SKIING: ABOUT HEALTH BENEFITS

“Nothing strengthens the muscles and makes the body
so strong and elastic, nothing gives a reaction
and speed, nothing refreshes the will and refreshes
mind is like skis"
Fridtjof Nansen,
Norwegian polar explorer

History of cross-country skiing

Drawings on rocks in caves in Norway, which were made more than 7,000 years ago, confirm that the history of cross-country skiing goes back several thousand years. In those distant times, hunters noticed that by tying two specially shaped wooden planks to their feet, they could move faster through snow-covered forests and fields. Such wooden planks were called snowshoes or “stepping skis,” and they looked like tennis rackets.

In 1889, the famous Norwegian polar explorer of the Arctic and traveler Fridtjof Nansen was the first in the world to make a solo crossing of Greenland, covering more than five hundred kilometers on skis. Fridtjof Nansen's transition was described in a book that was translated into several languages. This is how thousands of people around the world learned about skiing and became interested in ski trips. Since the end of the 19th century, sports clubs and societies for ski lovers began to be created in many countries.

About health benefits

Cross-country skiing is a winter sport accessible to almost everyone, which develops agility and endurance, strengthens the immune system, and gives a boost of vigor and good mood. So, more about the health benefits:

Strengthening muscles. Cross-country skiing makes you work and keeps almost all the muscles in your body toned. For example, the abdominal muscles (both upper and lower) are well used during skiing. In just an hour they are reduced up to 50 thousand times! Of course, while skating, the muscles of the legs and arms get a good workout.

We train the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Cross-country skiing is ideal for strengthening the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. During movement, the work of the heart muscle improves, blood pressure and metabolism return to normal, blood circulation improves, and the lungs are perfectly ventilated.

Getting rid of excess weight. Just an hour's skiing can burn between 500 and 1,200 calories. Skiing, without exaggeration, is an excellent assistant in the fight against excess weight. The load your body receives while skiing is comparable to the energy expenditure of swimmers and runners.

We say “no!” to scoliosis. Finnish, Swedish and Canadian doctors prescribe skiing to their patients as a means of preventing scoliosis and diseases of the musculoskeletal system. In their opinion, if a person has never skied, then after 35 years he is likely to develop back problems. It is especially important to teach young children to ski, it is very useful!

Strengthening joints. While skiing, we move smoothly and softly, and this helps improve the functioning of the knee joints and provide them with additional hydration. Experts are convinced that skiing is one of the safest sports for joints, unlike, for example, running, since the impact load on them for skiers is minimal.

We toughen up and lift our spirits. Skiers are people with strong immunity. By performing physical activity at temperatures below 0°C, they perfectly harden their body, and fresh, frosty air invigorates, normalizes the functioning of the nervous system, improves mood, charges with positive energy, improves appetite and sleep. Scientists, by the way, have proven that regular cross-country skiing is the best way to combat depression. The secret is simple: skiing promotes the production of endorphins - hormones of joy, which perfectly cope with apathy, bad mood and stress, and restore mental balance.

Are there any contraindications?

Cross-country skiing is contraindicated for those with heart disease, severe myopia, asthma, sinusitis or sinusitis, as well as vestibular disorders. If you are unsure whether this sport is suitable for you, consult your doctor!

Cheerful mood to you!

Irina Akimova

What are the benefits of skiing? Skiing is useful and accessible to people of any age. Clean frosty air hardens the body and cleanses the lungs. Ski lovers are immune to colds. They develop endurance, strength and agility, and their performance increases. Skiing is used for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes: to strengthen the respiratory and cardiovascular systems,

for tuberculosis, nervous system disorders, obesity and other diseases. After skiing, a person becomes alert, cheerful, and healthy sleep is restored.

While skiing, not only the arms and legs, but also all the organs and muscles of the body actively work, and there is an increased consumption of calories, which is important if you are overweight.

Skiing can be learned at any age, starting from children 5 years old. For people and beginner skiers, you need to gradually increase physical activity. Dosing of physical activity when skiing is carried out taking into account time, distance length, and speed of movement. You also need to take into account the direction and strength of the wind, and air temperature.

