This Week At Altitude
Monday
We have push / pull strength with DB alternating bench press and pull-ups first, followed by conditioning with farmer carry, shuttle sprint, and core work.
Tuesday
Ski conditioning power endurance and durability.
Wednesday
Stamina has sideboards, rowing, and a dynamic effort finisher.
Thursday
Ski Conditioning Sport Specific Strength.
Friday
Barbell complex of strict press + push press, and conditioning work includes sleds, landmine twists, and DB cleans.
This Week At Altitude
Monday
Strength today, starting with a push/pull combo of seated presses and pull-ups. Conditioning will be a 15 minute grind with KB deadlifts, landmine twists, gorilla rows, and sled push.
Tuesday
Ski conditioning power + durability
Wednesday
Stamina has 2 segments of steady aerobic work blended with isometrics and strength movements, and our dynamic / ballistic segment added on for 36 minutes total work.
Thursday
Ski conditioning sport specific strength
Friday
Sumo deadlifts + DB bench for strength, followed by a momentum building conditioning effort for 20 minutes.
This Week At Altitude
Monday
We stick with strength on Mondays during this ski conditioning phase - today has strict press and pull-ups first, followed by a 20 minute conditioning in EMOM format with landmines, archer rows, ergs, and sled pushes.
Tuesday
Ski Conditioning - power endurance and durability work.
Wednesday
Stamina in the middle of the week - great way to get some aerobic work blended with core, stability, and isometrics.
Thursday
Ski Conditioning - sport specific strength.
Friday
Final workout this week is a strength workout with deadlifts and incline DB bench press. Conditioning splits into 2x8 min segments with carrying variations.
Understanding Energy Balance
What Is Energy Balance?
You’ve likely heard the phrase “calories in, calories out.” This saying is a simplified way of explaining energy balance.
Calories In: Calories consumed from food and drinks.
Calories Out: Calories burned through physical activity, digestion, and basic body functions.
Generally, how these two balance out determines whether your body weight goes up, down, or stays stable:
Equal In and Out → Weight maintenance
More In than Out → Weight gain
More Out than In → Weight loss
How We Expend Energy
Throughout the day, you use energy for everything from physical activity to simply keeping your body alive and functioning. The total amount of calories you burn each day is called your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE).
There are three main ways we expend energy:
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
Accounts for 60–70% of daily energy usage.
Covers essential bodily functions like breathing, circulation, and organ function.
Thermic Effect of Food (TEF)
About 8–10% of daily energy usage.
The energy required to digest, absorb, and metabolize food.
Activity Thermogenesis
Calories burned through movement, anything from walking to weight lifting.
Factors That Influence Energy Balance
Metabolism Is Adaptive
Your body adjusts to changes in diet and activity. For example, when you lose weight, your metabolic rate often slows down, making weight loss more challenging. This is called metabolic adaptation. .
Not All Calories Are Absorbed Equally
A slice of pizza versus a fruit and protein smoothie may both contain ~180 calories, but your body processes them differently:
Pizza: Highly digestible, low in fiber, and has little satiety.
Protein Smoothie: Takes longer to digest, high in fiber, and protein keeps you fuller longer.
Calories Influence Hormones and Appetite
Different foods affect hormones that regulate hunger and fat storage:
Refined carbs can spike insulin, leading to energy crashes and increased hunger.
Protein and fiber help regulate appetite hormones, promoting satiety.
Calculators Are Just Estimates
Online calorie calculators and trackers provide rough estimates of your BMR, but they can’t account for individual differences like genetics, gut microbiome, stress, sleep, or hormone levels.
Practical Ways to Improve Energy Balance
Focus on food quality, not just calories. Whole foods rich in protein and fiber keep you fuller longer and require more energy to digest.
Prioritize strength training. Building muscle increases your basal metabolic rate, helping you burn more calories at rest.
Move more outside the gym. Take the stairs, walk after meals, stand instead of sit, small habits add up.
Listen to your body. Pay attention to hunger, energy levels, and cravings instead of relying solely on calculators.
