BOSTON -- The best way to avoid sprained ankles, sore knees and injured pride may be to stay off the ski slopes this winter.
NewsCenter 5's Liz Brunner reported Tuesday that since most skiers aren't willing to do that, some preseason conditioning might be in order.
Elsbeth Pratt has been skiing for years, but she's doing something different this season. She is working with trainer Peter Donohoe on exercises specifically designed to improve her performance on the slopes.
"I want to prevent any injuries. I banged up my knee a few years ago skiing, and even though it wasn't too serious, I want to make sure that that doesn't happen again," Pratt said.
"It's probably 99 percent of injuries come as a result of being unprepared," Donohoe said.
Donohoe competed on the Irish bobsled team in two Olympics. He spent hours on gym workouts he says didn't help his specific sport.
"Sure, we can do treadmill work, sure you can do the bike, elliptical trainer, but you're got to start simulating some of the activities you would do on the slope and bring them into your club, your routine and your program," he said.
Donohoe has skiers build balance and agility to handle bumpy terrain. Core strength is important, too -- that means ab work and squats.
Donohoe said that these ski-specific workouts could be as short as 25 minutes a day. But they can be grueling.
"He pushes you, he definitely pushes you. There are days I wake up the next morning, and I can't walk, but in the long run it's worth it and it's fun," he said.
Copyright 2004 by TheBostonChannel. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