Skiing begins at a calm, leisurely pace with rest stops every 10-15 minutes.

Skiing. Types of skiing:

— The most accessible move for beginner skiers is one in which there is one push with the stick for each sliding step.

— A somewhat more complicated move, in which one sliding step is combined with a simultaneous push with sticks.

— The move is even more difficult when one push with sticks is made for two sliding steps.

— On a fresh ski track, it is best to move in alternating two-step strides, and place the poles closer to the ski track.

By following the correct skiing technique, less effort is expended and frequent falls, injuries and ski breakage can be avoided. To do this, beginner skiers need to train on smooth, gentle slopes and gradually move on to steeper and more difficult slopes.

For beginner skiers, it is enough to cover 5 km at a time. It is recommended to practice skiing 2-3 times a week, for 40-60 minutes.

Since skiing causes great changes in the body, it must be used with caution, avoiding overwork - fatigue should go away after a night's rest. Pain, rapid heartbeat, general weakness, dizziness, poor coordination of movements, sudden sweating are signals of incorrect dosage of exercise.

Tips for beginner skiers:

Skiing. How to choose the right skis?

For beginner skiers, recreational skis are more suitable - they are wide and stable. To choose the right skis for your height, you need to place the skis vertically, and your outstretched arm should reach the ends of the skis. If you have a large body weight, choose wider and longer skis.

Pay attention to the elasticity of the skis - they should not be too “soft” or too “hard”. “Soft” ones may turn out to be fragile, and “hard” ones do not spring back on depressions and bumps and therefore are difficult to walk on.

Skis will glide better if they have sufficient weight deflection, which will straighten out from the skier's body weight when walking. This can be determined if the sliding surfaces of the skis are applied to each other, and the resulting gap is 5-7 cm.

Racing skis are more comfortable when they are light, long and narrow, while trekking skis are wider.

Skiing.How to choose ski poles?

The height of ski poles for skiing should be no higher than the shoulder and no lower than the armpits. There must be rings on the poles - without strong rings it is impossible to walk through deep snow.

It is better to choose lightweight poles for racing skis, 5-10 cm higher than the shoulder.

Skiing.How to choose ski boots?

It is better to take ski boots a size larger. Remember that tight shoes impede blood circulation in the feet and speed up the cooling of your feet.

To prevent your ski boots from getting wet, soak them in castor oil, fish oil, or a special ointment for hunting boots. Another effective way: completely lubricate new ski boots (including the sole) with natural drying oil. After 2-3 hours, rub them with simple laundry soap. Do this procedure 3-4 times over 1-2 days - the leather of the boots will become elastic and waterproof.

Skiing.Ski clothes:

Clothes should not be too warm, not restrict movement, protect from the cold and allow body evaporation to pass through well. A woolen knitted cap is put on the head. Mittens should be warm and comfortable, according to the size of your hand.

Skiing.Breathing while skiing:

It is necessary to monitor your breathing: inhale when taking out the poles, exhale when bending the body.

Skiing.How to properly lubricate skis?

Lubricating your skis with a special ointment makes it easier to glide on the snow. To properly lubricate your skis, you need to select the ointment depending on the weather. A good skier should have a whole set of ointments.

In order for the ointment to last longer on your skis, you first need to tar the sliding surface of the skis with tree resin, and then apply the ointment. The ointment does not adhere well to untarred skis and wears off quickly.

In frosty weather, skis are lubricated with solid ointments, and when it thaws, with liquid ointments. Solid red ointment is used in mild frost of 1-3 degrees. Hard blue ointment - at temperatures above 3 degrees below zero. Hard green ointment - at 12-15 degrees below zero. Solid ointments are applied to the sliding surface in a thick layer, starting from the toe of the ski, then rubbed evenly. Liquid ointment is applied in 1-2 layers and also rubbed evenly. The ski groove does not need to be lubricated. After lubricating the skis, take them outside to cool for 15-20 minutes.

