Sport-specific Training – Winter Edition
What better way to train to be a better rider than to “earn” each run the old-fashioned way! In between trips up north, I kept the edges sharp on RI’s urban slopes.
Thursday at Attitash
No lines allowed for about 15 runs that day. Here’s how one of our rides down the trail looked like…
Winter is officially here now! Usually this means a combination of gym time, chlorine ingestion, treadmills, and spinning bikes until Spring. This year, however, will be different. Instead of an “off-season” triathlon training regimen, this winter will be focused on “in-season” snowboarding training.
I believe the primal way is universal, and instead of swimming, biking, and running all year round, I want to make myself a stronger rider. Snowboarding is a blast but can be even better if you can ride all out, all day. Plus, more strength and endurance means maximizing the investment that is a lift ticket nowadays.
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Thursday – POSE Snowboarding at Cannon Mountain
While most knuckle-draggers are out there lining up the next hit in the park, I’m thinking about working with gravity and using momentum to determine how and when to turn to maximize my speed… if I had known I’d be riding like this 10 years ago, I probably would’ve taken even more risks!
It’s cool, I’ll shred like an old bull and keep all my joints connected! The 2nd half of the day I felt fresh, efficient, and will keep playing with this idea for the next few trips… Cannon Mountain is also famous for being the home of the late [Old Man of the Mountain]
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Tuesday – Pargnar Strength WoD
* Warmup: kettlebell complex of one-arm swings, high pulls, squat clean/thrusters, snatches x 2. Over/under hurdles. Burpees.
* Deadlift: all sets of 3 using perfect rep method @ 195, 205, 225, 235, 255, 275, 285, 295, 305×5
* Press: 75, 95, 105, 115, 125, 135×2, 135×3
Then 3 supersetted rounds of:
* Pullups: 12, 12, 12 (last two broken up)
* Pistols: 12, 12, 12
* Dips: 12, 12, 12
Trying something different PWO… kept an 18-hour fast going for another 6 hours afterwards. It was easier than fasting after a sprint WOD and I stayed busy to keep the mind off the (medium intensity) hunger pangs. Felt very light and clean during this time and ended it with a loaded omelette.
This WOD was no different than a typical strength session but it definitely translates to the slopes. The only real difference was the pistols. I’ll be incorporating more unilateral work and core movements during the dog days of winter… when they’re over I’ll have less practice for the course but more fun on (and sometimes off) the trail.
*She kinda looks like a mountain woman…*
