Top 10 Exercises to Prepare for Ski Season

Lunges with a Twist  

Lunges strengthen your legs, improve balance, and engage your core. Adding a twist helps train your rotational stability, which is crucial for making turns on the slopes. Start out easy and just do some lunges to see how your body feels. If you’re up for a challenge, move on to adding a twist:

1. Step forward into a lunge position.  
2. As you lower your body, twist your torso toward your front leg.  
3. Return to the starting position and switch sides.  
4. Perform 10-12 repetitions on each side for 2-3 sets.  

Pro Tip: Hold a medicine ball or weight for an added challenge. As always, be very careful when adding weight as this adds more pressure to your body. Start slowly with some test lunges or partial sets before diving into a full set.

Single-Leg Balance Drills  

Skiing requires excellent balance to stay upright and steady on uneven terrain. Single-leg drills improve your stability and strengthen the small stabilizing muscles in your legs and ankles. Balance in general is a good thing to work on as bodies that are unprepared and age have more difficulty keeping their balance regardless of being on the slopes or not.

1. Stand on one leg with the other knee slightly bent.  
2. Hold this position for 30 seconds, then switch legs.  
3. To increase difficulty, try closing your eyes or standing on an unstable surface like a foam pad.  

Pro Tip: You can also add movements, like reaching your arms in different directions, to make this more dynamic. Or, there is also equipment you can purchase online that will wobble so you really have to focus on your balance!

Plank Variations  

A strong core is key for maintaining good posture and control while skiing. Planks target your abs, obliques, and back muscles, which all work together to keep you stable. They are also great just to overall tone your body besides build some very useful muscles.

1. Start in a forearm plank position with your body straight from head to heels.  
2. Hold for 20-60 seconds, focusing on keeping your core tight.  
3. Try variations like side planks or adding leg lifts to engage different muscles.  

Pro Tip: Work your way up to longer holds to build endurance. Did you know that there are apps with equipment that have gamified planks? That’s right, you can play video games AND do planks at the same time! If you find it hard to hold a plank, try one of these apps to make it more interesting.

Step-Ups  

Step-ups build leg strength and mimic the movements you use to push off your skis and climb uphill.  They also help you with walking up steps and building strength around your knees.

1. Stand in front of a sturdy box or bench.  
2. Step up with one foot, driving through your heel to lift your body.  
3. Step back down and repeat on the other side.  
4. Perform 10-12 repetitions per leg for 2-3 sets.  

Pro Tip: Hold dumbbells to make it more challenging. If you want to get really crazy with it, increase the weight of the dumbbells as your body gets accustomed to them.

Side-to-Side Jumps  

Skiing involves a lot of lateral movement, so training your body to move side-to-side is crucial. This plyometric exercise improves agility, power, and coordination.

1. Stand with your feet together.  
2. Jump sideways, landing softly on both feet.  
3. Immediately jump back in the other direction.  
4. Perform for 30 seconds, gradually increasing speed and intensity.  

Pro Tip: Focus on landing softly to protect your joints. Stand on something that will support your body such as a mat. Additionally, you can do this simple exercise anywhere, but there are also exercise machines that mimic the movement of skiing which you can purchase and use.

Romanian Deadlifts (RDLs)  

RDLs target your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back — key muscles for absorbing shock and maintaining control on the slopes.  

1. Hold a barbell or dumbbells in front of your thighs.  
2. Keeping your back straight, hinge at the hips to lower the weights toward the floor.  
3. Return to the starting position by squeezing your glutes and standing tall.  
4. Perform 8-10 repetitions for 2-3 sets.  

Pro Tip: Start with light weights to focus on form before increasing the load. If you have a bad back or a history of back injuries, stay away from this exercise until you have consulted with a physical therapist as it is very easy to make your back issues worse if this exercise is done improperly.

Russian Twists  

Russian twists improve core strength and rotational control, which are essential for navigating sharp turns. This exercise takes quite a bit of core strength. To start, just sit on the floor and bend your knees, Lean your torso back with your arms stretched forward, then lift your feet slightly off the ground. This can help build up your core before adding the twists.

1. Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet off the ground.  
2. Hold a weight or medicine ball and twist your torso from side to side.  
3. Perform 20 twists (10 per side) for 2-3 sets.  

Pro Tip: Keep your movements controlled to avoid straining your lower back. Make sure to do a few test twists before doing a full set to ensure your body is up for this movement.

Bridge Hip Lifts  

This exercise strengthens your glutes and hamstrings while also improving hip stability. Strong glutes are essential for powering through turns and absorbing impact.  

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.  
2. Lift your hips toward the ceiling, squeezing your glutes at the top.  
3. Lower back down and repeat for 12-15 repetitions for 2-3 sets.  

Pro Tip: Add a resistance band around your knees to increase difficulty.  

Dynamic Stretches

Flexibility is just as important as strength and balance when skiing. Dynamic stretches prepare your muscles and joints for movement, reducing the risk of injury.    

1. Perform movements like leg swings, arm circles, and walking lunges to warm up your entire body.  
2. Focus on areas that feel tight or stiff, such as your hips, hamstrings, and shoulders.  
3. Spend 5-10 minutes stretching before and after your workout.  

Pro Tip: Incorporate these stretches into your daily routine to maintain flexibility year-round. Yoga is a really great practice to incorporate into your daily routine.