Olympic alpine ski racer Lindsey Vonn may be on the sidelines during this summer’s 2012 Olympics, but that doesn’t mean she’s not training hard for her cold-weather sport in the off season. In fact, her strength-training routine serves as double duty: it keeps her in shape to get back on her skis while ensuring she has a killer bod for summer.
“I do a combo of squats and lunges with high reps,” the 2010 Winter Olympics gold medalist tells Us Weekly. “Walking lunges, single-leg lunges, or squats — they’re all great. I use low weight and do high reps — like 20-30.”
For those looking for a challenge, the St. Paul, Minnesota-native recommends supersets. “Continuously go back and forth from your core to your legs or your legs to your upper body. Whatever it takes to keep the heart rate going and keep the calories burning.”
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Conveniently for the blonde, 5-foot-10 stunner, having strong triceps (a common trouble area for women) is key for any skier. “I do cable pulls and a lot of shoulder work,” she says. “Use lightweight dumbbells (for triceps kickbacks of overhead triceps extensions) and stand on one leg or do it on a Bosu ball to activate your legs and challenge your core.”
As for cardio, Vonn says that up until recently, she (and her knees) found it painful to hit the pavement for longer runs.
“I still do a lot on the stationary bike, but with Under Armour’s Spine Running Shoe ($99, underarmour.com), I’m able to run longer, because it has more cushioning and more support. I have a lot of bone bruising and my knees are really sensitive from skiing, but these shoes make me able to train longer and harder,” she says.