Key Takeaways
No matter what your goal is with your energy balance it's good to focus on:
Eating whole, nutrient-dense foods.
Staying active daily.
Building and maintaining muscle.
Paying attention to how your body feels
Look at these factors, see if your balance is positive, negative, or neutral, and modify as needed to meet your goals.
Sources:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6003580/
https://blog.nasm.org/a-guide-to-energy-balance
This Week At Altitude
Monday
Strength format today has seated overhead presses and pull ups, followed by 2x8 min blocks of conditioning work with echo bike/gorilla row and sled push + core work.
Tuesday
Ski Conditioning session 3 - power endurance and durability
Wednesday
Stamina - 36 minutes of steady movement with a blend of isometrics, core, and unilateral strength work for balance.
Thursday
Ski Conditioning session 4 - sport specific strength
Friday
Strength superset format has deadlifts and DB bench presses followed by 15 minutes of carries, pulls, and rowing for a complimentary conditioning piece.
This Week At Altitude
Monday
Strength to start this week with an upper body push / pull combo. DB Arnold presses and pull-ups first, followed by full body conditioning with landmine rotational clean and press, carries, sled pushes, and biking,
Tuesday
Ski Conditioning - power endurance and durability work.
Wednesday
Stamina session has a blend of sideboards, rowing, and unilateral strength movements and one segment of power endurance included.
Thursday
Ski conditioning - sport specific strength and conditioning work.
Friday
Strength today has deadlifts and incline DB bench, followed by conditioning with a 20 min EMOM.
This Week At Altitude
Monday
We start this week off with interval weight training. Part 1 is push press and rowing, part 2 is KB swing and shuttle sprint. Part 3 is our upper back work with rows, prone plate passes, and hanging leg raises.
Tuesday
Strength today has the back squat + ring row combo, followed by conditioning with 16 min consistent work including ski ergs, sleds, and uneven carries.
Wednesday
Stamina today with a blend of some strength movements and core work into the steady state rowing and biking. We also have been including a power endurance circuit that today is lower body focused.
Thursday
Bench press and walking lunges for strength. Conditioning is split into 2 x 8 min segments with full body movements and ergs.
Friday
The last workout of this barbell phase has deadlifts and push ups followed by conditioning with a momentum building theme.
Why Strength Matters For Skiing
The Demands of Skiing
To ski efficiently and safely, your body must be able to:
Maintain full-body tension and have high muscular endurance
Generate force, especially lateral force
Sustain that force over time
Hold isometric control of your core against the force generated from turns
If any of these areas are weak, you’ll fatigue faster, your technique will break down, and your risk of injury will rise.
Why Your Core Is the Key Player
Your core is the link between your upper and lower body. Every time you ski, constant pressure from your skis into the ground generates force that must transfer efficiently through your trunk. Strong legs alone won’t help you sustain a long day of skiing if your core can’t support and direct that force.
Each change of direction, quick adjustment to uneven terrain, and forceful turns depends on your core’s stability. The stronger and more resilient your core is, the smoother, more powerful, and more controlled your skiing will feel.
What the Research Shows
Research confirms that strength training significantly enhances skiing performance. In a two-year study of adolescent skiers, combining skiing with structured strength training resulted in:
Increased leg muscle mass and strength
Improved jump height and power output
Higher bone density in the lower spine (L2–L4)
Reduced fat mass in the legs
Greater overall athletic performance compared to sedentary participants
How Strength Gains Translate to the Slopes
Better stability on bumpy terrain as your body can absorb and distribute force more effectively
Lower injury risk from stronger muscles, joints, and connective tissue
Smoother exits from turns thanks to improved core control
Longer runs since your muscles resist fatigue more effectively
With all the benefits strength training can offer to your skiing performance it's important to take time this preseason and hit the weights. Try for at least two days a week, manage your recovery with rest and protein. Join us for an 8-week Ski Conditioning Program this fall to focus on getting yourself ready for the upcoming season!
This Week at Altitude
Monday
Kicking off the second week of our barbell work with bench press into DB lunges. Conditioning is a 20 min EMOM format with echo bike, ball slams, sleds.
