As kids get older, providing a year-round ski program is ideal. How do you practice skiing without snow?
Training without snow should be very similar as training with snow, only your mode of activity will change. It is still good to design training with the majority of training being distance training while mixing in activities with higher intensities. As with on-snow training, keeping things fun and exciting is also key. Most of the instructional sections of the lesson plans in this curriculum can be done on foot. It is a good idea to do a little bit of skill work on foot throughout the summer and fall. Get creative! Anyway of getting outside and playing is going to help develop coordination and fitness.
Bounding: bounding is the best way to practice skiing without snow. Bounding is classic skiing without the glide. Go back to the beginning classic lesson plan. When you are teaching classic skiing and you have kids move in the gym, transferring weight from one foot to the next in an athletic stance, you are essentially bounding. It is best to bound up a hill. The “air time” between strides will vary based on the intensity of the workout and slope of the hill. If you are simply out for distance training and practicing skills there will be essentially no air-time as the weight is transferred from one foot to the next. This is very much like hiking with poles, but with a little more pop in your step. As the intensity increases and you move into a true bound, the air time will increase. This time off the ground is mimicking what would be glide if you had skis on your feet. You can use many of the same drills as on snow, trying to the least number of bounds for point A to B and the most, etc.
Adventures: The summer is a great time to go exploring. Any hikes in the surrounding areas are great ways to enjoy the surroundings while staying healthy and getting fit.
Games: Many of the games can be played on feet as well. Tag-type games are great. Soccer, speedball, ultimate frisbee are all great games that keeps kids active and develop coordination.
Running: running is the easiest way to stay healthy and fit throughout the year. Getting kids to join the cross country running team is the best way to do this. Going on more adventurous runs is a great way to make running more exciting and fun as well.
