author, and a business coach for fitness professionals. Learn how to help your clients sleep better with in Bev's NFPT Sleep Coach Program and dive deeper into anatomy in her NFPT Fundamentals of Anatomy Course.
