On this page I will help inform others on my current skiing-related community service projects. Enjoy!
GENERAL STRENGTH & BODY ALIGNMENT TIPS for XC SKIERS
The aim of this project is to help athletes
-Avoid injury by minimizing stress on knees, tendons, and intervertebral discs by creating a stable body foundation aligned over spine and bone structure
-Optimize performance by strengthening the muscles needed in a strong athletic stance
-Develop efficient habits by improving body mechanics when in gym
-Limit overuse and long-term injury by using efficient habits and minimizing imbalance
DEAD LIFT
-Keep your back and neck in a straight line
-Pivot from the hips
-Keep weight on heels
-Stand should width apart
-Keep the bar close to shins and body
-Complete the motion by finishing in a standing position
-Don’t curl the spine
-Don’t hyperextend back or over-arch spine
-Don’t bend your arms
LAT PULLS
-Keep upper body straight and stable
-Don’t round or slouch back (below on right)
CORE
PLANK
-Keep back straight
-Line shoulders up with hips
-Don’t sag or arch back (example above)
-Don’t over-elevate hips (example below)
SIDE PLANK
-Keep hips vertically stacked
-Keep body in a straight alignment
-Keep hips level 
-Don’t sag hips
-Don’t twist body upward
CARRYING THE BODY
RUNNING
-Let center of gravity fall forward
-Keep stance tall
-Land quietly on middle of the foot
-Keep shoulders and hands relaxed
-Punch your elbows back
-Don’t collapse pelvis or slouch shoulders (below on left)
-Don’t over-reach with foot (example below on right)
-Avoid a heavy heel strike (example below on right)
-Don’t let hands cross the centerline
-Don’t twist body
POSTURE
-Keep shoulders upright and stand up straight
-Keep head level and in line with neck and spine
-Gently engage lower abdomen
-Keep feet about shoulder-width apart
-Keep your weight on the balls of your feet, not your heels
-Don’t let shoulders curl forward
-Don’t poke chin forward
-Don’t arch or slouch back
-Don’t lock your knees
LEG STRENGTH EXERCISES:
SQUAT
-Keep weight back on heels
-Stack knees directly above feet
-Keep feet shoulder width apart
-Let toes extend slightly outward
-Don’t let knees extend beyond toes
-Don’t let knees fall inward
-Don’t over-arch or slouch back
*Caution: high risk for injury with improper squat technique.
ONE LEGGED SQUAT (front view)
-Center knee above toes
-Keep pelvis level
-Don’t let knee fall inward
-Don’t tilt pelvis and shoulders or twist body
ONE LEGGED SQUAT (side view)
-Stack knee vertically above foot
-Keep weight back on heel and mid-foot
-Don’t let knee extend beyond toes
-Don’t let weight shift forward to toes
-Don’t stay too upright or arch back
LUNGES
-Keep knee in line with foot
-Keep hips and shoulders level
-Stack knee vertically over foot
-Don’t let knee fall inward
-Don’t tilt or twist trunk
-Don’t let knee extend beyond toes
Thanks to Joy Backstrum and Katie Piraino (Physical Therapists from The Physical Therapy Place, LLC) for their advice and for making this project possible. Thanks to Eric Strabel for being the male example in the photos.
US NATIONALS FAST AND FEMALE EVENT:
Calling all young female skiers ages 9-19 from the East Coast: Come join the top elite skiers in the country at the Fast and Female event at Gould Academy 10am on January 9th. Hope to see you there!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Ski Buddy Sign Up
Hello APU Devo, Junior skiers, and Parents,
The racing season is in full swing and we have APU skiers racing well all over the map! We may be in many different places racing at various levels, however we are ALL part of the same team-- doing incredible things in the pursuit of the fabulous sport of skiing.
I thought that a great way to stay connected and support each other would be to implement a ski-buddy system between the Elite Team and the up-and-coming racers in our junior program. The focus of this is to offer inter-team inspiration and encouragement.
This is how it will work:
*We will pair up our Elite skiers with 1-3 junior/devo skiers. All year-round and winter session members are invited to participate. The main form of communication in this "buddy system" will likely be through email, since many of the Elite/Uni skiers are often out of town racing. However, when both “buddies” are at the same ski function, they can have a chance to say "hello", cheer and support their buddy.
*You can anticipate on ~1 mode of communication per month from Jan-March 2011.
*If you are interested in participating *please email me atkatieronsse(at)gmail.com ASAP. You can say for example, "Bobby Smyth is in."
Parents-- if you would like to be cc’d in your child’s buddy correspondence, please let me know.
As soon as we get a roster of everyone interested in participating, we will pair you up. You can expect to receive an email from your buddy, letting you know with whom you are paired.
*If you have any questions, concerns, or comments throughout the project, please don’t hesitate to email me at katieronsse(at) gmail.com. If you not hear from your buddy by Jan 30th, please let me know.
This is going to be fun! Keep racing fast and hope to see you on the trails!
~Katie Ronsse
