FIT TO SKI EXERCISES

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What is it?

Developing your base aerobic fitness can be done using many forms of exercise. The best formats for skiing depend on how many sports you do and how much skiing you do. If you don’t do much that involves running or do a lot of skiing then you should include running. If however you are playing ball or racquet sports or skiing regularly I would avoid impact training as it can have a compounding effect on your knees. In that case a mix of Rowing and cycling would be the best plan. Primarily the aim is to make your heart and lungs work hard to get blood round your body.

How do you do it?

For example: 6 week base aerobic programme:

Beginners should aim for the lower end of each heart rate, intermediate for the middle and advanced for the higher end.

Day 1: Rowing
10 min warm up, building up to 60-70% Max HR 4 intervals of 1 min’s intervals @ 80-90% Max HR/2 mins recovering to @ 60-70% Max HR 6 minute cool down, decreasing to 50-60% Max HR

Day 2: Biking
10 min warm up, building up to 50-65% Max HR 20 m in @ 65-75% Max HR 10 minute cool down, decreasing to 50–60% Max HR

Day 3: Running
6 min warm up, building up to 55-70% Max HR 6 min @ 65–75% Max HR 4 min @ 75–85% Max HR 6 min @ 65–75% Max HR 10 minute cool down, decreasing to 55–65% Max HR

Day 4: Recovery

Day 5: Biking
10 min warm up, building up to 50-60% Max HR 3 intervals of 2 mins intervals @ 60-80% Max HR/2 mins recovering to @ 50-60% Max HR 6 minute cool down, decreasing to 40-50% Max HR

Day 6
6 min warm up, building up to 60-70% Max HR 6 min @ 70–80% Max HR 4 min @ 80–90% Max HR 6 min @ 70–80% Max HR

Day 7: Recovery

What is doing for the body?

This training will develop improvements on all round aerobic/anaerobic fitness as follows

• Working the heart, the lungs and the intercostals and diaphragm will develop the muscles to get more oxygen into the body, carbon dioxide out of the body and a stronger blood pump to get the blood into the muscles to take the oxygen to the coal face and the byproducts out which will increase the energy supply to then muscles when skiing and the recovery from one run to the next.
• The other benefit of developing the cardio pulmonary system will mean that your body is better prepared to deal with the reduced atmospheric oxygen at the altitudes of most ski resorts.
• By working the muscles for reasonably sustained periods of time the body will adapt by developing better capiliarisation, which means that the network of blood vessels that carry the oxygen and energy to the working muscles will increase in size of blood vessels and number of blood vessels. This will have a similar effect to creating wider roads and more roads in a city that is congested with traffic. Allowing faster transport in and out. This will ensure that over the period of a days skiing or a week’s holiday the residual fatigue does not accumulate and become the limiting factor on energy or skill.
• By adding running into the programme, for individuals that do not do sports which involve running, will mean that the impact has a strengthening effect on the bones which will mean that the skeletal structure will not be overcome by the element of impact and vibrations inherent in skiing.

The primary safety concerns are:

• Ensure that you eat a well balanced diet including plenty of complex carbohydrates such as porridge, rice and pasta to give you the energy.
• Be careful to hydrate with plenty of fluids, ideally correctly proportioned sports drinks which provide some carbohydrates to improve ingestion and aid with energy, but not so much that they make your mouth dry or they will also take fluid into the stomach and away from the muscles.
• Spread out your fluid intake to take a little before you start, mouthfuls as you go and some at the end, however remember that fluids and foods are fuel in a car, if you go out for a drive on an empty tank you will simply run out of fuel and no matter how much you put in after, you will still be stopped.
• Always do a medical to ensure that you are physically healthy and able to partake in strenuous exercise. (This should be done before skiing anyway).
• If you feel nauseous, dizzy or pain in your joints, stop and see a doctor.

What is it?

Squats are primarily seen as a strength building exercise for the legs & core. However as the movement has a very strong likeness to the way the muscles perform when skiing there is a very strong transfer effect, in the metabolism that takes place, from squatting to skiing. Therefore it is a very strong exercise in the preparation for skiing.

How do you do it?

Starting with the basic body weight ½ squat:

• Stand in a tall position, with your feet approximately shoulder width apart and hands out and your arms outstretched as if you were pushing a shopping trolley.
• Keeping your head and shoulders up tall squat down until the angle between the back of your thing and the back of your calf is about 90 degrees, then return to standing, ensuring to stop marginally before your knees ‘lock’ straight.
• Ensure that your legs are tracking correctly by keeping the centre of your kneecap in line with your 2nd toe and at the lowest point it should be directly above your toe. Too far forwards or backwards will increase the load on your back and knees and therefore reduce the training effect.

