The ski season is very (VERY!  VERY!) close at hand and appropriate preparation is in order, so here’s a plan I put together.  Several capacities are key to good skiing performance: endurance, flexibility/mobility, strength/power, and power-endurance.

The periodized plan is composed of three four-week training blocks with each block separated by one week off.  The first two training blocks consist of three gym workouts per week.  The final block has two gym workouts per week.  The week off should allow for thorough rest and recuperation prior to beginning the next block.

Emphasis is placed on training a certain capacity in each block, but the other capacities are trained as well so that nothing is lost as the plan progresses.  For instance, though strength is emphasized in the first block, endurance and balance training also takes place.  The skiing performance capacities I’ve addressed and my thoughts on each are as follows:
1.    Endurance (already established over the summer through running and biking): I must have the endurance to stay on the mountain all day at altitude.  The endurance base will be maintained over the course of the plan.
2.    Strength: Skiing is very thigh-dominant thus I must have very strong legs to ski well.  A strong trunk and upper body is essential for powerful turns.
3.    Mobility/Stability (two sides of the same coin): Effective ski technique requires tremendous hip and leg mobility during turns, especially at high speeds.  While the legs and hips must be mobile, the trunk typically must be rock-solid and stable during turns.
4.    Power: Strength must be transfered to power.  It’s not enough to be strong and slow to ski well.  I must be able to express strength at high speeds.
5.    Power-endurance (Here’s where the training gets very specific to skiing.): Skiing requires one to be powerful over and over again for several minutes.  Then the skier typically gets a rest of several minutes while he or she rides back up to the top of the mountain.  So it’s not enough to be powerful once and then rest.

Here’s the plan:

• Block 1: Strength & Mobility
  • Strength Day
    • front squat: 3-6 reps, 4-8 sets
    • bench press: 3-6 reps, 4-8 sets
    • face pull: 8-12 reps, 3-4 sets
  • Balance Day
    • single-leg squats from a box
      • heel reach forward
      • toe reach back
      • toe reach forward
      • rotational squat
    • single-leg bent over dumbbell row
    • single-arm overhead dumbbell press with frontal plane hip drive
  • Mobility Day
    • multi-directional lunges with varied arm drives
    • dips
    • rotating cable pulls from various angles
  • Endurance: running and biking throughout the week
  • One week off
• Block 2: Power
  • Day 1
    • multi-planar jumps/hops: 6-10 reps, 3-4 sets
    • barbell clean to front squat: 3-5 reps, 4-6 sets
  • Day  2
    • Kettlebell swings: 8 reps, 3 sets
    • Kettlebell swipes or chops: 5-8 reps, 3 sets
  • Day 3
    • long jumps: 6 reps, 3 sets
    • dumbbell or barbell push press: 3-5 reps, 4-6 sets
  • Endurance: same as block one
  • One week off
• Block 3: Power endurance
  Due to the high stress of these workouts, only two are performed per week.
  • Day 1:
    • barbell complex
    • clean
    • front squat
    • bent row
    • Romanian deadlift
    • floor press
    • followed by multi-planar jumps/hops
  • Day 2:
    • Kettlebell complex (may vary widely)
      • snatch
      • clean
      • chop
      • press
      • swing
    • running or rowing intervals