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Daniel Grushkin
National Geographic ADVENTURE Magazine
When chris fellows started
coaching 25 years ago, only the elite ventured off groomed
courses to ski the backcountry.
"These days it's the norm rather than the exception.
And that comes with a new set of challenges," says
the two-time Professional Ski Instructors of America
Alpine Team member.
Whether you're heli-skiing Alaska glaciers or off-piste
at your local resort, untracked snow requires a higher
level of fitness. "On a single run you could hit
four or five types of terrain, surprise moguls and the
occasional drop," Fellows says. "You've got
to be able to ramp it up when you need to--or your ligaments
and tendons will take the strain instead of your muscles,
and that leads to injuries."
Taking his cue from the 900 students who come through
his North American Ski Training Center (skinastc.com),
in Truckee, California, every year, Fellows has developed
a living-room fitness program that hinges on the three
cornerstones of backcountry skiing: flexibility to balance
and twist, strength to shift your weight, and elasticity
to adjust to sudden terrain changes. "Most people
are strong in one area but weak in the other two,"
he says. "Having one without the others is like
driving a car with missing parts."
Try these moves as a self-diagnosis. To target trouble
spots, home in on whichever exercise is most difficult
for you and aim to do it three times a week. For overall
conditioning repeat the whole workout weekly. "It's
your physical preparation, way more than natural ability,"
Fellows says, "that determines how well you handle
the slopes."
The Workout
These three do-anywhere, ski-specific moves zero in
on the muscles and reflexes you'll need to master the
backcountry.
Hand Walk (Flexibility)
Stand and place your palms on the floor in front of
your feet. Hand-walk forward into push-up position,
then walk your feet forward to the original position.
Repeat ten times.
The payoff: Lengthens hamstrings
and strengthens the lower back to help you hold your
tuck if the ground falls out from under you on the slopes.
One-Arm Row (Strength)
Balance on your right foot and lean forward, raising
your left leg until it's parallel to the floor. Hold
your left arm in front of you for balance. With your
right arm, lift a light dumbbell toward your chest.
Do three sets of six on each side.
The payoff:
Develops cross-body coordination and strengthens
the upper back.
Lateral Hop (Elasticity)Pick
a spot on the floor, then hop back and forth over it
on one foot as fast as you can for 15 to 30 seconds.
Repeat with the other leg.
The payoff: Wipes you out
but develops lightning-fast reaction time for abrupt
terrain shifts--and killer calves to boot.
