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PRE SEASON
KEITH NICOL
Contributing Editor for The Master Skier
Keith runs the Winter Outdoor Pursuits program at Sir Wilfred Grenfell College in Corner Brook, Nf, Canada, and has the highest instructor certification in CANSI, Canada’s Nordic Ski Instructor organization, www.-swgc.mun.ca/~knicol click Nordic ski tips knicol@swgc.mun.ca.
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When we are young we take our strength and the ability to balance for granted. Many masters skiers recognize the gradual loss of strength as they age and consequently hit the weight room. However, the practice of balancing skills is often ignored.
Many people don’t realize that their balancing skills are deteriorating yet a good sense of balance is crucial for success in cross-country ski racing. Also most people don’t know that balance skills can be improved with practice and that a simple routine of balance exercises can keep your reflexes sharp.
If you do a lot of roller skiing through the summer and fall then your balancing abilities may be getting challenged, especially if you do ski balance drills regularly. However, if this is not part of your regular training then other balancing drills should be practiced on a consistent basis.
In the numerous Masters Racing Camps I have been involved in, one of the key problem areas for most skiers is the ability to balance on a single ski. So lets look at another way to train your body to feel more comfortable while balancing on one foot.
Balance boards may be just the ticket for you since they can be used indoors, day or night and in any weather. This summer I have been testing a number of balance boards and find I can now balance on them better than I could in the beginning and now they are a regular part of my training schedule.
There are a variety of balance boards out there but I tested four: The Extreme Balance Board, the Balance Cushion, the Wobble Board and the Rocker Board.
For travel or convenience I would suggest the Balance Cushion. This can be inflated when used or deflated for storage or travel.
By adjusting how much air is in the cushion you can change the degree of balancing difficulty. It works well for one footed balance drills as shown in photo 1 but can also be used for two footed balance drills.
The Rocker Board is perhaps the easiest to balance on and again can be used for one or two footed drills. I suggest that skiers concentrate on one-footed drills since those are the muscles that you want to train the most.
The Rocker Board does have the advantage of balancing in a fore and aft direction or separately in a side-to-side motion so that you can isolate these actions if you want (see photo 2).
The Wobble Board is mounted on a half sphere so it incorporates trying to balance in a fore and aft and side-to-side direction simultaneously. Obviously this is harder since you only have one point of contact (see photo 3).
Again balance exercises can be done in a one or two-footed variety although the one footed are preferred.
The hardest to balance on is the Extreme Balance Board. It has a curved base which is attached to a flexible center piece.
Using two wooden inserts you can change the difficulty of this devise and the flexible center allows for three-dimensional movement, which is especially challenging (see photo 4). It is the only board that I haven’t mastered on one foot.
The big advantage of any of these balance boards is that as you get better you can continue to challenge yourself in the following ways.
These boards balance most easily on a carpet since it offers more points of contact. As you get better move to a hard surface or try closing your eyes.
You can also challenge yourself by flexing and extending your balancing leg or even lifting light hand weights as you balance!
Also, you can incorporate any number of other exercises to improve core stability or strength while balancing on these devises. For instance, Photos 5 and 6 show push ups being done on the Extreme Balance Board.
The “Great Balance and Stability Handbook” outlines over 60 pages of exercises that can be done with these boards.
For more information on these balance boards and this handbook see www.athleteconditioning.com.
Remember, depending on your balance skills you may want to use a spotter, especially with the Extreme Balance Board. Also use them initially on a carpet before trying them on a harder surface.
Balance can be improved and where weather or other conditions prevent roller skiing through the summer and fall, these devises will get you ready to balance on your skis.
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