The Olympics may be over, but it’s not too late to “Train Like An Olympian!”
This week, guest blogger and fitness expert Lisa Reed shares her tips on how we can take some training cues from our favorite winter Olympians.
Training like an Olympian will help you improve your mobility, flexibility, strength, and power as well as increase your performance in everyday life!
As you work out and stay fit this winter, you can try tactics and exercises that Olympians use to perform at their peak. Of course, you also need to hone your physical fitness. Even though we’re not in PyeongChang, we are all winter athletes who participate in winter sports like skiing and ice skating.
Below are three sport-specific exercises for three different Olympics sports that will make you feel like an Olympian!
1) Figure Skating Mobility Hip-Flexibility-Balance-Core Drill! Using the PRISM SMART MOBILITY HURDLE .
Perform this exercise with a straight leg and rotate 180’ over the Smart Hurdle. This exercise will allow a figure skater to be more efficient at pushing forward on the ice, transitions across the ice and will assist in better take-off and landings. This exercise also benefits:
Core strength & endurance
Increases flexibility & mobility in hips
Challenges balance providing ankle stability
Activates glutes on the supporting leg
The Workout:
Start with one leg lifted straight out to the front, parallel to the floor
Rotate leg toward the back, keeping leg above the hurdle
Repeat other side
Perform 30 seconds on each leg x3
With 5 sizes to choose from there’s a perfect fit for every training session. Hurdles improve agility and range of motion through lateral and over/under drills. Each hurdle features a sturdy 3-point base that improves stability on any surface.
2) Cross Country Skiing: Lateral Lunge to a Wood Chop using the SMART MEDICINE BALL.
Cross Country Skiers work their arms, legs and core. Their motion resembles skating on the ice. To perform, master the lateral lunge first by shifting your weight to the right, bending your right knee and keeping your left knee straight, while keeping knee on squatting lunge side behind toes. As you keep chest up and back flat holding the Prism Smart Medicine Ball, drive hips back to land and immediately perform a wood chop. Drive off the ground the the outside foot to beginning position.
The Workout:
Perform 30 seconds to right
Rest 10 seconds
Perform 30 seconds to the left
To increase conditioning and endurance for their 20 min race, perform this exercise alternating right to left for one minute.
Modification: Only perform the side lunge squat and remove the wood chop until form is mastered.
3) Downhill Skiing: Isometric Squat (Emulating the tuck position) with a SMART MEDICINE BALL.
Skiers will hold this position for 2 min- the time a downhill course takes!
The Workout:
Downhill skiing also requires SPEED going up to 90mph downhill! STRENGTH (squats) + POWER (jump) = SPEED. Therefore perform: Squat Isometric Hold for 3 seconds + Jump. Perform 8 repetitions x3.
Begin with 10 seconds
Rest 5 seconds
Repeat for 2 Minutes
Thank you Lisa Reed, for sharing your tips and for using Prism Fitness Group products in your workouts! You can follow Lisa Reed on her blog, on Facebook at @LisaReedFitnessLLC, and on Instagram at @lisareedfitness
