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MONDAY
Strength
>Single-leg machine leg press
>Ski-turn wall sit: Do three one-minute reps.
>Exercise ball ham-string curl
>Dumbbell shoulder press or dumbbell shoulder raise (alternate weeks)
>Dumbbell chest press
>Cable lat pull-down
>Weighted stomach crunch on the exercise ball. Hold a medicine ball or weight plate on your chest, just below your collarbone.
>Back hyperextension
Power
>Jump rope: Do five one-minute intervals. Decrease rest time to 30 seconds.
>Single-leg diagonal jump
WEDNESDAY
Cardio
>45 minutes of moderate aerobic activity
Balance
>Ball toss: Stand on your right leg, holding a soccer ball or light medicine ball in one hand. Toss the ball above your head from one hand to the other for 20 repetitions. Repeat on your left leg.
>Balance board: Stand with two feet on a balance or wobble board. Drop into a ski tuck and hold for 30 seconds. Repeat three times.
FRIDAY
Strength
>Single-leg squat
>Side lunge
>Single-leg calf raise
>Dumbbell shoulder rotation
>Push-up
>Dumbbell single-arm lat row
>Clamshell crunch
>Side plank: Do three 30-second intervals.
Power
>Jump rope: Do four one-minute intervals, with 30 seconds rest in between. Alternate moving forward, backward and side-to-side.
>Box jump: Use a six- to 12-inch box. Do three sets of 30-second intervals, with a one-minute rest between sets.
POWER SURGE
Myth: It’s bad to continue building strength and power after the ski season starts.
“People used to think you should build all your strength in the off-season, then during the year you just had to maintain it and perform,” says Stone, who served 11 years as a U.S. Ski Team physician. “But recently we’ve seen a lot of younger athletes getting better and better during the season-not only because of their experience but also because they’re getting stronger.” That doesn’t mean anything goes, however. To avoid injury, spend a lot of time stretching and be careful not to overtrain.