The countdown to ski season is on. For many of us, that means preparing for a week or two of intense activity that demands strength, endurance, balance and flexibility. The challenge is that most people spend the majority of the year doing very little that resembles the movements required for skiing. Without preparation, this often leads to sore muscles at best, and injuries at worst.
The good news is that with some structured training in the months leading up to your holiday, you can make a massive difference to how you perform on the slopes and how much you enjoy your time away. Here are five key areas to focus on.
1. Flexibility
Cold weather naturally makes muscles feel tighter and more rigid. When this happens, reaction speed slows, range of motion decreases, and the risk of injury rises, especially if you get caught in an awkward position. Flexibility training helps keep your joints mobile and your body ready to react quickly.
Dynamic stretches are beneficial before skiing and during your trip. Think of movements like leg swings, walking lunges with a twist, and arm circles. These not only prepare the muscles but also wake up the nervous system.
In the build-up to your trip, include daily mobility drills for the hips, hamstrings, calves and spine. A few minutes of hip openers, calf raises, and cat-cow stretches can have a significant impact on your performance and comfort when skiing long days.
2. Legs
Skiing is tough on the legs. Every turn, every descent and every correction requires strength from your quads, hamstrings and calves. The knees bear a significant portion of the load, so building strong muscles around the joint is crucial for both power and injury prevention.
Exercises such as squats, split squats, and step-ups should be staples in your programme. Adding paused squats or isometric holds can mimic the sustained positions you often find yourself in on the slopes, training your legs to stay strong even when fatigue sets in.
It’s also worth paying attention to balance and control. Try movements that challenge stability, such as single-leg squats or Bulgarian split squats. These will help prepare you for the unpredictable shifts and edges of skiing.
3. Glutes
Most people train their quads regularly but neglect the glutes and the rest of the posterior chain. This is a mistake, particularly when it comes to skiing. Your glutes are the largest and most powerful muscles in your body, and they play a critical role in stabilising your hips and spine.
Strong glutes enable you to control your skis more effectively, steer with precision, and take pressure off your knees. Without this foundation, fatigue sets in faster, and posture begins to break down.
Prioritise exercises such as Romanian deadlifts, hip bridges, back extensions and glute kickbacks. These should be performed with control, focusing on proper activation rather than rushing through the reps. Think about driving through the heels and fully contracting the glutes at the top of each movement. Over time, this builds both strength and awareness that will transfer directly onto the slopes.
4. Core and Upper Body
Although skiing may look like a leg-dominated activity, your upper body and core are equally important. A strong core stabilises your spine and pelvis, helping you stay balanced and upright for long periods. Without it, fatigue in the torso quickly leads to poor posture and reduced control.
Planks, side planks, and Paloff holds are excellent ways to strengthen your midsection. These are not about endless crunches, but about building the endurance and stability you need for skiing.
Upper body strength also plays a role. It is tempting to round your shoulders and look down at your skis, but this throws you off balance and leaves you more likely to end up face-first in the snow. To counteract this, include pulling movements such as rows and chin-ups, and stretch the chest with banded pec stretches. The combination of strength and mobility will help keep your chest up and shoulders back, improving both form and confidence.
5. Cardio
Skiing places unique demands on the cardiovascular system. Long days on the slopes require endurance, while bursts of intense effort during descents test your ability to recover quickly. Add to that the challenge of higher altitudes, where oxygen is scarcer, and it’s clear that fitness preparation is vital.
Running around the block the week before your trip will not cut it. Start now with a combination of steady-state cardio and interval training. Cycling, rowing, ski-erg and circuit sessions are excellent options. Aim to build your ability to sustain effort for longer periods while also training your body to recover from short bursts of intensity.
This level of conditioning will make a noticeable difference when skiing for several hours a day, leaving you with more energy and less fatigue so that you can make the most of your holiday.
Preparation Equals Performance
Preparing for ski season involves more than just packing your gear and buying a lift pass. The real preparation happens in the weeks leading up, when you train your body to meet the specific demands of the sport.
By focusing on flexibility, leg strength, glute activation, core stability, and cardiovascular fitness, you set yourself up not only to ski better but also to enjoy every run with more control and a lower risk of injury.
We specialise in structured personal training programmes that build strength, mobility and endurance for real-world performance at Foundry Gyms. Whether your goal is to hit the slopes with confidence or improve your mobility and overall well-being in everyday life, our coaches can guide you through a personalised plan that works.
Start your training now, and by the time you clip into your skis, you’ll be ready for whatever the mountain throws at you.
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