At first glance, skiing may look like nothing more than sliding downhill, but it works almost every part of your body. Your legs carry the load in a constant slight crouch, your abdominal and back muscles keep you balanced, and your knees change direction with every turn. The most common reason people leave the slopes early on the first day of the season, complaining that “my legs are on fire,” is starting out unprepared.
The good news: a 20–30 minute routine, done 2–3 days a week for 4–6 weeks before the season, makes a big difference. You don’t need a gym for any of the moves below.
1. Wall sit
Lean your back against a wall, slide down until your knees are bent at about 90 degrees, and hold. Start with 30 seconds and work up to 60–90 seconds. It’s one of the best exercises for mimicking the basic ski stance.
2. Squat
Feet shoulder-width apart, weight in your heels, back straight. Lower and rise slowly; 3 sets of 12–15 reps is enough. Make sure your knees don’t travel too far past your toes.
3. Lateral lunge
In turns, your legs take the load sideways. Step out to the side and bend that leg, keeping the other leg straight. 10 reps on each side.
4. Lateral jumps
Make small jumps from side to side over an imaginary line on the floor, keeping your feet together. This builds ankle and knee agility; 3 sets of 30 seconds.
5. Plank
Your abdominal and back muscles carry your balance. Resting on your elbows, hold your body in a straight line for 30–60 seconds.
6. Single-leg balance
Stand on one foot for 30 seconds; once that gets easy, close your eyes or try it on a soft cushion. In skiing, your weight is constantly shifting from one foot to the other.
7. Stretching
At the end of every workout, spend 5 minutes stretching your calves, the fronts and backs of your thighs, your hips and your lower back. Flexible muscles take less strain when you fall.
Your first day on the slopes
Even if you’ve prepared, listen to your body on day one: don’t start skiing in the morning without warming up, take a break when you get tired, and remember to drink water. A large share of injuries happen at the end of the day, on that “one last run” taken while tired.
For a start that matches your level, take a look at our lessons, or leave a booking request with your preferred date and the number of people.