Skier Work Out Ideas

Skiing is a sport that engages a number of large muscle groups, from your legs to steer through the snow to your arms to use your poles to your core to keep your whole body stable. If the season is about to start, prepare for it by working some of these muscle groups in dynamic ways. Otherwise, you will use muscle groups that haven't been exercised, which will leave you sore, tired and less than at your best.

  1. Squats

    • Weightlifting exercises are excellent preparation for skiing. One of the best examples is the barbell squat, where you hold a barbell across your chest or your back and squat down as if you were sitting on a bench until your thighs are parallel with the ground, then push back up. If you do this correctly, with a straight back and knees that face the same direction as your feet, then you'll work your legs and core (and arms in a front squat), thus preparing your entire body for skiing. Do two sets of 10 squats every time you work out to strengthen your key skiing muscles.

    Romanian Deadlift

    • The Romanian deadlift is an exercise that works your legs but also puts more pressure on your core than the squat does. To perform one, hold a dumbbell in each hand, then lift one leg off the ground and let your body go forward, pivoting at your hips. Keep a completely straight line from your neck to your ankle, and try to make a 90 degree angle between your body and the leg you're standing on. You won't be able to make a 90 degree angle, but the closer you can get, the better. Bring your leg back, and repeat with the other leg. Do these six times for each leg every time you work out.

    Two-Inch Runs

    • Run from one side of the room to the other, making sure each stride is only two inches. Keep your knees slightly bent and your back straight. This will work your legs more than a standard run would, particularly in the big muscles that will be used when you are skiing.

    Jumps

    • Stand in front of a box, and jump up on top of it. Repeat this for 10 to 20 reps, depending on how fit you are. This will work your legs and your core because a stable core is key for a successful box jump.

      Squat jumps are also good exercises. Stand in a squatting position, and jump straight up, then go back down into the squat once you land. Repeat this 10 to 20 times. This works the same muscles as the barbell squat, but in a faster, more explosive manner.

      Ski jumps work your knees and prepare them for skiing. Put your feet together, jump to one side, then the other. Bend your knees as you do so, and repeat 10 to 20 times. Keep your knees soft as you land --- you should feel the impact in your muscles, not your knees. This will help prepare you for the movements involved in skiing by internalizing the process of putting pressure on your muscles to avoid a knee injury.