Get Fit To Ski

So you’re hitting the slopes this Winter!  Now is the time to strengthen your quads and core to ensure a pain-free ski season.  Preparation is essential to make the most of your time at the snow and prevent injury.  Follow these simple tips to have an awesome ski holiday (injury-free!):

1. Start cardio exercise

– Cardio-fitness can enable you to ski longer, improve your technique, help you to recover faster and also minimise the risk of injury.

–  Running, walking, cycling and swimming will all help you to get those muscles prepared for the slopes. Aim for a minimum of 45 min per session, three times per week.

2. Include strength training

– Include exercises that strengthen muscles important to skiing, particularly quadriceps, calves and triceps (e.g. squats, calf raises and tricep dips)

– Exercises can be part of your gym program or you can do them at home using your own body weight as resistance

3. Build your core

– Incorporate exercises that will strengthen your lower back, stomach muscles, and deep abdominal (core) muscles.

– Increasing your strength and awareness of these muscles will help you to use them more effectively on the slopes. You will be able to ski faster, and across more challenging terrain.

4. Challenge your balance and coordination

– Practise your balance to improve skiing techniques (e.g standing on one leg, hopping, jumping)

– This in turn can improve foot speed and coordination

5. Stretch and stretch again

– Stretching helps to reduce delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS)

– Stretch your quads, hamstrings, buttocks, calves and back