Fitness for Ski and Snowboard Safety

Ski Safely: Fitness Tips for Skiers and Snow Boarders

Are you a skier or snow boarder who wishes you had more stamina? Do you consider burning thighs to be an unavoidable hazard of recreational downhill skiing/boarding? Whether you’re going on a short trip, or skiing every weekend, training and conditioning during ski season can improve your endurance and reduce your risk of ski-related injuries even if your preseason preparation was minimal.

Powerful Legs + Strong Core and Upper Body + Endurance = Optimal Performance

Skiing and boarding require that muscles work in ways unlike any other sport – explosive action, side-to-side weight shifts and instant balance changes. Thus, it’s critical to incorporate exercises that target all parts of the body working on leg strength, core strength, balance, stability, and cardio in your weekly routine.

Powerful Legs

The best way to build hip and knee strength is by doing squats:

• Incorporate deep squats by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and keeping your head up. Do two to three sets of 10 two or three times per week.
• Add a single leg ball squat to strengthen the quadriceps. Stand with a gym-ball behind your back against the wall. Balance on one foot, then slowly lower into a squat position and repeat. To increase the challenge, come up out of the squat and switch legs, then continue to alternate. Do two to three sets of 10 two or three times a week.
• Do some old-fashioned lunges to strengthen your legs and glutes. Stand with your legs hip-width apart and your head up. Step forward on your left leg and drop straight down until your thigh is parallel to the floor, then repeat with your right leg. Do three sets of 10.
• Use circuit machines to strengthen your leg muscles as an alternate strategy – a leg press for upper quads, a leg extension for lower quads, a leg curl for hamstrings, a calf press and a machine that works the inside and outside thigh muscles.

Strong Core

Don’t forget to incorporate exercises to strengthen your core muscles to help you manage the torso twists and turns required in downhill sports:

• Start with side plank twists – lie on your left side supporting your weight on your elbow. Lift your torso up until your shoulders, hips, and legs are in a straight line. Maintain this position while twisting and reaching underneath your right hip. Do two or three sets of 10 on each side, three times a week.
• Include bridges with a straight leg raise. Lie on the floor and put your feet flat on the floor. Tighten your abdomen and raise your hips to keep a straight line, then extend one leg at a time. Do three sets of 10.
• Finish with alternate leg and arm raises. Get down on all fours and, with a tight stomach, raise one leg and the opposite arm for 15 seconds. Return to all fours and repeat on the other side. Do three sets of 10.

Strong Upper Body

Tone your biceps and triceps to be ready for pole planting and the occasional climbing that is required when skiing:

• Do three sets of bicep curls with 12 reps in each set. Stand with feet hip-width apart, abs engaged as you hold medium-heavy dumbbells in front of the thighs. Squeeze the biceps and bend the arms, curling the weights up towards the shoulders. Slowly lower the weights, keeping a slight bend in the elbows at the bottom.
• Follow with three sets of seated triceps exercises with 10 reps in each set. Sit on a bench or ball (more challenging) and hold a medium weight at one end with both hands overlapping one another. Take the weight straight up overhead with the arms next to the ears. Lower the weight behind the head until elbows are at about 90 degree angles. Squeeze the triceps to straighten the arms without locking the joints.

Cardio Conditioning

The final component of an injury-free day of skiing is endurance. To prepare for a day on the slopes, you’ll want to include an interval cardio program in your exercise routine. Alternate the aerobic machines you use and increase the length of the intervals and the total length of time you exercise as you increase your endurance.

• Start with an interval ratio of 1:3. For example, if you are running, you should run as fast as you can for a minute followed by a slow jog for three minutes. Repeat this pattern for 15-30 minutes.
• Increase the interval ratio to 2:2 – gradually – as you become more fit.
• Don’t forget to change the machinery you use because the more cross training you do, the more stamina you’ll have for the start and stops inherent in skiing. The final component of an injury-free day of skiing is endurance. To prepare for a day on the slopes, you’ll want to include an interval cardio program in your exercise routine. Alternate the aerobic machines you use and increase the length of the intervals and the total length of time you exercise as you increase your endurance.

Best Cardio Options for Skiers include running, stairmaster, step aerobics, elliptical, roller blade training.

Listen to Your Body.

Most ski accidents happen at the end of the day when boarders and skiers are tired. Don’t try to be the last one on the lift if you’re tired and choose an easy run to be your last run of the day.