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Fit for Skiing Article
Festive Season Tips
Flexibility Tips
Medical Disclaimer

FIT FOR SKIING
Planning on going skiing over the winter season? Then read on to help you prepare and get fit for skiing all in the comfort of your living room. Skiing places a tremendous amount of strain on your body as it involves about 6 hours of vigorous skiing every day for an entire week at high altitudes.

In order to help prepare yourself for the slopes which will also contribute to you enjoying yourself more, this programme can help reduce any muscle soreness and pain you might experience if you did not do any training.

We suggest that you start on a 12 week programme focusing on stamina, strength, stability and flexibility. Stamina involves the length of the skiing day which is quite tiring for those who don’t do regular exercise. Cycling and running are great ways to help build your stamina for the slopes.

Improving flexibility is the key to avoiding any pulled muscles from being in a set position for most of the day and can help to reduce any muscle soreness the next day if you do some simple stretches after each skiing day. Focus on your legs, shoulders and back as these are the main areas that will be worked.

Stability training is the key to maintaining an upright position whilst on the slopes so standing on one foot and rocking forward and backwards can help to strengthen your ankles and legs, ready for the instability of the skis.

We spend a lot of money on skiing holidays, by doing a little preparation before hand can make it all worth while.

Try these exercises

Squat Pulses – strengthen your legs

• Feet hip width apart
• Bend your knees, back straight and arms clasped in front of you
• Hold your position for 20sec and then rest for 20sec, repeat 3-4 times.

Standing on one leg

• Do this simple exercise whilst waiting for the bus, cooking or making a cup of tea.
• Progress to rocking gently forward and backwards and even trying a half squat (as above, but on one leg) to challenge and strengthen your legs.

Frontal Shoulder Raise – helps to strengthen your shoulders for all the poling you will be doing.

• Stand feet hip width apart
• Hold a pair of dumbbells in each hand.
• Raise your hands (palm face down) up to shoulder height only
• Then lower back down to your sides, Repeat.

Abdominal twisting crunches

• Lying on your back with your knees bent and fingers by your temples
• Raise your shoulders off the floor and twist to your right, lower back down
• Raise shoulders off the floor and twist to your left, lower back down
• Repeat this doing 20 reps.

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HEALTHY HABITS OVER THE FESTIVE SEASON

During the festive season it is very hard to control your will power when all you want to do is enjoy yourself and let go. However, there are some simple things you can do to avoid over eating and snacking on high calorie foods which will only make you feel guilty afterwards. Follow the guidelines below for a healthier Christmas day!

• Stick to one or 2 kinds of canapé rather than all of them on offer. This will help you reduce the number of excess calories taken in from the start before you even eat your main course and dessert.
• Choose vegetable soup as a starter. This will help you to feel full for longer and also help contribute to your 5 fruit and vegetables a day.
• Choose a wholemeal or seeded bread roll over white bread.
• Choose grilled and baked foods over fried or roasted foods.
• Choose a fruit based dessert over a high calorific one
• Choose white meat over the darker meat. It contains less fat!
• Avoid eating the skin of the turkey and chicken as this contains lots of fat.
• Avoid having seconds
• Organise an activity for Boxing Day that keeps you all active rather than being couch potatoes. A brisk walk with the family can help you walk off Christmas lunch and aid digestion, stuck in the mud for the kids or a game of rounders for all to enjoy.

YOU SEE IT’S NOT THAT HARD TO MAKE HEALTHIER, BETTER CHOICES THROUGH THE FESTIVE SEASON, HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND GREAT NEW YEAR!!

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FLEXIBILITY
While we all know the benefits we get from regular exercise from helping to keep your muscles toned, improve your mental and physical wellbeing and a quicker recovery time from labour among many others, keeping these muscles stretched can prevent tightness and help to relieve tension and pain.  During pregnancy your body undergoes a significant physiological change and due to this can cause many muscles to become tight, weak, long and short. Due to these physiological changes and the adaptations your body has to make it is important to stretch to prevent any tightness and postural imbalances. The only limitation that you need to be aware of when stretching is the hormone relaxin.  This hormone relaxes your ligaments and tendons during pregnancy making your joints unstable. Whilst this is essential for birth, we need to be careful when stretching as you can over stretch which may then make you stay this way long after your baby is born; this will cause unstable joints and could lead to injury. The main thing to do is to stretch slowly and gently.
BENEFITS OF STRETCHING
	Counterbalances the biomechanical stresses placed on the body through pregnancy Reduces excess tension Reduces pain in shoulders and back areas which often get tight during pregnancy Helps reduce psychological stress Helps to maintain adequate length in key muscles needed during pregnancy

TOP STRETCHING TIPS

1. When you stretch make sure you have something to hold onto for balance and support
2. Avoid lying on your back after 20 weeks when stretching (there are many others ways to stretch – just ask me if you are unsure)
3. Stretch so you feel a slight pull (tension) but never any pain
4. Never bounce when stretching
5. avoid holding stretches for long periods of time, about 15-20sec is fine
6. Avoid stretches where you contract, then stretched then contract and stretched further.

STRETCHES TO AVOID IN PREGNANCY
Splits Hurdle Stretch Down Dog (unless experienced) Up Dog Touching toes when standing Touching toes when seated Flinging arms back Flinging body from side to side

WHEN TO STRETCH

It used to be advised that everyone should stretch after a gentle warm up session to promote blood flow to muscles that you were about the train. However, there has been some research to say that there has been no proven evidence that stretching in the warm up can prevent injury as long as you give your body a good stretch after your training session. This does not mean to say that if you want to do a warm up and then stretch that you should not do this, by all means if you feel tight and want to stretch before you start your training session (and have always done it this way) then fine you continue as you mean to go on.

CHEST STRETCH EXAMPLE
During pregnancy this muscle can become short and tight due to the increase in breast tissue in preparation of having a baby. Therefore it is very important to stretch your chest muscles out to reduce any tightening and prevent postural imbalances.

Stand with feet hip width apart Clasp hands behind your back Shoulder blades depress down your back Lift hands upwards and hold for 10-15sec

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MEDICAL DISCLAIMER – All the information provided on this site assumes that the mother to be is in good physical and mental health and that there are no contra-indications or risks to her pregnancy. The information provided is for education purposes only and not intended to offer medical advice. Physically-fit always recommends that you should consult your doctor, midwife or physical therapist before embarking on a fitness regime. Always consult your doctor before starting a new exercise programme.

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