Tuesday
Deadlifts with paralette push ups for strength, followed by a split of 2x 8 min conditions segments.
Wednesday
Stamina has our normal set up of 36 min steady state conditioning bias, blended with a mix of isometrics and strength.
Thursday
Back Squats with eccentric focused ring rows up first, followed by 5 rounds of 3 min work with step ups, Russian twist, erg.
Friday
Interval weight training to wrap up the week with dual DB snatches with echo bike, then hang power clean and row. Part 3 is upper back accessory work.
This Week At Altitude
Monday
We begin a short cycle of barbell lifts before heading into ski conditioning. Today we hit Deadlifts and push ups for strength, followed by conditioning with ergs, DB hang power clean and jumping lunges.
Tuesday
Interval Weight Training today has push press and rowing first, followed hang power clean and bike in part 2. Part 3 is accessory work for upper back and core.
Wednesday
Stamina today with our normal blend of bike erg, run and power endurance circuit.
Thursday
Bench Press and DB walking Lunges for strength, followed by a 18 minute grind effort with sled rope pulls, ski ergs, and KB front rack carries.
Friday
Back Squats today with ring rows at tempo for strength, followed by a EMOM formatted conditioning effort with increasing intensity.
This Week At Altitude
Monday
We’re onto our last week of the density strength phase. Today we hit the goblet squat + pull up combo first, a little accessory block of curls and step downs, and then a 15 minute effort with running, DB lunges, and scotty bobs.
Tuesday
Today is a traditional strength superset with Z-press and Sumo deadlift, followed by a split of 8 minute conditioning efforts with a blend of total body work, sleds, and ergs.
Wednesday
Stamina today has Run, Bike and then our power endurance segment.
Thursday
Strength today is the barbell complex, our final attempt at this. Conditioning is a 16 minute EMOM with DB clean and press and shuttle sprints.
Friday
IWT has jump squat + echo bike, and KB swing + bike erg. Part 3 is the hip/core accessory block.
6 Keys to Injury Prevention In The Gym
Injuries are one of the biggest setbacks in training, but many of them can be avoided by being mindful in the gym. Dr. Michael Israetel, who holds a doctorate in sport physiology, broke down six simple ways to reduce your risk of injury while training in the gym. While much of his advice centers on heavier lifting (sets of five reps or fewer at high intensity), these principles can apply to training at any weight.
1. Always Use Good Technique
ALWAYS use good technique. No matter the weight. For example, let's say you're doing back squats. You get 3 with good technique and the last 2 are subpar. Will you probably walk away from the lift uninjured? Sure! But if you repeatedly follow this pattern you could form a chronic injury over time. This is also why its important to use perfect form even with LIGHT weights, so that you’re developing good movement patterns and “muscle memory”.
2. Graded Exposure
If you have never done an exercise before or have taken a lot of time away from the gym don’t go super heavy on your first day. Stay light and work your weight up over time to give your body time to adapt to the stimulus. Early in your training, it’s never a good idea to get close to “failure” on a lift. Progressively increase intensity as long as you’re being consistent with your training. Don’t try to make up for missed time all at once.
3. Manage Fatigue
If you are training in a very fatigued state your ability to coordinate your movements decreases. Over a period of time, this building fatigue can break your muscles down to the point where you need to take a “deload” period or full rest to avoid an injury.
4. Warm Up Properly
Cold tissues are more vulnerable to injury, so get your heart rate up and get blood moving to your muscles. Warm ups also give you the chance to practice the movement at a lighter weight and work through some mobility drills.
5. Detect Pre-Injury Signals
Sometimes your body gives you an early warning sign something isn’t right. Maybe your shoulder feels “off” mid-bench press. You shouldn’t just “push through it”. Instead you should stop, rack the weight, and move the joint around bodyweight-only, and see how it feels.
If it feels fine, take some weight off and try the lift again. If it doesn’t feel right, don’t keep pushing that exercise. Live to fight another day. Catching issues early can prevent a minor tweak from becoming a major setback.