If you want to do a lot of shorter runs aim for doing sets of 30 - 60 reps, if you want to do a few big runs in a day, then aim for doing 50 – 200 reps.

• Do a body weight ½ squat session 3 times a week, ideally at the end of a short gym session when the legs are tired and you are well warmed up.
• Finish off with 15 – 20 minutes of light exercise, jogging, cycling or walking, depending on your level of fitness and preference.

Start with sets of 30, progressing over 6 weeks up to sets of 60.

Week 1
Session 1: 5 sets of 30 with 2 minutes rest between sets
Session 2: 7 sets of 30 with 2 minutes rest between sets
Session 3: 9 sets of 30 with 2 minutes rest between sets

Week 2
Session 1: 4 sets of 40 with 3 minutes rest between sets
Session 2: 6 sets of 40 with 3 minutes rest between sets
Session 3: 8 sets of 40 with 3 minutes rest between sets

Week 3
Session 1: 3 sets of 50 with 2 minutes rest between sets
Session 2: 4 sets of 50 with 2 minutes rest between sets
Session 3: 5 sets of 50 with 2 minutes rest between sets

Week 4
Session 1: 4 sets of 50 with 3 minutes rest between sets
Session 2: 5 sets of 50 with 3 minutes rest between sets
Session 3: 6 sets of 50 with 3 minutes rest between sets

Week 5
Session 1: 4 sets of 60 with 3 minutes rest between sets
Session 2: 5 sets of 60 with 3 minutes rest between sets
Session 3: 6 sets of 60 with 3 minutes rest between sets

Week 6
Session 1: 3 sets of 60 with 2 minutes rest between sets
Session 2: 4 sets of 60 with 2 minutes rest between sets
Session 3: 5 sets of 60 with 2 minutes rest between sets

For longer runs:

Start with sets of 50, progressing over 6 weeks up to a set of 200.

Week 1
Session 1: 1 set of 50 reps
Session 2: 1 set of 75 reps
Session 3: 1 set of 100 reps

Week 2
Session 1: 2 sets of 50 reps with 3 minutes rest between sets
Session 2: 1 set of 100 reps
Session 3: 2 sets of 75 reps with 4 minutes rest between sets

Week 3
Session 1: 1 set of 125 reps
Session 2: 2 sets of 75 reps with 4 minutes rest between sets
Session 3: 1 set of 150 reps

Week 4
Session 1: 2 sets of 100 reps with 5 minutes rest between sets
Session 2: 1 set of 150 reps
Session 3: 2 sets of 100 reps with 5 minutes rest between sets

Week 5
Session 1: 1 set of 175 reps
Session 2: 2 sets of 125 reps with 6 minutes rest between sets
Session 3: 1 set of 175

Week 6
Session 1: 1 set of 200 reps
Session 2: 2 sets of 150 reps with 6 minutes rest between sets
Session 3: 1 set of 200 reps and 1 set of 100 reps with 5 minutes rest between sets

If you would like to increase the effect on the body try the following additions:

• Add instability by standing on a wobble board to activate the stabilizing muscles in the lower leg, thighs and core that are also highly important in skiing
• Increase the load by adding weight, starting with a bar and progressively building the
• Reduce the rest intervals between sets

These ½ squat sessions will create the same sort of leg burn that you will experience when skiing. By doing these high or very high reps you will develop the muscles and system to replicate what they must go through to continuously work with this sort of loading and tolerate and remove the lactic acid and other byproducts created in the muscle cells.

The multiple sets will also help your body to simulate the recovery process that goes on while you ride a chair between runs.

Safety aspect?

• Ensure that you use correct form at all times. Specifically you are looking for the same angles at your ankles, knees and hips.
• Ensure that you are correctly balanced on your feet and that you can feel the weight spread between both feet and evenly on the heel and forefoot.
• If you are using an unstable surface ensure that there is a finite range of movement that you cannot fall too far or pivot too much.
• If you feel any pain in your back and knees, ask someone to check your technique and / or see a doctor.

What is it?

‘Wood-choppers’ is a basic core exercise that incorporates use of the glutes and Hamstrings. It can be developed to form a good strength builder or powerful exercise to build into leg or core routines.

How do you do it?

