Issue date: December 17, 2000

In this article: Snowshoeing is right for everyone

Time to try some new winter sports

Today's snowshoes are lighter and cheaper than the old wooden ones.

Take advantage of winter by trying the old and the new: snowshoeing and snowboarding.

To get in shape for those two sports (as well as downhill skiing), go aerobic with activities such as treadmill running, stair climbing, biking and jumping rope. Also, use interval training for stamina.

Snowshoeing can burn up to 400 calories an hour, and boasts no lifts, no lines and no lessons.

To learn the techniques of snowboarding, I recommend taking lessons. Without them, expect to spend five or six days acquiring a basic sense of security on the slopes. These sports-specific training exercises also will help you prepare:

1) Side-to-side hops. Quick side-to-side movements help you develop muscles, strength and agility.
2) Crunches. Half sit-ups develop strong abs, the key to creating a solid "core" for balance and agility.
3) Wall sits. Lean against a wall, with your feet about two feet out in front of you. Slide down the wall to a sitting position. Hold for 30 seconds. Rest a minute, then sit again for 60 seconds. Work up to two or three minutes, every other day, to build muscle endurance.
4) Lunges and squats. These help build strength for snowboarding on rough terrain.

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Snowshoeing is right for everyone

Another winter activity that burns calories (up to 400 an hour) and is great fun is snowshoeing. This age-old art is back in vogue as a family-friendly way to enjoy the snow. Why? No lifts, no lines, no lessons! Says Dave Mengle, manager of Eastern Mountain Sports in Vermont: "If you can walk, you can snowshoe. The learning curve is virtually non-existent, and your options of where to go are limitless."

The movement itself resembles a natural walking stride, allowing ease of movement and the ability to change your gait at any time (which is important if continuous repetitive movements irritate your muscles or joints). You can tour in ungroomed city parks, at Nordic ski parks with groomed trails, along country roads, or on golf courses or your favorite hiking or biking trail.

Snowshoeing requires only one piece of simple, inexpensive equipment. Older snowshoes are wooden and handmade, with lots of straps, while newer models use only one strap across your foot and one over your heel. Prices range from $50 to $100. Although hiking poles are not required, they are helpful for snowshoeing over hills.

To get in shape for snowshoeing and snowboarding, as well as downhill skiing, think aerobic training. That involves maintaining a heart rate within your training zone for at least 20 minutes. Some aerobic activities: treadmill running, stair climbing, biking, jumping rope.

You can improve your slopeside stamina with interval training. That means little more than simply running (for instance) at high intensity (perhaps 90% of your maximum heart rate) for two minutes, then at a lower intensity (say, down to 70%) for two minutes for the target repetitions, perhaps 5 to 10.

Before hitting the slopes, try these stretches to loosen up your leg muscles:

Standing quadriceps stretch. Standing on your left leg, grab the ankle of the right leg with your right hand and pull your heel up behind you toward your buttocks. Keep your knees close together and make sure your back is straight. (If you have a knee limitation, loop a towel around your foot and keep the leg bent at a 90-degree angle.) You should feel this stretch in the front of your thigh. Hold each stretch for 10 to 30 seconds. Repeat three to five times.

Calf stretch. Stand facing a tree or wall. With your feet hip-width apart, take a step back with one leg. With the front leg bent and the back leg straight, press the heel of the back leg into the ground. Use the wall for support. Repeat for the other calf. You should feel this stretch in the back of your calf and in your Achilles' tendon.

The Atlas Snowshoe Company

...sends out a free snowshoe handbook with information on how and where to snowshoe. Additional information includes how to pick the right snowshoe for your needs as well as a list of snowshoe events throughout the 2000-2001 winter season.

You can contact them at (888-48-ATLAS) or (www.atlassnowshoe.com).

Write to Fitness, USA WEEKEND, 1000 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, Va. 22229, or e-mail fitness@usaweekend.com.