Stretches for Skiing

I already talked about a few exercises to improve your strength for skiing, now I want to talk about flexibility.

Flexibility is the range of motion of a joint. Good flexibility allows the joints to move to desired positions with the least amount of stress and injury.  There are many factors that affect a person’s flexibility including:

Age - flexibility tends to decrease with age
Gender - women tend to have greater flexibility than men
Body Temp - the warmer the muscle is the more flexible it tends to be (think of taffy)
Body Composition - increased body fat tends to decrease flexibility
Type of Joint -flexibility is joint specific, so you could be can be flexible in one joint and at the same time lack flexibility in another
Body Condition- previous injuries can decrease flexibility
Activity Level - more active people tend to have greater flexibility than sedentary people

Flexibility can be increased by stretching. Flexibility has many benefits including:

Decreased risk for injury
Increased sport performance
Increased circulation
Reduce stress
Improved posture
Improved balance and coordination
Improved dexterity
Reduced post exercise stiffness and soreness

It is never too late to start a stretching routine to improve your flexibility. Here are a few guidelines:

Warm up - remember warmer muscles are more pliable
Do not bounce - just hold it
Use good form - body alignment
Avoid Pain - find the position where you feel the stretch, but not so far that you feel pain

Here are a few skiing specific stretches: Glute Stretch ( this one can also be done seated in a chair with one leg crossed), Standing Hamstring Stretch, Standing Quadriceps Stretch, Hip Flexor Stretch, Calf Stretch, Adduction Stretch, Abduction Stretch, Spine Rotation, and Lower Back Stretch.