• Standing with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart, your core muscles in the stomach and bum activated to stand tall clasp your hands together in front of you with shoulders back and head tall.
• Keeping you core steady and activated raise your hands above your head as if raising an axe to chop wood.
• From the top position bring the axe down as if chopping, ensure that you use your core muscles throughout the movement to maintain control and bending your knees to use your legs as you come down as you come down.
• From the bottom of the move use your legs to bring you back up to the starting position, as you come up ensure that you use your core and glutes to stand tall.

If you want to increase the training effect of the exercise do the following:

• Add a weight by holding a dumbell or a medicine ball in your hands, being careful not to disengage your core and legs allowing it to become an arm & shoulder exercise.
• To develop a powerful spine extension effect, use a ball in your hands and use your legs to explode up and throw the ball up, catch and return.
• To further enhance the explosiveness use a medicine ball, throw the ball up and slightly in front of you allow it to bounce then catch it, return to the start position and repeat.
• To develop a powerful spine flexion effect, use a ball in your hands and use your abdominals to accelerate the ball down, slamming it to the ground, catch the ball and continue.
• To further enhance the explosiveness of this move, use a medicine ball, catch it, return to the start position and repeat.
• To add both an extension and flexion effect do the medicine ball slam exercise and explode back up from the bottom position withy your legs to catch the ball when it is still bouncing up and continue.

• The wood choppers in the basic form will help to develop good postural control which is essential for maintaining a stable position when skiing by using the core and legs muscles together with fluid extension and flexion (which is very similar to absorbing bump and terrain in skiing).
• The exercise will also help in the activation and support of the small muscles that support the spine and develop their ability to control the movement of the spine for flexion and extension.
• The more advanced moves will simply increase the effect of the basic wood chopper while also adding an explosive power building effect to the abdominal, quadriceps, hamstring and glute muscle groups.

• As with all exercise ensure that the form and technique are adhered to, particularly using the legs for the main upward driving force and keeping the core strong while you drive the head and shoulders straight up.
• Make sure that if you are throwing medicine balls that there is nothing or no-one around that you will hit (including lights on the ceiling) If you are doing medicine ball slams ensure that the floor is strong enough to take the force.

What is it?

Leg crunches should be built into your core routine and specifically target the abdominal muscles and the hip flexors.

How do you do it?

• Lying on a mat on the floor, with your legs bent so that your feet are flat on the ground, ensure that you flatten your lower back against the mat by contracting you abdominal muscles.
• This should also activate the muscles, which connect the vertebrae in your spine to lengthen your back as you shorten you stomach.
• Keep you arms by your side with you hands flat on the floor and raise you knees slowly up towards your chest.
• Hold this position for about a second and then slowly extend your legs away from you, straightening the knees and hip equally.
• Always keeping your lower back on the ground, extend out towards as straight as you can hold your core steady and then return your knees towards your chest
• Ensure that you use the muscles to perform the exercise without momentum by keeping the move slow and precise.

• Once you can perform 4 sets of 20 increase the effect by taking your elbows and hands off the floor.
• Again, once you can perform 4 sets of 20 like this with perfect form increase the effect by adding a light weight to your feet, with a small dumbell between your feet or a medicine ball between your feet, or on top of your ankles. At this stage as you extend your legs away from you raise your arms over your head to counteract the balance.

The leg crunches have a very targeted strength and stability building on your abdominal muscles with a secondary effect on your hip flexors. This is paramount in being able to effectively be proactive and reactive to terrain when skiing.

Safety aspect?

• The main safety consideration here is to keep the form good and particularly your back pressed into the ground at all times.
• It is critical not to rush on to the more advanced exercises before you can really do the basic one perfectly and under full control as it will not only risk a sore back, but also greatly reduce the training effect.

What is it?

Due to the nature of loading on skiing and therefore the training for skiing there is a lot of use of the quadriceps. Therefore in order to stop them shortening as a result of the muscle contractions, which would increase the load on the knees and reduce the effectiveness of the muscles, they should be stretched regularly.

How do you do it?

Lying:

• Lying on your left side, take your right ankle in your right hand and pull your foot towards your bum. Keeping your bum muscles activated to hold the hips forward, gently pull your foot back until you feel the tension down the front of your thigh.
• Each stretch should be held for approximately 20 seconds, ensuring that you keep building the stretch by pulling your foot back while pushing your hips forwards.
• Do the same stretch, lying on your right hand side and stretching the left leg.

• As an addition to the lying stretch, once you are able to perform the stretch lying down and can get your heel to your bum you can do the same stretch standing up, using a wall or similar for support while balancing on one leg.
• When standing will allow you to make sure that your hips are straight, rather than rotating and really pushed forwards.

