A strong core is fundamental for good skiing at any ability level. Using a stability ball, also called a Swiss ball or balance ball, is one way to work to improve core strength that doesn't require that much upper body strength. I've used a stability ball in hotel and resort fitness rooms. When I started ski conditioning 7+ years ago, we had a ball at home but I'd never used it for exercise since it was bought at a yard sale as a toy when my daughter was young. It was the second training aid I used at home, after a BOSU.
Regardless of what other exercises I do with a stability ball, I usually do hip curls or hip lifts to get in a little hamstring work. It doesn't matter too much what size ball is available.
BEGINNER CORE | 15 Minute STABILITY BALL Workout for BEGINNERS, 15 min
https://youtu.be/GKa1Kx0uuMg
CORE & MORE Stability Ball WORKOUT - Intermediate, 14 min
This 12-min TRX HIIT workout is pretty advanced. Meaning it's better for someone who already has a fairly strong upper body. By the time my personal trainer introduced this routine, I'd been working with her and the TRX for over five years. Of course, the advantage of using TRX is that it's possible to start at an easier level and increase the amount of body weight being applied as strength increases simply by placing the feet a slightly different distance from the anchor point.
There are 12 exercises, each done for 45 seconds, with 15 second rest periods The video provides timing for three sets, but I normally just do one set and then move on to different exercises. Keeps me from getting bored.
36 Minute TRX Full Body Workout #9, 45 min (12 x 3)
https://youtu.be/4_ntfCMCRFI
Face anchor, 2 straps: squat, or squat with arm raise, or squat jump; can mix
Feet in straps, chest towards mat: body saw, or crunch, or alternate
Heels in straps, back towards mat: pull thru
Face anchor, 1 strap: single arm row
Face anchor, 1 strap: single arm row, other arm
Face anchor, 2 straps: single leg squat
Face anchor, 2 straps: single leg squat, other leg
Face anchor, 1 strap: torso rotation, both hands on handle
Away from anchor, 1 strap: single arm push up
Away from anchor, 1 strap: single arm push up, other arm
Face sideways, 1 strap: hip drop, foot closer to anchor in front
Face sideways, 1 strap: hip drop, foot closer to anchor in front, other side
The hamstrings are important when it comes to supporting knees. Strengthening hamstrings does not require any equipment. You can do useful exercises with just a mat. The exercises in the first video take about 8 minutes to finish, assuming you can do them all without any rest in between. The second video sequence takes about the same amount of time, but includes a slightly different set of exercises. The third video has six exercises (5 min for demonstrations) and includes a few exercises I did as part of knee rehab physical therapy. Although all the videos include double and single-leg bridges, they are done differently. The first are done on the floor, the second uses a chest of drawers (instead of a wall or chair), the third is the hardest. I sometimes do bridges using a stability ball, which adds a little bit of core work.
Using TRX as part of knee rehab is how I got started. I learned how to use TRX working with a personal trainer who had experience using the TRX with seniors. She and I learned together about which exercises were most relevant for strengthening the muscles that help support knees.
The first part of the second video shows how the TRX can be used during a physical therapy session after knee surgery. The last two videos are examples of physical therapy for a young athlete recovering from knee surgery, most commonly ACL reconstruction.
TRX Training Knee Reconstruction Surgery Physical Therapy
https://youtu.be/GytYWmRczFQ, 15 min, TRX in first 6 min
TRX Training: Knee Rehab Phase 1
https://youtu.be/AFJofGKbjyM, 5 min
TRX Training: Knee Rehab Phase 2
https://youtu.be/0mcnrJcSqJk, 6 min
There are some HIIT workouts that are dominated by high impact exercises that leave out the upper body. Here is an example of a workout that engages the entire body. She is using an 8-lb medicine ball but obviously could start with a much later ball and work up the weight.
With any HIIT workout, it's important to warm up, cool down, and stretch afterwards. This video is designed to allow people to follow along, with a count down and audio markers at the end of each period.
15 Minute Medicine Ball HIIT Workout - Total Body Circuit
For a quick look at a way to work on hamstrings with a stability ball (Swiss ball), check out these 1-minute videos. The third video is a seated hamstring stretch. She mentions how to choose the correct size ball based on height because there are three sizes available.
A Swiss ball is one of the items that I find worthwhile to have at home. Often use it during personal training sessions.
For ideas about progression if you want to make the hamstring exercises more challenging:
https://over50skifitness.blogspot.com/2016/06/hamstring-curl-progression-on-stability.html
The variety of exercises and stretches with TRX is one of the advantages of using it. Another is that almost every TRX exercise helps build core strength. Here are a few ways to use TRX for a HIIT workout in ten minutes or so. The second video includes a warm up sequence using the TRX, as well as a cool down sequence. The third video is a quick look at other exercise possibilities to include in a TRX HIIT routine doing six exercises for 1-minute each.
I learned the first sequence with the help of my personal trainer. We modified a few of the exercises the first few times. Partially so I would not over do it because I had not been doing much cardio endurance work at the time. But mostly to minimize the amount of jumping that I tend to avoid because of being ACL-deficient in one knee. I can jump easily, but see little reason to do it just to increase cardio when there are other approaches that work as well.