Skiing.Muscle pain:

Beginner skiers usually experience muscle pain after their first ski rides. These pains go away on their own within a day or two. But if you immediately take a warm bath and do a light muscle massage, the pain will go away faster.

Useful articles on the topic “Physical exercise”:

Skiing is a very interesting sport that is very popular in our country.

With minimal loads you can get amazing results, and at the same time, it is less dangerous to health than running.

When skiing, the load on the joints is significantly reduced, and in addition, during classes, the many muscles are strengthened our body - legs, arms, lower back, pectoral and abdominal muscles.

The load is evenly distributed throughout the body, making skiing easier than running.

However, almost the same amount of calories is spent in both cases. Next, we will analyze in detail what skiing is, its benefits and possible harm.

Skis: benefit or harm

Before they begin to list all the positive properties of skiing, it is worth saying that, like any other sport, it has not only positive properties, but also contraindications. However, its beneficial effects far outweigh the possible harm. In winter, you can often meet skiers of all ages in the forest, and surprisingly, older people predominate among them. With this simple but fun exercise, they can maintain their health for many years.

There are many benefits you can get from skiing. Firstly, skiing takes place in winter, which has a beneficial effect on the immune system. Regular exercise in the cold fresh air forces the body to adapt to environmental conditions, and tempers the body.

There is such a concept associated with skiing as landscape therapy. This term means treating and strengthening the human body through physical activity in nature. This allows you to improve sleep, strengthen the nervous system, improve your mood, and also relieve depression and stress.

Skiing is a great workout for heart and cardiovascular system. Like any other cardio exercise, it forces the heart to work harder. As a result, it pumps blood through the body faster and increases circulation. Regular skiing can strengthen and increase the volume of the heart muscle, which will have a positive effect on the entire body as a whole. In addition, during exercise, blood pressure practically does not increase, since capillaries tend to increase in size in order to better cope with increased blood flow. Numerous muscle contractions improve the movement of blood through the veins and facilitate the work of the heart.

Skiing improves pulmonary ventilation and gas exchange in the body. Due to this, the amount of oxygen that enters the body increases.

Skiing prevents many respiratory diseases and also allows the body to more easily cope with viral infections.

Of course, skiing helps strengthen the body's muscular system and allows you to effectively lose weight. During skiing, the skier's arms and legs receive a good load, which helps strengthen both parts of the body. In addition, this activity is quite energy-consuming for the body. Due to this, he is forced to spend a huge amount of calories for this. Regular exercise allows you to burn excess weight while training your muscles. In addition, they also strengthen muscles and joint-ligamentous apparatus. The level of physical fitness, endurance and the body's resistance to fatigue increases.

However, despite all the benefits of skiing, in some cases they can cause harm. By themselves, they do not have a negative effect, but it is important to observe the following contraindications:

1. You cannot ski if a person has a disability;

2. Serious diseases of the cardiac or respiratory system;

3. Pathologies of the musculoskeletal system, or problems with the spine;

4. Pregnancy;

5. Weak immunity and joints.

6. Any recent illnesses or surgeries.

In other cases, the benefits of skiing are undeniable, and it is recommended to all people without exception to improve their health in the winter.

Skis: where to start?

If you decide to take up skiing, but you do not have the necessary knowledge about this sport, then below you will be given a small recommendation on how and where to start.

1. The first thing you need to do is individually select skis. Of course, for amateurs this is not such a big deal, but it is better to exercise comfortably than to try to understand why you fall so often. Few people know, but skis are selected not by height, but by weight. The heavier the potential skier, the longer and stiffer they should be. It’s best to go to a specialized store to do this - they will pick you up skis, bindings, suitable shoes, and poles.

2. From school times, many remember that skis must be pre-lubricated before skiing. However, many modern skis glide well even without lubrication. In some cases it will be necessary special ointment so that the ski does not “shoot” when pushing off.

The best thing to do is learn to ride on an already skied track. There you will not need any special skills - all you need is to move your legs slightly and push off with sticks. It's important to start feeling confident on your skis before moving on to more advanced techniques.