• In order to increase the stretch further, try in a kneeling, lunge position.
• With the right foot forwards, and left knee on the ground, pull your left foot towards your bum, again while pushing your hips forwards.
• Hold for 20 seconds with your shoulders slightly forwards and a further 20 seconds holding your shoulders back and head tall to increase the effect on your upper thing and hip flexor.
• Repeat on the other side.

As you activate and contract your muscles, the overall length of the muscle will decrease over time and the muscles shorten. That will in turn pull on the tendon, which attaches the muscle to the bones. This can then become painful as the tendon tightens. Therefore by stretching the muscles you actually reverse the tightening that occurs from the muscle use.

This will reduce aches that could develop from training for skiing, but also means that it will reduce the chances of injury when skiing.

Safety aspect?

• When stretching always ensure that you are warmed up first so that you are not trying to stretch a cold muscle.
• Ensure that you gradually increase the stretch, and a never in a painful position.
• When doing one legged stretches use the appropriate support that you will not fall over.

What is it?

Squats are one of the fundamental strength building exercises for many sports and especially for skiing where the strength building effect on the legs and core have an enormous benefit on the forces that you can create and resist when skiing.

As with all strength exercises it is critical that it is done with proper technique to achieve maximum benefits. Therefore you should always start on the easy side to ensure that you develop perfect technique rather than rushing into too heavy a weight and putting undue strain on your back and knees

How do you do it?

Starting off without weight to ensure good form:

• With your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart and your toes pointing out at about 45 degrees put your hands on your hips.
• Before you start ensure that your abdominal muscles are active to make sure that you use correct technique and that the force stays central through the middle of your feet throughout the movement.
• Bending at the ankles knees and hips ensure that your kneecaps track towards your 2nd toes, and your knees are not going inside or outside your feet.
• Keeping your back straight and shoulders back squat down until the tops or your thighs are parallel to the ground.
• Squeeze with your quads to come back up ensuring that you do not allow your hips to move backwards.
• Steadily return to standing stopping fractionally before your knees straighten completely (lock out) using your glutes to make sure that your hips are forwards and the force stays central through the middle of your feet.

Once you can do this with perfect form throughout the 4 sets progress to using a barbell.

Starting with an empty bar with no extra weights:

• Using a squat rack to ensure optimal safety.
• Start with the bar resting on your shoulders and hands holding the bar, making sure that you do not roll the top of your back and head forwards, adopt the same position as the un – weighted squats with your back and head held tall.
• Complete the exercise as before taking care of the same technique.
• Again build up to 4 sets of 12 with perfect technique.
• Once you can master this add 10% of your body weight each session until you start to find your limit for 4 sets of 6 reps.
• From this point build up to 4 sets of 12, then increase the weight in 5% increments, each time starting at 4 sets of 8 and building up to 4 sets of 12.

The squats will build muscle on your thighs and glutes while also strengthening the core muscles that are essential in holding a good posture. By using repetitions between 8 – 12 will build more muscle and sets of 6 – 10 reps will develop more strength.

Safety aspect?

As with all weight training exercises always use correct technique. When you add weight be sure not to start bending forwards at the waist, as this will strain the back. Always use a weight that you can handle correctly and use shoes that provide a solid base, like squash or tennis shoes, rather than running shoes.

If you experience any back or knee pain, assess your technique again and consult a Physiotherapist or Doctor.

What is it?

Interval training is an important element in preparing for skiing as it will allow you to ski at a higher intensity down your run before tiring and also to recover from run to run. It is very similar to the metabolic ½ squats however by using other forms of exercise provides a broader development and depending on the mode of exercise will target the cardio vascular / cardio pulmonary and lactate systems (heart, lungs and blood supply) more than the squats because it will be the heart, lungs and blood supply to and from the legs that are the limiting factor, rather than the leg muscles in the squats.

As with the base endurance training it is advisable to use a bike or cross trainer to avoid unnecessary impact on the knees and back.

How do you do it?

The aim is to do sets of repeated intervals, allowing yourself to recover before starting again.

The intervals should be added to your programme following the base endurance phase. Keeping one base endurance session per week for maintenance and doing 2 – 4 interval sessions according to your time, level and other sessions for 4 weeks.

