Get Fit for the Ski Season with These 5 Exercises
Just like any other sport, skiing requires muscle strength and endurance. Whether you’re a professional skier or just planning an outdoor adventure, it’s essential to prep your body for the slopes. This way, you’ll make the most out of your experience and prevent injuries. Simple exercises, such as box jumps, burpees, and back extensions, will strengthen the muscles required for skiing and boost your performance.
Get fit for the ski season with these five moves:
Jump Lunges
The jump lunge is a plyometric exercise that builds leg strength, improves your balance, and works the core muscles. Also known as the jump split, it gets your heart rate up and causes a serious leg burn. As you gain strength, try more advanced variations, such as the weighted jump lunge. Do this exercise along with the squat to give your legs an intense workout.
Step-Ups
Step-ups are commonly used in physiotherapy for overall strength and conditioning. This exercise targets the quads and glutes, which play a vital role in skiing. Having strong quads will improve your range of motion as well as your balance and coordination.
Single Leg Squats
This unilateral move helps prevent knee blowout on the slopes and strengthens your legs. It’s one of the best exercises for building lower body strength. Use a barbell or dumbbells for a more challenging workout.
Hamstring Rolls
As its name suggests, this exercise targets the hamstrings. Downhill skiing requires great strength from your glutes and hamstrings, so it’s important to work these muscles. Use a Swiss ball to do hamstring rolls at home or in the gym.
Back Extensions
When skiing, your back works hard to hold your body in a flexed position. If you’re skiing uphill or on a flat surface, your lats help maintain your posture and stability. Include back extensions in your workout routine to strengthen these muscles. Dumbbell rows and pull-ups are effective too.
If you haven’t worked out in a while, look for personal training services. A qualified trainer can help you get in shape for the slopes and boost your overall fitness.