A huge number of problems arise for beginners due to climbing uphill. For those who have never skied, it’s quite difficult to imagine how they can go anywhere at all. This is a really hard technique, but the main thing is enough practice. To climb uphill, you should place your foot on the edge of the ski and herringbone lift upward while pushing off with sticks.

Skiing and its varieties

There are several types of skiing. The main ones are:

Skate style;

Classic style;

To begin with, you should master the classic style. When skiing in this style, as a rule, they use an already knurled ski track. Get on the ski track, bring your poles a little forward, and push off the ground with them. After this, try to slide along the plane, pushing off with one leg (the direction of the push should not be back, but down). Once you're comfortable with it, try it push off with legs alternately, simultaneously bringing forward the opposite arm (left leg - right arm, and vice versa).

Skating style will be a little more difficult for beginners, but it is this method that conveys the whole atmosphere of winter skiing. You need to try to ride in the Latin letter “V”. At the same time, try to make it as narrow as possible. On one foot, slide forward and slightly to the side, while the other is placed on the inner edge of the ski and pushes you away. It looks like you can step one ski on the other, but in reality it is quite difficult. Almost all the time when riding this style, the legs are in different planes, and it is quite difficult for them to meet.

The skating style differs from the classic one in being more dynamic, and, therefore, it is more effective in terms of losing excess weight. The classic style is more suitable for beginners, as well as for older people who find it difficult to run at a fast pace. It is great for light walks and general health improvement.

Skiing for children: is it harmful?

Skiing is a universal sport that is useful not only for adults, but also for children. With their help, they can strengthen their immunity from childhood, and are much less likely to be exposed to various viral diseases.

Regular exercise will strengthen your heart and overall physical development. If you manage to instill a love for this sport in your child, it will be useful for him throughout his life. He will become much stronger and more resilient. In addition, skiing is a great way to channel a child’s energy in the right direction.

In many northern countries, such as Norway or Switzerland, children are introduced to skiing from a very early age. This explains the large number of professional athletes who are residents of these states. If you practice skiing with your child from a very early age, you may be able to raise a future world champion.

If we talk about harm, then there are practically the same recommendations as for adults. But it is worth remembering that the child may not have a fully formed immune system. Therefore, you should not start exercising in too cold weather.

Skiing: benefits for weight loss

Since skis are good cardio exercise, then, of course, they have a positive effect on losing excess weight. Skating style running is best suited for weight loss. At a fairly intense pace, you will burn even more calories than running. This happens because you have to actively move not only your legs, but also make quite energy-consuming movements with your arms.

In one hour of intense exercise, you can burn up to 600 calories. Since you're burning fat and strengthening muscles at the same time, you can prevent sagging skin and stretch marks.

But, for effective fat burning you should do some recommendations:

Exercise 3-4 times a week;

One lesson should last at least an hour;

Eat about two hours before your workout and an hour after.

Regular exercise coupled with proper nutrition and lifestyle can provide amazing results. In just one season, you can get rid of extra pounds, and, moreover, work out your muscles and the body as a whole.

In winter, many of us notice that maintaining slimness and ease of movement becomes much more difficult. And the fact that people, like animals, gain weight by winter does not particularly surprise anyone: the colder the winter, the more layers of fat our body tends to store.

American scientists, constantly looking for ways to combat excess weight, conducted a fairly thorough study and decided that the main reasons are:

• Lack of fresh food, primarily fruits and vegetables;
• Warm clothes that hide your figure most of the day. And it’s true - after all, in winter we don’t wear tight dresses and jeans, sundresses and short shorts, but try to insulate ourselves “to the maximum.”
• Short daylight hours and color starvation, which are the causes of “winter” stress (or depression). In such states, many people try to compensate for boredom, lethargy and bad mood with delicious food, and they don’t really want to move.
• Lack of movement is, according to researchers, the main reason for weight gain in winter. The time spent on the street is sharply reduced, only a few people go jogging in winter, and people use transport much more often than in summer. For example, it’s better to travel even one stop by bus than to walk – it’s cold!

