Posted on December 12, 2014 by Kate Halsall

If you ski or snowboard, you’ve probably already booked that epic trip away to some snowy slopes. One of the requests we receive a lot of at this time of year are Ski Fit programmes. Over the next couple of weeks we’re going to share our insider information on those exercises that we as personal trainers think you SHOULD be doing to get ski fit and help to avoid those injuries.

The key is this, you need to be looking at the following 4 areas:
Cardiovascular Fitness
Muscular Endurance
Leg & Core Strength
Flexibility & Agility

This week’s blog focuses on improving leg strength & stamina. Now, it would be easy to say do wall squats, other squat variations and lunges, but you also need to include some exercises for ankle & knee flexibility and calf strengthening; as well as plyometric exercises to help with that stamina and joint strength.

With this in mind, here’s a little leg day workout to get your legs ski fit!

Warm Up:
Leg Swings – both cross body and forward and backwards (loosens hamstrings, glutes, inner & outer thighs).
Do these for between 20-30seconds each leg

Main Body:
I’ve chosen to time these exercises – 45 seconds each. As we’re looking for endurance you want a high number of reps. If you prefer not to time your workouts, you want to do 15 repetitions. Keep in mind you will do each set 4 times! These exercises can be body weighted or with weights – it’s your workout so your choice!

Exercise A1 Ski Jumps – side to side jumps (ankle & knee flexibility). Both sides = 1 rep
Exercise A2 Single Legged Squats

Exercise B1 Box Jumps
Exercise B2 Bulgarian Split Squats – rear leg elevated lunge!

Exercise C1 Lateral Squat Thrusts – Traditionally Squat Thrusts start in a full press up position and you shoot your legs into your chest and then straight back. With Lateral Squat Thrusts, you take your legs from one side into your chest, and then back out to the other side.

Exercise C2 Calf Raises

Remember – this is only part of your ski fit routine. Stay tuned for next week’s blog on improving core strength.

Further Reading:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/snowandski/features/10430690/Ski-fitness-how-to-get-fit-for-the-slopes.html
http://www.skiclub.co.uk/skiclub/skiclubtv/playlist.aspx?categoryID=6#.VIBydpUqXIU