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From: lowell@fluke.UUCP (Lowell Skoog)
Newsgroups: net.rec.ski
Subject: Re: Exercises?
Message-ID: <1124@vax1.fluke.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 19-Aug-85 19:47:19 EDT
Article-I.D.: vax1.1124
Posted: Mon Aug 19 19:47:19 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 23-Aug-85 08:12:31 EDT
References: <1080@homxa.UUCP>
Organization: John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc., Everett, WA
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As several people have mentioned, a classic skier's exercise is to sit against
the wall with the legs bent ninety degrees.  This stengthens the thighs, and I
think it also strengthens the knees, lessening the chance of injuries.

The thing that bothers me about this exercise is that there are some variables,
particularly the friction at the wall and floor surfaces, that greatly affect
the difficulty of the exercise.  Unless you always do the exercise under the
same conditions, it is hard to tell if you're making any progress.

As an alternative, I have tried crouching in a downhill racer's stance, away
from the wall, and holding that position for a few minutes.  About the only 
variable here is how much you bend your knees.  I am not a physical trainer, 
so I don't know if this exercise is as valuable as the other one.  It seems 
to work the seat and back muscles more, however.

Another exercise that I hate (but do) are back arches.  You need a bench or
something similar that you can lay down on and hook your heels.  Lay stomach
down with your upper body hanging over the end of the bench.  Put your hands
behind your head.  Bend at your waist, lowering your head and shoulders, then
lift back up, arching your back.  Start out very easy or you could get real
sore.  This exercise is miserable, but it keeps my lower back from getting 
hurt during early season mogul skiing.
			
					  Lowell Skoog     
					  Seattle, Washington      
					  !fluke!lowell