The recommendations are simple: if you don’t want to “lose your shape” in winter and face spring with a sagging figure, you need to be active. In the winter air, calories are burned faster than in the warmth, and here skiing, regular, cross-country or mountain skiing, depending on your ability, can be an excellent way to lose weight. Walking and cross-country skiing are a great way to burn off calories accumulated at the table with “winter” food, such as rich soups and potatoes with meat; They allow you to reduce the appearance of cellulite, get rid of fatty “extras,” and even strengthen your immune system and maintain youth.

Why skiing is effective for losing weight

When you walk or ski, all muscle groups are used, and therefore weight is lost faster than during regular running. Another advantage is that, unlike running and walking, there is no shock load on the joints, so walking and skiing are very suitable for those who want to lose weight, but cannot run due to joint problems. Skiing, on the contrary, improves the condition of the joints, since with measured, smooth movement on the snow, synovial fluid begins to be more actively produced in them. Winter walks in the snow are also useful because they allow you to get rid of stress: the production of “joy hormones” increases, and you no longer feel the urge to “eat stress.”

Calories are burned with any type of skiing. You can simply walk or run on flat terrain, or on rough terrain, or ride downhill: all this helps reduce the “orange peel area” and fat reserves. Winter equipment also helps with this: warm shoes and clothes have weight and create additional stress on the muscles.

A calm ski walk on a flat, “beaten” track for an hour allows you to burn about 600 kcal - the same as a fast two-hour walk.

Cross-country skiing is a different load. In an hour you can spend 600-1000 kcal, and when moving on virgin snow - all 1300 kcal, but this is not easy, and this method of running is not suitable for beginner skiers. Therefore, it is better to alternate the load: first run on the finished ski track, and then move on to “fresh” sections, etc.

Approximately the same amount of calories is consumed when skiing, if you do not use a lift, and after going down the slope you go back up “on your own.” But when going down the mountain, the joints receive serious stress, so this type of skiing cannot be considered a universal way to lose weight in winter.

During ski training, almost all the muscles of the body are well supplied with blood, deeply worked out and tightened; Accelerating metabolism allows the body to more actively burn accumulated fat.

If desired, you can choose a specific technique that affects certain muscle groups and “direct the blow” to different parts of the body.

So, if you need a load on your back, buttocks and hips (inner side), you need to walk up the mountain and walk down. Difficult sections of the route, in addition, require the participation of the hands - the body weight is transferred to them, and the corresponding muscle groups are strengthened.

If you move along the ski track in the same rhythm for some time, the front and back muscles of the thighs and legs will receive intense load.

Skis for weight loss: maximum effect

Walking and skiing technique is only one of the components of success. In order for training to really contribute to weight loss, you need to follow other rules, completely simple, but important.

First of all, equipment should help your training, not hinder it. Clothes should be light, comfortable, but warm and comfortable. It's good to use thermal underwear. When choosing skis, consult with sales consultants: if they are too long, short, heavy or light, you will not get any benefit from your training. The best choice is skis in combination with boots: this will ensure the reliability of the bindings, although it can be expensive. True, you can rent equipment if possible, but it depends on your luck.

Before training, be sure to do a 10-minute warm-up. This will allow the cells to prepare to burn fat, and the joints and ligaments to avoid injury.

You can start with two half-hour workouts a week - walking or running about 5 km in the snow. When you can do this relatively easily, add another workout and gradually increase the time to 2 hours and the distance to 12 km. If you have recently learned to ski, you should not climb too high, as beginners sometimes do when they get to a ski resort or sports center. Due to the unusual height, shortness of breath and headache may begin, and then there will be no time to lose weight.

Before training, as well as during it, you need to drink clean water: in winter, dehydration can result in no less serious problems than in summer - the body should not suffer from thirst.

But there is, as with any training, better 1.5 hours “before”, and 1.5-2 hours “after”. But you can drink hot tea (green, red, herbal, weak black) without sugar as much as you want: you will warm up and “wash away” toxins.

