For a rippin’ good time on the slopes this season, you’ll want to train with a variety of terrain that requires body awareness to move in multiple directions. Rather than moving in a linear direction, as say, on a treadmill or stair-stepper, train your body to move forward, backward, diagonally, laterally, and up and down. Using a variety of movement patterns over different types of terrain taxes the body in all planes of movement and increases the stability of your muscles and joints. That’s because you’ll recruit more muscle fiber. What’s more you’ll strengthen your neuromuscular system because of the focus required to move in a variety of patterns.
Here are 3 simple exercises you can do to improve multi-directional movements:
1. Slalom and zigzag your way around cones, trees, or parking meters.
2. Try a 3-way lunge. With your right leg, lunge forward, then backward, and then sideways.
3. Hit the stairs with diagonal strides on the way up, and side-to-side steps on the way down.