6. Know When to Call It
There’s a difference between working hard and working recklessly. If your form is breaking down, you’re shaking under the bar, and overall feeling gassed, the best idea might be to decrease the weight or even call it a day.
This Week At Altitude
Monday
We kick off the week with the barbell complex that we’ve been working on. Hopefully by now we’ve got a good handle on those movements and start increasing weight a little bit. 7 sets, one every 90 seconds. The conditioning work is 15 minutes, run or bike with weighted lunges and gorilla rows.
Tuesday
Intervals today has dual DB snatch with bike erg, followed by bench press and rowing. Part 3 is the core accessory block.
Wednesday
Stamina includes running and biking segments that have a steadier pace and some blended strength work. And we’ll continue to include the power endurance block with ball slams, jumps, and swings on the minute.
Thursday
Density strength day 2 is goblet squat and pull ups, bumping the reps up from last week. We have a 16 minute set of work with a full body hit.
Friday
Our final day this week is the z-press and sumo deadlift supersets. Conditioning will be a 20 min EMOM with our new ski ergs mixed in…
This Week At Altitude
Monday
We’re starting with a traditional strength superset of barbell Z-press and KB sumo Deadlifts, same reps as last week so try to kick up the weight a little bit. Conditioning is a 20 minute session with building intensity.
Tuesday
Density strength today has our barbell complex followed by the accessory lifts - floor press and hamstring curls. The conditioning work is 15 minutes, every 3 min you run, KB swing, jumping lunges.
Wednesday
Stamina today with a steady effort on bikes and rowers and a power endurance circuit as we’ve been doing the past few weeks.
Thursday
Interval weight training today has a push press + echo bike combo, followed by rotational MB slams and shuttle sprints. Part 3 is accessory core work.
Friday
We wrap up the week with our goblet squat and pull up density strength session. The conditioning is a split session with a sled drag / carry complex and box jump push up ladder.
This Week At Altitude
Monday
Closed for Labor Day
Tuesday
Density Strength kicks off a new phase of training. Up first is goblet squats + pull ups, then an accessory block of curls and step downs. Conditioning has running, DB snatch, and push ups.
Wednesday
Stamina today has a blend of rowing, biking, and our new power endurance circuit mixed in.
Thursday
Superset strength is barbell z-press and sumo kb deadlifts followed by a longer grind of a conditioning workout with carries and sled work.
Friday
Our second density day has a barbell complex followed by floor press and hamstring curls for accessory work. Conditioning is split into two x 8 min blocks.
This Week At Altitude
Monday
We’re hitting IWT right away this week. Push press and rowing up first followed by DB jump squat and running. Part 3 is the same shoulder/scapular accessory work we’ve been doing.
Tuesday
Strength today is the deficit lunges and bent over rows, now moving to 4 seconds of tempo. The conditioning work is 5 sets of 2:30 work with 1 min rest and a mix of lower and upper body exercises.
Wednesday
Stamina has a couple of steady blocks of work and then another circuit of ballistics for power endurance.
Thursday
We have our tempo back squats and DB curl to press for strength, followed by a conditioning block with run, KB / DB cleans, and prisoner lunges.
Friday
Final workout for this phase is the cross body RDL and tempo landmine presses. The conditioning is 20 minutes of work with a full body and grip emphasis.
This Week At Altitude
Monday
Strength today has landmine presses and single leg cross body RDL’s. We move into a 15 minute set of run, KB gorilla rows, and front rack carries.
Tuesday
Strength work is tempo back squats with DB Curl and press, followed by 2x 8 min EMOM blocks with step ups and MB slams, then DB hang snatch and rowing.
Wednesday
Stamina will have a new spin this week, adding a “power endurance” circuit to this. Two blocks of steady work on bikes and rowers with a blend of isometrics and strength, part 3 will be something new.
Thursday
This is our deficit lunge and bent over rows, followed by 18 minutes of work through cossack squat, plate halo and carry, bike erg and sled work. Built in rest allows us to keep our heart rate under control and grind out quality reps.
Friday
Final workout this week is the IWT session - we have KB swing and sprint, followed by DB thruster and echo bike. Harder effort focused on increasing out pace throughout the session.
