As in all other sports, athletes in winter sports prepare specifically for the upcoming strain long before the actual start of the season. From his many years of coaching professional freeriders such as Matthias Haunholder, Stefan Häusl and Huber Lorraine, Phil Anker has developed a freeride-specific training program. In collaboration with the freerider and coach Phil Anker, PowderGuide presents you with a multi-part feature on freeride training with suggestions and basic information on exercises (core, endurance, strength) to prepare yourself and your body for the upcoming stresses of the coming season.
Phil Anker is an independent fitness trainer for competitive athletes and also works as a personal coach at "Sportmed Tirol", carries out medical training therapies and coaches competitive athletes such as Stefan Häusl, Lorraine Huber, Raphael Webhofer, Christoph Fuschlberger and others. In winter, he also works as a freeride guide for the Freeridebase Fieberbrunn. In addition to his work, Phil is also a head judge for the Open Faces Tour. In the first part of our series, we present exercises to strengthen the core muscles. This area of the body is also known as the "powerhouse" of the body.
The constantly changing snow conditions when freeriding put a lot of strain on the core, so it is essential to strengthen the core area in a variety of ways to stabilize the upper body when freeriding.
Last weekend, Phil organized a two-day outdoor camp for his athletes in Fieberbrunn on the Wildseeloder, where they trained hard. Among other things, the participants had to master special mountain sprints, a high ropes course with coordination exercises, biking and core exercises. PowderGuide was on site and shows you some training examples (in pictures) that the pros like Häusl Stefan etc. had to complete.
Lateral support
Initial position: See image. Ankle joint to shoulder joint forms a straight line.
Exercise execution: Now try to lift your pelvis and stabilize it briefly at the top position.
Make sure that your pelvis remains straight. If this exercise is too challenging, support yourself on your calves. You should feel a strain in the side of your torso and shoulder area. Repeat: 15 times per side
Stiff-legged deadlift
Starting position: Wide stance, ankle/knee and hip joint slightly bent. Now grab your partner's arms from behind. (see image)
Exercise execution: Pull your partner up from behind. Make sure that the spine remains straight. You should feel a muscular strain in the lower back (lumbar spine).
Repeat: 15 times
Lateral lunge with torso rotation
Starting position: Lateral lunge. (see image)
Exercise execution: Turn from the left side (the side with the outstretched leg) to the right side and press against your partner's hands at the top point.
Make sure that you remain stable in the pelvis and that the spine remains straight. You should feel a muscular strain in the lower back (lumbar spine).
Repeat: 10 times per side
Diagonal stabilization in prone position
Starting position: Push-up position. Spine (lumbar spine) straight. (see image)
Exercise execution: Now try to connect your right hand with your left leg. Make sure that your pelvis remains straight. If the exercise is too difficult, try lifting only the straight leg.
Repetition: 10 times per side
One-legged back stretch
Starting position: See 1st image
Exercise execution: Now try to stretch your spine vertebra by vertebra, pushing your leg backwards at the same time so that you form a straight line from shoulder to heel in the end position. You should now feel a muscular strain in the buttocks area of the supporting leg and in the lower back area.
Repeat: 10 times per side
