Majo’s FAV Ski Prep Exercises

Someone just asked me what my favourite ski preparation exercises are.  Well there are too many to say them all but I can tell you what physical qualities I am wanting to train throughout my selection of exercises:

• Core stability
• Balance
• Coordination
• Endurance
• Strength
• Power
• Speed
• Agility
• Flexibility

Of course a proper ski preparation takes time and must be carefully planned and timed throughout the ski off-season.  Once the ski season is started, I shift my focus on feeling strong and accurate on the hill while I back down the intensity of my off-snow training to maintenance and recovery modes.  This means I change some exercises in my dry-land training so the effort is less on the legs, I opt for less demanding cardio activities such as easy swimming and light spinning, and I keep up with the stretching, core stability and balance exercises, making sure to always listen to what my body tells me I can do and I need.

Here is a short sample of a pre or off-season workout considering that I regularly road and mountain bike:

Repeat 3x:

1. 5 Air Plane (Each Side)
2. 10 Wood Chop (Each Side)
3. 5 Straddling (There & Back – Each Side)
4. 10 Deep Jump Squats Back Lunge Twists (Total – Each Side)
5. 10 Push Ups Back Up (Total)
6. 20 Slides (Total)
7. 5 Single Ham Rolls (Each Side)

See this video below for a demonstration of this program sample.  Be sure to have clearance from your doctor prior to try any of these exercises.  Note this is an advanced routine – ask your personal trainer if you need ideas to modify the exercises to your fitness level or if you need instruction on the form of the exercises.  If you decide to try this program during your ski season I suggest you take at least 3 days off training your legs in a challenging way prior to your ski day – leaving then time to recharge.

Drops of H2O ( The Filtered Water Treatment ) by J.Lang is licensed under a Attribution (3.0).

For stretching, I invite you to look at my Stretch Out for Ski Season article combining 16 contract and release stretching exercises.

For understanding skiing better you may enjoy this other article of mine, BANKING ON OUR BIGGEST ASSet, touching on some biomechanical aspects of skiing and human anatomy – pivoting versus your BUTT!

Blog by: Majorie Lauzon
Copyright 2013

Posted: December 12, 2013 In: Injury Prevention, Skiing, Strength Training