FALL STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING

Fall strength and conditioning are in full swing. Starting just after the start of the school year, Athletes and Coaches have been busy at the Copper Mountain Clubhouse.  Academy Athletes have occupied the Team Summit gym at Copper Mountain for strength training, mobility and power work. They are also working with their head coaches on aerobic fitness and team building.

Thursdays have proven to be an excellent opportunity to get all Academy Athletes together in one location for fieldwork, sprint drills and games.  The larger groups ensure Team Summit Athletes have an opportunity to bond with those outside of their winter disciplines and make new lasting friendships.   

In October our Thursday’s activity will switch from Frisco field sports to the Silverthorne recreation center for gymnastic. Gymnastics is a foundational skill for all athletics.

If schedules and locations don’t allow you to be involved with your group in our dryland training here in Summit County be sure you are preparing for the season on your own. There are several important key points to address while you prepare:

1. Cardiovascular fitness.

-Spend 3-4 sessions per week working on interval-style aerobic workouts that are lasting 30-40 minutes at a fairly intense heart rate. Also get 1-2 sessions per week where the focus is on long-duration activities, such as hiking or biking, and go out for at least 2 hours or more. Here your heart rate should be kept down low enough that you would be able to hold a conversation with a partner.

2. Strength training.

-You should be in the weight room 2-3 times per week. Be sure to work your legs (primarily your gluteus maximus and hamstrings) and your core (transverse abdominis is most important). At this point in the year, your primary focus should be on strength endurance and work capacity. Think about having the ability to have your 15^th or 20^th training run as productive as your 5^th.

3. Mobility

-This is the ability to move freely and easily in full ranges of motion which contributes to better balance, increased strength and power production, better posture and better overall performance in your sports. Spend most of your effort here focused on your hips with exercises like the archer squat.

4. Flexibility

-Stretching needs to be done at the end of all of your strength and conditioning sessions. Your primary focus for stretching would be the hamstrings, glutes, shoulders and don’t forget about your core.

The mountains will soon be getting covered with snow and we will all be out doing what we love to do. Make sure you are as prepared physically as possible so you are able to hit the hill every training day. Get fit, get strong, work on mobility and flexibility. These points will help you perform better than you ever have, help reduce the chances of injury and keep you outside pursuing your passion.

This article is written by our Human Performance Director, Chris Hughes.  
If you are interested in doing more during the shoulder season or have questions for Chris?  
Email Chris.Hughes@TeamSummit.org.

Interested in joining the Academy Program next year?  Talk with your Program Director and/or email Joanna@TeamSummit.org.