Example interval session: Biking/cross trainer:

• Warm up – 10 minutes @ 50% max HR
• Intervals – 2 minutes @ 75%-85% max HR
• Recovery – 3 minutes to 65%-75% max HR
• Repeat 4 times
• Cool down – 10 minutes @ 50%–60% max HR

If you find that you do not return to the target HR by the end of the recovery you should reduce the interval work intensity. If you recover faster then increase the intensity of your workload.

What is doing for the body?

As with the base endurance phase the interval sessions will also work the heart and lungs and continue to develop the blood supply, however the intensities and durations should target the ‘lactate threshold’, which is the workload where the body is producing more lactic acid than it can remove. Lactic acid is a by-product of the Carbohydrate energy system that will impair performance and co-ordination. Once you pass the lactate threshold you have passed an intensity that you could sustain over a prolonged time.

By training using interval sessions you will become more efficient and push your threshold level so that you are working at a higher intensity before you get to the level that you cannot sustain and also improve the recovery from bouts of medium high intensity.

Safety aspect?

The primary safety consideration is to ensure that you are appropriately fuelled with carbohydrates and fluids, use safe equipment and have undergone any medical checks prior to training as with any form of exercise.

What is it?

Stiff legged Deadlifts target the muscles of the glutes and hamstrings which are crucial in making sure that you can keep your hips forwards when skiing so that your feet stay below you and not out in front.

How do you do it?

• Start off with light dumbbells.
• Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and one dumbell in each hand, or a barbell, resting on the front of your thighs.
• As with the other exercises, at the starting position ensure that you stand in a neutral position with knees unlocked and stomach muscles and glutes activated to ensure a neutral pelvis position.
• Keeping your back straight and knees slightly bent, slowly lower the weight(s) down the front of your legs ensuring that you keep a strong shoulder position by not letting the weight(s) round your shoulders forwards.
• Initially go until your hands reach your kneecaps and depending on your flexibility the aim is to get almost to the floor while keeping your lower back straight at all times.
• In order to keep the weight neutral and use the muscles that you are targeting, as you lower the weights push your bum backwards, while not bending your knees any more and keep the weights close to your legs.
• Control the movement at the bottom and slowly come up contracting your glutes and hamstrings to use them rather than your back.
• Stand tall at the top again between each repetition and contract your glutes and abs while keeping your shoulders back and wide.
• Add 3 sets of 10 repetitions onto each leg session or full body session depending on your training schedule.
• Aim to increase the weight over time, however as with the other exercise the aim is to get the desired training effect and not lift the heaviest weight, therefore always ensure that form is perfect, using mirrors, training partners and fitness trainers to control your form.

Stiff legged Deadlifts specifically target the hamstrings, glutes and to an extent the lower back. By doing 3 sets of 10 you will not get particularly strong or build big muscle bulk. However you will get some of each and by combining it with well-performed squats you will ensure that the balance between the quadriceps and hamstrings is maintained which is particularly important to have a strong technique and also to aid in the prevention of knee injuries by ensuring that the hamstrings are strong enough to resist the pull of the quads when you get compressed on skis.

Safety aspect?

Again the primary safety consideration is to use correct technique at all times, not to lift too heavy a weight and if you feel any join pain consult a fitness trainer, physiotherapist and doctor if recommended.

• Sit on a mat with your legs bent at about 30 degrees from straight and your back at about 45 degrees from vertical.
• Place your hands on your ribs just below your chest and ensure that you are using your core muscles to keep a straight back.
• Starting facing forwards, keep your hips still and by rotating your core turn to face left while exhaling. Ensure that you do not change the angle of your upper body relative to the ground.
• Hold there for a moment before returning to the centre and inhaling.
• Repeat to the right.
• Perform 3 sets of 12–20 as part of your core, upper body or full body routine depending on your training programme.
• Once you can perform 3 sets with perfect form start using a light weight, by holding a weight disc just in front of your stomach. You should aim to keep your elbows by your side and shoulders in a strong wide position, holding the weight so that you are kept in balance.

• Start with your knees and elbows on the ground, hold your body completely straight from your knees to your shoulders and ensure that you use your abdominals to hold your stomach in such that you make the distance between your belly button and your spine as thin as possible while keeping a flat lower back. Again keep your shoulders strong and wide and your head straight looking slightly infront of you.
• Once you can hold this for 3 repetitions of 20 seconds each. Progress to the next level.
• Keeping your elbows on the ground, this time use your elbows and toes to form the ‘plank’. Keeping the same form in your stomach, back, shoulders and neck, keep your body from ankles to shoulders straight.
• Again once you can perform 3 times 20 seconds perform to the next level.
• Repeat as above using your hands and toes. This time maintaining everything straight, raise your right foot slightly of the ground for a moment, return it, regain balance and lift the left foot.
• Once you can perform 3 sets of 20 reps (10 each foot) progress again.
• Returning to your elbows and repeat as above.
• Again, aim for 3 sets of 20 before you progress.
• This time use your hands and knees to perform your plank and again start by lifting your left foot, this time lift your right hand off the ground at the same time.
• Once you can perform 3 sets of 20 like this progress to your hands and feet.
• Second last level is to repeat on your elbows and knees
• Finally, with your elbows and feet.