Skiing for weight loss: contraindications and precautions

There are no categorical contraindications to running and skiing for weight loss, but those who for some reason are in “risk groups” should consult their doctor. These are people with diseases of the musculoskeletal system, joints, respiratory and cardiovascular systems; with weakened immunity; those who have reduced melanin production and skin that is sensitive to sunlight.

Pregnant women, teenagers under 13 years of age and people over 50 also need specialist advice.

Symphony for the spine. Prevention and treatment of diseases of the spine and joints Irina Anatolyevna Kotesheva

Skiing

Skiing

Skiing trains the whole body: all muscle groups are involved in the movement, but to a greater extent – ​​the muscles of the arms and legs. Skiing has a tonic effect on the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, improves thermoregulation and metabolism. Regular skiing (at least twice a week) increases the overall endurance of the body. Gliding skis on the snow has a calming effect on the body's systems, and when a meadow sparkling in the sun and snow-covered fabulously beautiful trees open up, all worries and worries are forgotten, and not a trace remains of bad mood and nervous tension!

You can ski from 3–4 years of age until old age. In elderly and senile people (if the painful disorders have not gone far), the effect of physical training - improvement in well-being after 2-3 weeks of exercise - is even more noticeable than in young people. This is called motor euphoria, since older people feel a sharp surge of strength and vigor after skiing.

Skiing develops endurance, helps maintain good athletic shape, and strengthens the body.

Learning to ski is easier than learning many other types of physical exercise.

The whole family can go skiing.

When riding on a flat surface, injuries are minimal.

Clothes and shoes

A ski suit should be light, warm, comfortable and beautiful. Tight trousers made of wool or elastic fabric are suitable. You should definitely wear wool underwear under your trousers. Beginner skiers, especially older ones, should protect their lower back from getting cold. I recommend wearing a wide woolen scarf or a special anti-radiculitis belt (sold in pharmacies) directly on your naked body.

You need to dress so that at first you feel cool. This will ensure that you don't sweat too much during your walk, but you will have the desire to move intensely. It is best to wear a thin woolen shirt, over a woolen sweater, and over it a light storm jacket made of windproof fabric without lining, with a hood. Warm jackets with a synthetic top are completely unsuitable for skiing: with intense movement, a person instantly sweats in them and easily catches a cold. These jackets can be worn before and after a ski trip. When there is frost and wind, you should protect your genitals, so wear warm woolen tights.

When choosing clothes, you need to take into account the expected air temperature, traffic intensity, your age and temperament.

Place a thick woolen hat on your head to cover your ears. In moderate frosts, down to -10 °C, a woolen headband is comfortable.

You should wear mittens on your hands, preferably leather ones, but without fur. Gloves are less warm.

In bright sunshine, you can use sunglasses.

Buy ski boots one size larger than your regular shoes.

Clothing for children must also be light and not restrict movement. For children aged 7–8 years, wear a onesie. For older children, buy a special ski suit. Always make sure that your child does not sweat during a ski trip.

Skis

Choosing skis is a serious matter, so remember the rules that will help you not only feel comfortable during a ski run, but also protect you from injury.

Ski length. To select skis according to your height, you need to place them vertically, and they should not be higher than the tips of the fingers of your outstretched hand and not lower than the base of your palm.

For children 3–5 years of age, skis should exceed their height by 5 cm; for older children, skis are selected according to general rules.

Elasticity of skis. Fold the skis with the sliding surfaces facing each other and, holding the middle with your hand, squeeze them so that the sliding surfaces touch. If a slight force is required to compress them, then the skis are elastic.

Ski flexibility. Place the ski vertically with the sliding surface facing away from you, then grab it with one hand by the cargo area (the place for installing the fastening), and with the other hand by the toe, which must be pulled towards you several times. The flexible ski gives in to your effort easily and elastically.

