General Strength and Body Alignment Tips

Part of the reason I was able to stay injury free throughout my skiing career was due to the support and advice of two of my mentors and supporters, Joy Backstrum and Katie Piraino of The Physical Therapy Place, LLC. They were able to pick up on my muscle imbalances and show me how I could work to fix them, which coincidentally helped me correct corresponding struggles in my skiing technique too.

With their help, I made some posters as volunteer project with the aim of helping skiers:

-Avoid injury by minimizing stress on knees, tendons, and intervertebral discs by creating a stable body foundation aligned over spine and bone structure

-Optimize performance by strengthening the muscles needed in a strong athletic stance

-Develop efficient habits by improving body mechanics

-Limit overuse and long-term injury by using efficient habits and minimizing imbalance

The basic exercises we use in our APU nordic program were used to keep them relevant. These posters will most definitely not substitute for a visit to a licensed PT, but hopefully others can learn something or be more cognizant about body mechanics and posture.

Look for some posters in the APU weight room soon, but this will be the gist of them...

GENERAL STRENGTH & BODY ALIGNMENT TIPS for XC SKIERS

DEAD LIFT

-Keep your back and neck in a straight line

-Pivot from the hips

-Keep weight on heels

-Stand shoulder width apart

-Keep the bar close to shins and body

-Complete the motion by finishing in a standing position

-Don’t curl the spine

-Don’t hyperextend back or over-arch spine

-Don’t bend your arms

LAT PULLS

-Keep upper body straight and stable

-Don’t let back arch (below on left)

-Don’t round or slouch back (below on right)

CORE

PLANK

-Keep back straight

-Line shoulders up with hips

-Don’t sag or arch back (example below on left)

-Don’t over-elevate hips (example below on right)

SIDE PLANK

-Keep hips vertically stacked

-Keep body in a straight alignment

-Keep hips level

-Don’t sag hips

-Don’t twist body upward

CARRYING THE BODY

RUNNING

-Let center of gravity fall forward

-Keep stance tall

-Land quietly on middle of the foot

-Keep shoulders and hands relaxed

-Punch your elbows back

-Don’t collapse pelvis or slouch shoulders (below on left)

-Don’t over-reach with foot (example below on right)

-Avoid a heavy heel strike (example below on right)

-Don’t let hands cross the centerline

-Don’t twist body

POSTURE

-Keep shoulders upright and stand up straight

-Keep head level and in line with neck and spine

-Gently engage lower abdomen

-Keep feet about shoulder-width apart

-Keep your weight on the balls of your feet, not your heels

-Don’t let shoulders curl forward

-Don’t poke chin forward

-Don’t arch or slouch back

-Don’t lock your knees

LEG STRENGTH EXERCISES:

SQUAT

-Keep weight back on heels

-Stack knees directly above feet

-Keep feet shoulder width apart

-Let toes extend slightly outward

-Don’t let knees extend beyond toes

-Don’t let knees fall inward

-Don’t over-arch or slouch back

*Caution: high risk for injury with improper squat technique.

ONE LEGGED SQUAT (front view)

-Center knee above toes

-Keep pelvis level

-Don’t let knee fall inward

-Don’t tilt pelvis and shoulders or twist body

ONE LEGGED SQUAT (side view)

-Stack knee vertically above foot

-Keep weight back on heel and mid-foot

-Don’t let knee extend beyond toes

-Don’t let weight shift forward to toes

-Don’t stay too upright or arch back

LUNGES

-Keep knee in line with foot

-Keep hips and shoulders level

-Stack knee vertically over foot

-Don’t let knee fall inward

-Don’t tilt or twist trunk

-Don’t let knee extend beyond toes

Also, thanks to Eric Strabel for being the male example in the photos. And junior girls, aren't you glad you have some pictures of the mustache while it was still around? :)