Whether you are a novice or expert, preseason conditioning for snowboarding and skiing is very important notes Dave Merriam, head coach of the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) and American Association of Snowboard Instructors (AASI) Demonstration Teams. "These are demanding activities, and if you haven't conditioned your body accordingly, you tire quicker, become sore more easily, and also stand a greater chance of getting injured."

Merriam says you should focus on three main areas in your preseason conditioning program. "The objective is to build an aerobic base while increasing flexibility and strength," he says.

Aerobic and Anaerobic Conditioning:

"In most snow sports, it is important to build a strong base of aerobic fitness, because that's what's going to allow you to be on the hill longer and reduce your chance of injury due to fatigue," Merriam says. "At the same time, skiing and snowboarding are anaerobic activities, which means that they require short, intense bursts of energy interspersed with rest periods."

"You have to train for this high level of anaerobic output," Merriam says. The need to supplement an aerobic base with anaerobic training is what sets skiing and snowboarding apart from other sports, he notes.

To build your aerobic fitness, try running and sprinting, hill running, stair climbing, using a ski machine, inline skating, or bike riding.

Merriam notes that shortly before the season he combines aerobic with anaerobic conditioning and incorporates two-minute sprint intervals into a session of running, with a rest period afterward.

It's important to incorporate some form of aerobic training three to six times per week, says Linda Crockett, education director for PSIA and AASI. Sessions should be at least 30 minutes at a low intensity; more time would add to the effectiveness. Anaerobic work (sprints, pliometrics--bounding or other explosive movements, or heavy weight lifting with low reps) should be incorporated at least two to three days per week, and one rest day is crucial.

Strength Training:

During strength training, it's important to "train more muscles than you can see in the mirror at the gym," says Merriam. "You need to train your lower back and your hamstrings to balance out opposing muscles like the quads and abdominals. Using free weights will also give you more results for your time spent lifting. When you're wedged against an apparatus while lifting, muscle groups are isolated. Free weights force balance and range of motion into the equation that resembles skiing and boarding," he says.

For knee strengthening exercises, see website.

Flexibility:

Flexibility in snow sports is essential. Stretching should be done every day, Linda Crockett says.

The PSIA and AASI demo teams follow Adrian Crook's INFLEX program, which combines flexibility and movement exercises to increase an athlete's balance and coordination for the maximum range of motion.

For more information, see the PSIA website.

Source: Professional Ski Instructors of America, www.psia.org. Used with permission from Wellness News You Can Use, National Wellness Institute, November 2003.