Taking a few minutes for a pre-ski warm-up is well worth your time.
Workout by Jennifer LaBaw
When does your set officially start? Ball one, the pre-gates or your deepwater start? If improving your scores and avoiding injury sound appealing to you (of course they do), we need to rewind 20 minutes prior to you putting your foot in a binding to see where your set should have begun. With the hundreds of pounds of load you are sure to endure on your gate pullout alone, properly warming up is paramount to your success and longevity. The following are a series of movements designed to engage and properly warm all the muscle groups your next slalom ride will call upon, leaving you ready to rip the lake instead of your muscles.
Dynamic Warm-Up
Total time: 15 minutes
Cardio 5-10 min: Jump rope, bike, jog, etc.
Standing Windmill: Stand with feet wider than shoulder-width, hands overhead. Keeping legs and arms straight, bend at hips with a flat back, moving your left hand toward your right foot. Return to start position and repeat on the other side for one rep.
Complete 20 reps.
Forward Walking Lunge: Step forward with your right foot into a lunge position, ensuring your front knee remains behind your toes. Step through with your left leg into a lunge with your left foot forward for one rep.
Complete 20 reps.
Backward Walking Lunge: With the same technique as the forward walking lunge in mind, perform a reverse lunge.
Complete 20 reps.
Rotational Walking Lunge: With hands clasped behind your head, perform a forward lunge with your right foot while rotating your torso to the right. Step through with your left leg into a lunge with your left foot forward while rotating your torso to the left for one rep.
Complete 20 reps.
Deep Squat: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. With chest up and knees behind your toes, squat as low as you can without losing form. Concentrate on keeping your weight on your heels.
Complete 20 reps.
Leg Swings (Front-to-Back/Side-to-Side): Stand on your right leg with your right hand on a chair or wall to aid in balance. Swing your left leg front to back for one rep. Reposition and repeat on the opposite side.
Next, stand on right leg with both hands on a chair or wall to aid in balance. Swing left leg out to the left and then across body to right for one rep. Reposition and repeat on opposite side.
Complete all four moves for 20 reps.
Static Hang: Grip an overhead chin-up bar, a secured ski handle or any appropriate structure. Slowly remove feet from ground.
Hold for 20-30 seconds.
Cat and Cow: Position yourself on your hands and knees with your back straight. Round your back toward the sky (cat) and hold for five seconds. Next, allow your back to sag (cow) and hold for five seconds for one rep.
Complete 10 reps.
Prone Back Extensions: Lie on your stomach with your body in a straight line. Lift your torso, bracing your elbows beneath your shoulders. Ensure your hips remain in contact with the floor. Hold for five seconds for one rep.
Complete 10 reps.
Power Skips: Moving forward, drive your right knee and left arm up while exploding powerfully off your left leg. Immediately repeat on the other side for one rep.
Complete 20 reps.
Jump Tucks: Get in a deep squat position. Explode powerfully up off both feet into a jump, tucking both knees toward your chest. Land softly in squat position for one rep.
Complete 20 reps.
Jennifer LaBaw, an NCSA-certified personal trainer, works with numerous professional and amateur athletes, including professional slalom skier Marcus Brown. To receive a personal program aimed at building and maintaining the perfect water-ski body, contact LaBaw at afitplace.com.
Shared with permission from WaterSki Magazine.