A Guide to Protein
You’ve likely heard about the importance of protein for athletes and gym-goers, but when you see how much is recommended for an active person, meeting that goal can feel daunting—especially when aiming for quality sources. When it comes to fueling your body and building strength, not all protein sources are created equal.
Just because a label claims a product is high in protein doesn’t automatically make it a good or high-quality source.
Many of these foods (especially processed foods) are much higher in calories, so even if they provide a decent amount of protein per serving, its usually at the cost of a caloric surplus.
What Makes a "Good" Protein Source?
A quality protein source typically has a:
High protein-to-calorie ratio
Complete amino acid profile
Easily digestible
Low in added sugars or unnecessary fats
Minimally processed
When you focus on quality protein, you’re not just looking at how much protein you get per serving, but where it’s coming from and what else is in it.
Protein Sources to Prioritize
Here are some protein-rich foods that deliver the most value without unnecessary additives:
Eggs/ Egg Whites
5.5g protein per 50g of egg whites, or 5-8g protein per whole egg (depending on size)
Great for volume eating and lots of nutrients
Lean Meats
Chicken breast, turkey, lean cuts of beef or pork
~22–28g of protein per 4 oz serving
Protein that can easily absorb and a wide spread of amino acids
Seafood
Tuna, cod, shrimp, salmon
~20–25g protein per 4 oz serving
Easy to digest, high in micronutrients like B12, iodine, and omega-3s
Greek Yogurt
~15–20g of protein per cup
Doubles as a probiotic-rich, gut-friendly snack
Look for low or non-fat to keep a good protein to calorie ratio
Protein Powders
Whey, casein, or high-quality vegan blends (like pea + rice)
~20–30g of protein per serving with minimal carbs or fats
Perfect for convenience and post-workout needs
Low-Fat Cottage Cheese
~13g per 1/2 cup
Slow-digesting casein protein, great for overnight muscle recovery
Tips for Protein Finding Quality Protein Sources
Read labels if you can’t pronounce half the ingredients, think twice.
Buy plain and add your own seasonings or sweeteners.
Choose whole foods first and supplements second.
How to Hit Your Protein Goals
Build each meal around a primary protein source, not a carb or fat.
Use plant-based foods (like beans and nuts) for additional protein sources.
Supplement with protein powder if you’re short on time or struggling to meet your needs with whole foods.
Stick to mostly whole foods (non processed) in order to maintain caloric balance, get plenty of micronutrients, and improve digestion and absorption.
This Week At Altitude
Monday
We are kicking off a new phase today, beginning with Back Squats paired with DB Curl and Press. Conditioning work is two 8 min blocks, first with Rowing + Goblet squat / Halo, then sled push, carrying variations, and jump rope.
Tuesday
Landmine presses and Rotational DB RDL (Cross Body) for strength and then conditioning work is a 20 min EMOM, with Mr Spectuaculars, toes to bar, echo bike, and landmine work.
Wednesday
We have Running, Rowing, Biking for a stamina effort with a blend of core work and other strength movements.
Thursday
IWT has a barbell complex + Bike Erg first, and then DB Bench Press + Rowing in part 2. Part 3 is focused on the shoulders/upper back.
Friday
Deficit lunges + single arm bent over rows for strength, followed by 15 minutes of bike erg, swings, ring plank, and overhead carry.
This Week At Altitude
Monday
We start this week with interval weight training. Barbell jump squats + bike, then rotational MB slams and running in part 2. Part 3 is the push up volume and KB windmill work.
Tuesday
Strength today is pause front squats and suitcase carry. Conditioning work following is a full body EMOM format that builds in momentum / intensity as we work through it.
Wednesday
Stamina today is a combo of controlled strength work mixed into an aerobic session, with constant movement for 36 minutes.
Thursday
Strength today is split squats and pull ups, followed by a quick 13 minute conditioning effort with Run, KB swing, box jump.
Friday
We have penally rows and parallette push ups for strength, then into set of 3 minute work / 1 min rest for conditioning with rowing, jumping lunges, and a KB complex.