Skiing Season

09/02/2020
Are you one of the millions of skiers who hit the slopes hard opening week only to hobble around for the first few days afterward?


Whether you are a skier or snowboarder, preparing your body for winter is key. You'll not only have a much better time out on the mountain, but you'll also significantly improve your overall fitness too.

Taking a proactive stance before ski season is the key to getting in shape so that your ski trips are fun, safe, and injury-free.

To avoid injury, excessive soreness, and misery, take some time to prepare your body before your trip. If you don't already have a regular exercise routine, it's not too late to start one.

Plus, knowing you're doing it in order to enjoy your ski holiday will help keep you motivated. Below is step-by-step instructions for getting in shape for skiing.

There really is no perfect routine, but if you can try to fit in at least two strength workouts and three cardio workouts, you'll be on the right track.

This sample workout targets strength, endurance, stability, and overall fitness. Don't forget to include plenty of stretching in as well. Flexibility is another way to keep your body safe from injury.


Sample skiing workout routine

Start with what you can handle and focus on the goal: To get strong for an activity you love. Building strength and endurance will keep your body strong and help you avoid injuries while making your skiing much more fluid and effortless.

DAY 1 (LEGS)

  • 10 minute cardio warm-up
  • Do 4 Reps of the following exercises:
  • 1 minute Wall sit
    (While doing exercises that require squatting or lunging, make sure not to let your knees lean past your toes in order to prevent injury.)
  • 25 Lunges (25 for each leg)
  • 15 Squats
  • 16 Single-Leg Lateral Leap
    (Stand on one leg with a slight bend in your knee and the other leg raised off the ground. Jump laterally, landing on your opposite foot. Pause and then jump back to the starting position.)
  • 15 Sumo Squats
    (Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart, toes slightly turned out. Squat down as low as you can, keeping your heels on the ground and your back straight. Press back up to standing. Hold a medicine ball to make the exercise more intense.)

DAY 2 (CARDIO)

  • Cycle/Run/Swim for 30-60 minutes
    (To make cardio more fun, go up into the mountains to trail run or mountain bike!)

DAY 3 (UPPERBODY/CORE)

  • 10 minute cardio warm-up
  • Do 4 Reps of the following exercises:
  • 15 Pushups
  • 30 second Side plank (30 seconds each side)
    (Lie on your left side with your knees straight. Prop your upper body up using your left arm. Raise your hips until your body forms a straight line from your ankles to your shoulders and hold.)
  • 10 Seated Russian Twists (10 on each side)
    (Sit on the floor with your hips and knees bent 90 degrees. Hold a weight straight out in front of you and keep your back straight. Twist your torso as far as you can to the left and then twist to the right.
  • 15 Burpee pushups
    (Start in standing position, bend down placing hands in front of you. Jump back into a plank position and do one push up. Bring legs in, and return to standing position.)
  • 10 Bench Dips
    (Use a bench or chair for this exercise. Sit straight up in chair with hands placed beside hips and fingertips towards edge of chair. Slide glutes forward so you are no longer sitting on chair. Straighten legs and lower glutes until arms are at a 90 degree angle, and then push yourself back into starting position. Bend knees to make exercise easier.)
  • 20 V Sit-ups
    (Start lying flat on the floor with legs straight and arms extended above your head. Engage torso and lift up arms and legs to meet in the middle (keep arms and legs straight). Hold in the middle, then return to starting position.)

DAY 4 (CARDIO)

  • Cycle/Run/Swim for 30-60 minutes

DAY 5 (CORE/LEGS)

  • 10 minute cardio warm up
  • Do 4 Reps of the following exercises:
  • 15 Squats
  • 20 Lunge kicks
    (Lunge right leg forward, then when standing up push off and kick left leg in front of you, then continue moving left leg forward into a lunge. Repeat with next leg.)
  • 15 Burpees with jump
    (Start in standing position, squat down placing hands on the floor in front of you. Jump back into a plank position then back into squat, then jump up with arms extended above head. Return to squat with hands on the floor and repeat.
  • 15 Sumo squats
  • 15 Bicycle crunches (do 15 on each side)
  • 20 Reverse crunches
    (Start lying on your back with arms rested next to your torso. Raise your knees and feet to create a 90-degree angle. Use your torso to lift your hips off the floor and your knees toward your head. Try to keep your knees at a right angle then slowly lower.)

DAY 6 (CARDIO)

  • Cycle/Run/Swim for 30-60 minutes

DAY 7

  • Rest

Now that you're in ski-shape, all you need are skis!



Love and light,

Sophie and Ellie x



Sources:

Active.com

Skinsee.com

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