I keep blabbing about how important pre season training is for sledding, let alone any sport and I've had quite a few emails from girls asking what I do to prep for the season... Here it is ladies!
It helps to condition your body for the hard physically strenuous days in the deep pow! You don’t want to be “that person” struggling to get your snowmobile unstuck while the rest of your group waits for you to catch your breath and have enough energy to continue riding? You don’t want to be that person that cant bend over to tie their shoes the next day after an amazing day riding the sled because you’re just too sore? Then do something about it! Help condition your body for those intense days in the winter!
Im not going to tell you what to do or how to do it seeing im not certified to be a personal trainer or nutritionist, but what I will tell you is what I do to help my body get ready for winter…
There are 3 general body types; ectomorphs, mesomorphs, and endomorphs. Not sure what those 3 body types are? No problem check out the chart below for you to get a better idea. I am personally in between a mesomorph and endomorph so you get an idea where I’m at throughout this blog…
Food plays a huge part in having enough energy to be able to work out or play in the snow. Everyone is different in how much they need to eat and what kind or foods they need to eat. If you can’t figure out what foods make your body feel good and give you enough energy then I would suggest seeing a nutritionist. Are you completely clueless about what to do to help you physically get ready for winter? Then I suggest seeing a personal trainer! I used to think that light weight, many reps at the gym is what I needed to do because “ I didn’t want to bulk up” but I was wrong. Heavy weights little reps is what does it for me personally to be strong! I won’t “ bulk up” unless I eat a whole ton of food/protein shakes before and after my work out.
So in the summer I do a lot of mountain biking, horse back riding, and yoga on the regular. When comes fall I usually spend a lot more time in the gym lifting heavier weights and pushing my cardio endurance. I usually start with a 5-10 minute warm up on the bike or doing mobility movements, followed by about 45 mins of muscle conditioning.
There are many great trainers/nutritionalists out there that are certified to help someone with their muscle conditioning and nutritial needs but if you want to go about it on your own and have a bit of a budget to pour into your workouts I can suggest to follow Trysha on Instagram or you can contact her on her Sled Specific Rise & Thrive Fitness website, she can help you get signed up into a sled specific program. If you want to go the free route I would highly suggest checking out the work outs Heather Robertson offers on YouTube. All of her work outs are amazing pre-season sled conditioning workouts!
The following are great exercises that target specific muscles that your body uses for snowmobiling. Make sure when you go to try these yourself you get someone who is professionally trained to show you how, I wouldn’t want you to get hurt. Use weights that you’re comfortable using. The weights/sets/reps suggested below are what Im personally comfortable with at where my body is at!
Over hand pull ups – A little more difficult than underhand chin ups. This targets your lateral back muscles. I try to do as many as I can, which is usually about 5-10! They are hard!
Under hand chin ups - This targets more your biceps forearms, mid back and lats. I try and do as many as I can, which is usually about 8-10!
Plank with/without a ball – Great for the abs and core. There are many variations to plank from easier to harder - side plank, leg up side plank (adds a bit of a leg work out), on elbows plank, plank with/without a ball.
Sliding Pike – Great core work out. I start off in plank with my feet on the ball then engage my core to bring my butt high in the air, then back down to plank. Usually do about 2 sets of 12-15 reps.
Straight legged dead lifts – Lower back and legs (gluts, hamstrings, calves) as well as core. Start small with just the bar (usually about 45lbs) as I got comfortable doing these I added weight slowly. Usually do 2 sets of about 15-20 reps.
Lunges with/without weights in hands – Great leg workout. I do about 15-20 repetitions with 2 sets with 2x 25lb weights in each hand. Want to throw in a little bicep workout too? Do a bicep curl with the weights as you stand up!
Deltoid raises – Great shoulder workout. I stand straight and raise my arms in front of me then back down. On the next rep I raise my arms out like im spreading my wings. I hold about 10lb weights and do 2 sets of 12-15 reps.
Mountain climbers – Good for upper arms, core/abs, and legs. I do about 15-20 repetitions with 2 sets of these. Get the cardio up with these ones!
Bent rows – Works the back and shoulders. I do about 15 repetitions with 2 sets of these with 25lbs dumbbells.
Ski squat jumps – Great leg workout and cardio boost! I do about 15 repetitions with 2 sets of these.
Alternating limb drops with a ball – Great for the abs/core - I do about 15-20 repetitions with 2 sets of these. Get the cardio up with these ones!
Bicycle legs with upper body crunches - Great for the abs/core - I do about 15-20 repetitions with 2 sets of these. Get the cardio up with these ones!
End your workouts with a good full body stretch always! I hold my stretches for about 20 seconds each. Looking for a good stretching regime? Here’s a good one I found online that does the whole body….
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxsQr7YOq7o
Here’s my recipe for my morning smoothie I always eat before going to the gym. It gives me enough energy to work out, and keeps me full for about 3-4 hours without bulking my muscles like a body builder!!
¼ cup water
2tbs chia seeds
1tbs macca powder
2tbs yogurt
1 ½ tbs Barlenes greens powder (gives me my veggie intake for the day)
1tbs spurlina
1 banana
¼ cup frozen berries
If you have any questions about anything or would like me to explain anything else in detail feel free to send me an email at info@sheshreds.ca