Sliding surface. There should be no knots, cracks or burrs on the sliding surface. Check if the ski is skewed, which can be helical or transverse. The first can be determined by placing two pencils or blocks on the sliding surface of the ski. With a normal surface, any movement of these two objects will show their parallelism in relation to each other, and when skewed, an angle will form. The transverse skew is noticeable either by eye or after the skis are pressed against each other with their side edges (when skewed, cracks form).

Ski poles for walking should reach the armpits in height. The length of the loop on the stick should be adjusted so that the gloved hand rests on the belt and at the same time rests on the handle. The pins of the poles must be sharpened.

Movement technique

If you calmly ski on flat terrain, then no special skills are required, but if you want to master the correct technique of an alternating two-step move, which is used on virgin snow, on a flat ski track, on a gentle slope, then master two exercises first.

1. Skiing without poles Tilt your body slightly forward. Take small first steps, then gradually increase the time you slide with each foot.

Pay attention to the combination of movements of the arms and legs: with the step of the left leg, the right arm is extended forward, with the step of the right leg, the left arm is extended forward.

2. Skiing with poles

Extend the arm going forward in the swing as far as possible, bending it slightly at the elbow. The push with the foot is performed after the push with the stick. The push ends when the arm is carried behind the back and extended. You can extend it by pressing your palm on the loop of the stick. After the push, the arm muscles are relaxed, they easily and without tension carry the stick forward.

The most common mistakes when mastering the correct skiing technique:? straight legs are too tense, which leads to stiffness of movements,? the back is too straight, this prevents you from taking a wider step,? Poor use of ski poles for pushing.

You need to start skiing at an air temperature of at least 12–15 °C, at a calm pace, with rest stops (no more than 10 minutes). The initial duration of ski trips is 30 minutes, gradually increase the time to 2 hours.

Do not overcome fatigue by persistently moving along the ski track. Your prize is health and satisfaction with the walk. Therefore, if you feel tired, slow down, stop and rest. I especially recommend remembering short but necessary stops for elderly and senile people, but if pain or simply vague sensations appear in the heart area, shortness of breath or weakness, then after a short break you should return to the ski base. When you return home, be sure to consult your doctor.

Before each ski trip, a 10-minute warm-up is required, which will prepare the body for the upcoming physical activity. Perform the following warm-up complex (do all exercises standing at an average pace without holding your breath.

For hands

1. Starting position – bend your torso forward, legs together.

Perform arm movements as when swimming crawl.

Repeat 10 times.

2. Starting position - stand two steps away from the wall (tree), place the palms of your straight arms on the wall (tree) at chest level and place them shoulder-width apart.

Perform a push-up by bending your elbows and moving your elbows out to the sides, your heels pressed to the ground, your torso straight.

Repeat 10 times.

For legs

3. Starting position – hands on the belt, legs together.

Move your slightly bent knees to the left, then move forward, bending more, then to the right, slightly straightening, and return to the starting position.

Repeat smooth circular movements 4 times to the right and 4 times to the left.

4. Starting position – hold onto a support with your right hand (wall, tree).

Swing your left leg forward and backward 8 times. Turn to the support with your left side and perform the same swing movements with your right leg.

5. Starting position – hands on the belt, feet shoulder-width apart.

Squat down with your knees out to the sides and your back straight.

Repeat 4 times.

For body

6. Starting position – feet wider than shoulders, arms to the sides.

Bend over, without bending your knees, touch your right palm to your left foot, then touch your right foot with your left palm.

Repeat 5 times in each direction.

7. Starting position – feet shoulder-width apart, hands on the belt.

Move your pelvis in a circular motion without bending your knees, keeping your head straight.

Repeat 5 times in each direction.

For balance

8. Raise your leg straight at the knee, keeping your hands on your waist.

Repeat 6 times with each leg.

Doing these exercises should not make you feel tired. Control your feelings: from warming up, just like from a ski trip, you should only get pleasure, a charge of vivacity and a good mood.

Walking Many people are skeptical about walking, not considering it an effective means of developing endurance. But this is far from true. Oddly enough, but walking is one of the five types of physical activity that maximize the development of aerobic fitness.