ankle and shin strengthening exercises (for Nordic skate skiing)?

amandaeve
amandaeve Posts: 723 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I am taking a skate skiing clinic in a couple of months and I want to be physically ready. I searched the web for conditioning ideas, but everything I saw focused on endurance, core, thigh, and upper body- all of which I am covering in my current work out routine. I've only skate skied a couple of times before and it was my ankles and shins that wore out first. I don't normally wear shoes that go over my ankles and my legs turn to jelly every time I do (rollerblading, down hill skiing). I'm a solid intermediate classic skier, so I think the rest of my legs are OK. Any suggestions for exercises for strengthening this part of the body?

Replies

  • Ws2016
    Ws2016 Posts: 432 Member
    Try various balance exercises that train those small muscles, such as doing no-weight squats while standing on a beso ball, standing on one leg with the other raiaed (like a flamingo) while holding weights in each hand, doing toe touches while standing on ine leg. 15 reps, 3 sets. You can probably google more.
  • firef1y72
    firef1y72 Posts: 1,579 Member
    I'm actually working on strengthening my ankles right now (I have hypermobility and live in stability trainers), my PT has me doing the following :
    Single leg squats while barefoot
    stand on one leg barefoot and do little hops in a round the clock fashion, so little hop forward, to the left, back, to the right.
    Ankle circles (to stretch them out)
    Plus she has me wear non stability shoes for a short (but increasing) amount of the day for walking (not running, still wear stability to run)
  • amandaeve
    amandaeve Posts: 723 Member
    Nice! Thanks!

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