Check out the interview I did with Arizona-based strength coach Patrick Ward. A little chat about my influences in strength and conditioning and my thoughts on training skiers. Optimum Sports Performance Blog
Interview on Optimum Sports Performance
Category Archives: Training Basics
Do you have fitness goals?
Everyone needs goals. We can get by without them for a while, but if we want to really succeed, we need goals. This is as true with our workouts as it is with our careers and our lives.
This became suddenly obvious to me about a week ago. Over the last six months or so I’ve worked out less than I have in about 15 years. Part of the problem is that I’ve been working too much lately. But I’ve been through bouts of working too much before without compromising workouts because being strong and fit has always been a priority for me. Suddenly last week I figured out why working out dropped so far down the to-do list: I have no workout goals. I mean I still want to be fit and strong. But that doesn’t seem to be enough to get me to the gym often enough; or get me to stay away from those delicious Cheetos.
In the past I’ve always had specific goals that were tied to things that really mattered to me. They have been varied, but all have been very important to me: Continue reading Do you have fitness goals?
Dynamic warmup for skiing
If you’ve ever wondered whether you should do some sort of warmup before a day of skiing, I can provide a simple answer for you: Yes. What you should do is a bit more of a challenge. To help with this, I have created a video that shows a set of 9 activation exercises and dynamic stretches that will help to prepare your body for the ski day ahead.
Each exercise can be done on snow, in your boots, and the only equipment you need is your poles. The warm-up includes: Continue reading Dynamic warmup for skiing
Am I Fit Enough to Play?
When I ask someone if they work out, a common response I hear is “Yes, I run three times a week”, or “yes, I play hockey twice a week and go skiing on weekends”, or “I play ultimate four times a week”. The list of options that people provide after the “yes” is endless, but more often than not, it does not include actual working out.
Participating in sports is good for you on so many levels: physically, socially, intellectually, and even emotionally. But can playing sports be deemed working out? Can you play sports to get in shape?
Training for skiing podcast
For more ideas about training for skiing, check out the interview I did for the Ultraskier.com podcast.
The purity of sport: Shinny hockey
It was a cold winter Tuesday evening in Ottawa and I was eager to get a bit of exercise – It was too soon since my last workout to hit the gym, maybe skiing? I have a night season pass and the hill is only 20 minutes away, but we’ve had a few days of rain followed by a deep freeze – not exactly ideal conditions. Maybe a skate on the canal (Ottawa has a 7km long canal that turns into the World’s largest skating rink each winter)? And then suddenly I remembered the boards at the Plant Recreation Centre. Shinny hockey. The gem of winter. Continue reading The purity of sport: Shinny hockey
Shoveling as a workout?
I for one complained about the lack of snow in November. I’ll admit it. And while I am super happy to be able to ski now, I can’t say I look forward to the driving and walking related issues that snow brings.
For many, shoveling is the big frustration. It’s hard work if you have a big driveway. I’m not sure if this is a surprise to anyone, but emergency rooms fill up after big snow falls. Okay, I’m sure that doesn’t surprise anyone. Many of the visits are from falling injuries – slippery sidewalks, ski or snowboard tumbles, and of course toboggan injuries. But did you know there is also an increase in cardiac incidents? Continue reading Shoveling as a workout?
At The Gym: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Even though I am a trainer and have the equipment to work out at home or at the sports therapy clinic where I work, I still prefer going to the gym.
It’s partly a social thing I suppose – I’m not a big chatter at the gym, but I do have the people I say hi to or nod to. Strangely it’s also partly being able to tune out. I love to put my mp3 player on and enjoy some loud tunes. Aside from at the gym and in the car, I don’t listen to a lot of music. Maybe I need to do that more. ..
Introducing your new best friend, Foam Roll
“Foam rolling is great, we have quickly become best friends” was a recent response from a client when I inquired about his progress with some foam roll exercises that I had recommended.
I can honestly say that I feel the same way. I didn’t feel that way initially mind you – we really had to work through some painful spots, but thankfully we were both willing to keep working at them, and soon enough it was smooth rolling. And that lead to happy running and skiing for me. But after a while the old white foam roller started to feel a little soft. Then one day, my wandering eye got the best of me – I just couldn’t resist that fancy blue foam roller, standing in the corner of the fitness store, so hard and rugged. Who could resist? Continue reading Introducing your new best friend, Foam Roll
Want to get in shape for ski season?
Raise your hand if this sounds like you:
You book a great week-long ski vacation somewhere out west. Maybe Heavenly? Lake Louise? Whistler? You can’t stop thinking about knee deep powder, and 3,000+ vertical feet, and runs that take half an hour to ski down. Then you start thinking about that, and you remember the last ski vacation you took:
- Your legs were tired by lunchtime on the first day;
- You woke up on day 2 and they felt like cement pillars but you pushed through.
- Day 3 was more of the same, and Continue reading Want to get in shape for ski season?