• Start off with light dumbbells in each hand.
• Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and one dumbell
• As with the stiff legged Deadlifts, ensure that you stand tall in a neutral position with knees unlocked and stomach muscles and glutes activated for a neutral pelvis position. Ensure that your shoulders are pulled back and wide by using the muscles in your upper back
• Using your main joints at the ankles knees and hips, aiming for them to bend equally, lower the dumbbells down your sides until they are at the sides of your feet.
• Ensure that you keep looking ahead and pull your shoulders back so that the exercise stays mainly focused on your legs with a secondary effect on your lower back.
• As you lower the weight focus on using your stomach and core muscles to stabilize your upper body, exhaling as you go down.
• Use your legs to drive upwards again ensuring to bring your hips forwards at the top while keeping your stomach activated and ensuring that you straighten your legs without locking out.
• Use Dumbell Deadlifts together with squats for your leg strength programme.
• As with the other exercises look to increase the weight over time in line with your programme, however always remember that it is about how you do it and with the dumbell Deadlifts it is particularly important not to round your back as you get tired.

• Lie on a mat with your legs bent at about 90 degrees and the soles of your feet on the floor.
• With your hands resting on your thighs, squeeze your lower back into the ground and raise your shoulders off the ground. Keep you arms relatively straight and allow them to slide up your thighs as you raise you shoulders.
• This is your starting point for the exercise
• From this position, exhale and ‘crunch’ your stomach muscles until your fingertips touch your kneecaps.
• Inhale and return to the start position.
• Ensure that you perform the exercise slowly and under control. The aim should be to get as much out of each rep, as opposed to getting as many reps as you can.
• Start of with 3 sets to failure or 20, whichever comes first.
• Once you can do 3 sets of 20 increase the exercise slightly by resting your hand on the sides of your head. However be extra sure to continue to target you stomach muscles and not start pulling your head with your arms.
• Once you can do 3 sets of 20 like that, increase the training effect by holding a weight behind your head. Obviously, start off light and build up to ensure that you don’t lose form. As you add weight you will need to extend your legs to keep balanced and may even need to hook your feet under a bar top stop you toppling backwards.

• Start with a wobble board, squatting with your hands for balance, looking for similar form as to your weighted squats only with feet narrower and toes pointing forwards more like skiing.
• You will not be able to squat so deep but this is fine as you are aiming to balance rather than lift heavy weight.
• Aim to start with 5 times as long as you can up to 2 minutes.
• Progress to doing it with your hands on your hips.
• Once you can do that hands on your head.
• Nest step is then to use dumbbells to add some weight.
• Or juggle to add some more co-ordination.

• Adopt a strong stance with your feet shoulder width apart, your core activated to stand tall, legs unlocked and shoulders back.
• Raise the dumbbells to your shoulders with your palms facing inwards.
• Exhale and press the dumbbells overhead finishing with your palms forwards and your thumbs coming together.
• Initially start with 4 sets of 10 added to your Upper body weights routine or your full body routine depending on how your programme is designed.
• Once you have done 4 weeks with this in your programme. Add in more specific training by doing it one legged.
• Follow the same routine for getting started and once you are in the starting position lift one foot off the ground in front of you and perform as normal.
• Alternate which leg you lift each set so that you do 2 sets on each leg.

• Get your ball close to a wall bar or bench or something that you can hold onto with your hands close to the bottom of your ball and you stomach curved over the ball.
• Stabilise yourself in this position, ensuring that your hips are still on the ball, lift your feet of the ground and raise your heels up to your bum. This is your starting position.
• From here you should extend your legs and raise your feet at the same time. Think about raising your knees towards the ceiling and then hold once they are level with your hips.
• Slowly return to the starting position.
• Initially aim fopr 3 sets of 10 reps at the end of your weights programme or in your core session depending on your programme design and aim to build up to 4 sets of 20.
• If you find that it is too easy you can increase the effect by holding a dumbell between your feet.