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VARA WINTER EMAIL SERIES
FITNESS THROUGH THE RACING SEASON

This email will provide tips on conditioning and ideas on building a culture of doers.
We’re nearly halfway through February, which means we’re also over halfway into the competitive season. Mid-February is the time of year when racing ramps up, and the stakes are high. The championship season is around the corner, school work responsibilities are building, and it has been over two months since the fall conditioning prep period. Time is divided by training vs. racing vs. free skiing vs. conditioning vs. studies vs. social time. What is the first to suffer at this time of year? Could it be maintaining conditioning due to spending the majority of time driving from event to event, on hill training and school work? More than likely, yes! How often do skiers arrive at the field for spring season sports or to post-season ski races wondering, why do I feel so slow? Why do my legs feel like lead?

This email is intended to spike your interest in learning more about quick and easy fitness maintenance for young skiers. Mind you, maintaining through a long winter is tough and does not only involve staying fit, rest and other factors contribute. This email is focused on fitness, routine, and discovering core values for your team.

Your athlete's time competes with many activities that serve many purposes. All are important to a certain extent, but it is essential to take the time to do the little things to keep on top of your fitness. It doesn't have to be hard; just some simple well thought out maintenance; conditioning, flexibility, and always core routines. No gym needed, keep it simple, keep it basic.
Coaches of skiers of all ages encourage your young athletes to evaluate their conditioning habits and squeeze in a fitness routine, whether frequently traveling, weekend skiers or skiing a lot! Better yet, plan it into your session with the kids. Here are some ideas:

  • Introduce an exercise a session, show them how to do it and have them practice as a group.
  • Create a winter maintenance plan and make time to do it with them.
  • Have them keep a winter conditioning journal that you check.
  • Do a group core routine prior to your on hill session, here is a great one by Doug Lewis- LINK
  • Organize a group snowshoe or hike.
  • Regularly talk to the kids about fitness, the importance of keeping active for their skiing, spring sports, and to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
  • Create a culture of activity rather than defaulting to sitting, staring at phones and Netflix. DO STUFF!
Some ways to help build a culture of doing include the following ideas. Create routines. Routines maintain consistency and are essential for athletes. To keep kids focused, try establishing a set of core values or goals with your team, do it as a group, and come up with what's important to the team together. These core values will become the code your team lives by. A fun group session will make the kids feel involved. For example, make a poster with the kids naming 3-5 core values. Post them where they will be seen. Then call upon these when deciding whether or not to do an activity. This will help the kids to stay focused and make decisions based on the group's value system.

A great routine to start is an on hill warm-up. Doug and Kelley Lewis have one ready for you to use. LINK  

It is not too late, the President's week vacation is coming up, and there will be plenty of time to do extra group activities and begin a culture shift.
 
– Keep it simple - Keep it basic -

Be active with the athletes and be a great role model.
 
Below is a link to a simple 15-20 min workout for kids:

Quick cardio interval workout -> this can be done on a treadmill or on the road.
5 min warm up as a slow jog or walk.
3 min faster paced jog, 2 min walk, repeat this 5 x. Finish with a 5 min slow jog. Having to keep time makes the workout fly by. Give it a try.

Having a basic strength workout that can be done anywhere and without weights is essential. Something as simple as the following will help maintain strength.
Push ups - 10x
Chair dips- 15x
Forward lunge -15x
Jumping Jacks - 50x
Plank - 1 min
Superman - 30 sec
Burpies - 20x
Lateral lunge - 20x
Slow Squats - 20x
Do these exercises 2x through and keep rest in between to about 30 seconds.

The key is to be creative and innovative when working out on the go.
#varaproud #thewholeathete
Vermont Alpine Racing Association