Ski Club of Great Britain // Inside Edge // FITNESS FOCUS WITH... CRAIG MCLEAN

Stretching is getting a bad name from the health industry, but qualified chiropractor Craig Mclean explains why the right kind of stretching is still a skier’s best friend

If you’re up to date with the latest research into stretching, you’ll have found some conflicting conclusions about its benefits. For years we have assumed that stretching is beneficial to our muscles, joints and general wellbeing, while reducing pain. We may have also thought that stretching helps with muscle activity and sports performance.

However, if you look at the latest research, you’ll find stretching officially helps only one main thing: joint flexibility. Most of the other claims cannot be scientifically proven to be of benefit. In fact, we know stretching can actively reduce muscle strength and performance, and even increase the chance of injury if performed immediately prior to the chosen activity.

It’s important, therefore, to look at the two most common types of stretching – active and passive – as most problems and performance reductions come from passive stretching, especially when performed just before your chosen sport. Keeping it simple:

Active or dynamic stretching: the short, sharp movements sometimes involved in swinging a limb about to ‘warm up’ the muscles as well as stretch them.

Static or passive stretching: the traditional way to stretch – long, slow postures held for 20-60 seconds.

Both these methods of stretching will increase the range of motion in your joints. This is a good thing, especially in the ageing joint where range can be limited, ie the hips and spine.

With the research results in mind, I’ve summarised an ideal approach to using stretching, both on and off the mountain, to get our bodies ready for a ski trip and keep them in prime condition during the holiday. These exercises will keep your joints loose in advance of your trip, wake your body up with short sharp movements at the start of the ski day, and help you wind down at the end of the day and stay supple.

WHEN AND HOW TO STRETCH

Here are three different times when skiers will find it beneficial to stretch and a guide to the stretches they should be doing at those times…

Before your ski holiday

It’s a good idea to do both passive and active stretching when you’re not on the mountain. Yoga and Pilates are the best ways to activate and stretch your muscles in preparation for a ski holiday – ideally, you’ll be doing one or both all year round. The two best exercises are the pigeon (stretching the piriformis muscle located deep in the buttock), and any of the ’triangle’ poses to open the hips. If you don’t want to sign up to expensive classes, there’s a multitude of apps and online videos you can find by simply searching for ski stretching.

In the mountains: start of the day warm-up

In my opinion, the best way to warm up is to get kitted up, put on ski boots and, after a brisk walk to the lift or a gentle green run (to get the heart and blood pumping), pull off to the side of the piste on a flat plateau and do the following stretches 10 times rapidly on each side.

∆ Leg swings: one leg back and forth using your ski poles as supports

∆ Side leg swings

∆ Lunges, stretching the hip flexor

∆ A low back twist: lying in the snow, ’windscreen wiping’ with your legs

In the mountains: end of the day wind down

Ideally, you’ll be able to take a sauna before doing these stretches but, if not, just do the following in your room at the end of the day. Aim for a long, slow hold of 30 seconds and repeat three times on each side. See below for illustrations.

∆ Hamstrings: toe touch with knees off lock

∆ Quads: hold foot to bum and stretch your thigh

∆ Knee to chest: this is a glute muscle stretch

∆ Low back twist: with a slow hold

∆ Lunge hold: really feel that hip flexor

ILLUSTRATION Amanda Barks — ILLUSTRATION **Amanda Barks**

FACTFILE

Craig Mclean is a qualified chiropractor and co-founder of the Chiro.London group of clinics in south west London. He has worked with Team GB skiers and has a ski-specific skill-set, having worked closely with equipment experts and ski coaches to understand what it takes to get the most from your body each winter.

Chiro.London (chiro.london) has clinics in Fullham, Kew, Putney, Marylebone and Tooting. The team has acupuncture and massage specialists, as well as chiropractors.

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FITNESS FOCUS WITH...

Craig McLean