Are you planning a ski trip and want to make sure your body is ready for the slopes? We spend months prepping our skis, gathering our gear, and checking the snow cams crossing fingers for fresh snow. But how long do we take to prepare our bodies, to make sure we get the most out of the short snowy season?
Whether you’re an adrenaline junkie racing down the black runs or a blue slope glider, skiing is a high intensity full body workout. Proper preparation and conditioning can help prevent injuries and improve your overall performance on the mountain.
The main aspects of fitness that should be at the forefront of your training include muscular strength & stability, cardiovascular, and balance/coordination. If you train these in the weeks preceding the trip then you can savour more energy for the après ski.
Here are five essential exercises to help get your body ski-ready:
Essential Exercises For Optimal Performance On The Slopes #1 The Core
A strong core is important for maintaining good posture and control while skiing. It also allows you to have great global stability and balance. Dead bugs are a simple but effective way to build core strength and stability.
Try lowering the opposite arm and leg at the same time, maintaining a strong core for a hold of 5 seconds, alternating between sides 8 times. Gradually increase the duration and repetitions to get stronger.
Essential Exercises For Optimal Performance On The Slopes #2 Quads Are King
Strong legs are crucial for navigating the varied terrain of the mountain, and having strong quadriceps ensures we can bend and straighten in and our of turns, or pick up speed in your tuck. Wall sit squats are a great way to build lower body strength. Try doing a few sets of wall squats, or add weight with a dumbbell on your lap. Aim to hold for 30 seconds, repeating this 5 times.
Essential Exercises For Optimal Performance On The Slopes #3 Glutes
Like squats, strong gluteal muscles (buttocks) are essential for maintaining balance and control on the mountain. Adding side lying clamshells are a great option to include in your routine. Make sure you keep your feet together and don’t roll your pelvis backwards as you lift your leg. Repeat 12 times, repeating 3 sets.
Essential Exercises For Optimal Performance On The Slopes #4 Hamstring Strength
Hamstrings are essential when controlling your knee over those icy patches. They control your knee and allow you to maintain good posture, taking pressure off your lower back. Try this simple hamstring bridge. In a lying bridge position, move your feet away from your buttocks until you feel your hamstring tense up. Stay there for 30 seconds. If you are feeling adventurous, try it on one leg.
Essential Exercises For Optimal Performance On The Slopes #5 Cardio
Skiing is an endurance sport, so it’s important to build up your cardiovascular fitness. Try incorporating activities like brisk walking, running, cycling, or swimming into your routine 2-3 times a week to get your heart and lungs in shape. Otherwise, you may find that the break on the chair lift just isn’t enough to get your breath back and prevent the lactic acid building up in the legs.
Essential Exercises For Optimal Performance On The Slopes #BONUS
Old injuries can play on our minds – despite our best efforts to ignore them. We commonly see people who worry about how their knees will cope when carving down the slopes. As mentioned before stability is a must. This is to prevent any further injuries from occurring. We recommend for full peace of mind the hugely successful Donjoy Armor knee brace which is the “GO-TO” knee brace to help old knee injuries, and prevent new knee injuries from occurring.
Ultimately, getting yourself ski ready means you are both preventing injury and also getting the most out of your holiday! Remember to always warm up before starting any exercise routine, and consult with a healthcare professional if you have any concerns about your fitness level or ability to participate in these exercises. With these five essential exercises, you can get your body ski-ready and have a successful and enjoyable trip on the mountain.
If you are interested in finding our more information about of specialist Skiing knee brace fitting service, visit our previous post about our bracing service on our website. You can also arrange a telephone consultation or head over to our contact page and send us a message to find out more and check availability.
Other Great Resources For Skiing
We have several free, downloadable reports to help you relieve Back Pain, Knee Pain and Neck & Shoulder Pain.
We also have fantastic blogs where we share expert advice such as Why You Need A Sports Massage which would be ideal for getting your body in shape before and after your Skiing holiday.
Finally, don’t forget to check out our YouTube channel, Facebook page and Instagram page.
Stay safe and most importantly have fun!
