Pre-season ski fitness

What's the key to staying injury free on the slopes? Pre-season ski fitness training that's what!

If you plan to take a ski or snowboard holiday, you should begin preparing for it at least three months before you go. That's where the pre-season training can really make a big difference. You'll be one up on most of your mates - so be able to do those 'later in the week' daredevil stunts!!!

There are several benefits to pre-season training :

• You'll be able to ski or board longer and harder each day
• You'll perform better
• You'll be less fatigued at the end of each day (and ready to enjoy the nightlife!)
• And perhaps most importantly, you'll dramatically reduce your chances of injury

Injury is the curse of winter holidays, with the most common injuries being damage to the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in the knee. This is an injury that can incapacitate you for months, and accounts for up to 40% of all injuries to skiers.

So how do you get in shape for winter sports? You need to work on three key areas - strength, endurance and flexibility.

Strength training should focus on your legs - exercises such as squats, leg press, lunges and calf raises will help build the muscles in your legs most effectively. Leg extensions and leg curls can also help.

Increasing flexibility can also reduce the chances of injury - you should include stretching as a regular part of your cool down, or else add an activity such as yoga or Pilates to your schedule.

Endurance work is often ignored by people preparing for winter sports - after all gravity does all the work, right? But the truth is you will be on your feet for hours every day, working hard at high altitude - endurance is a must. Sports where you are on your feet are best - running, stepping, cross trainers, and cycling will also help to build up the all important muscles around your knees.

Aim to include one longer cardio session per week to supplement your regular shorter ones. Simply add five minutes per week to one of your 20 minute workouts, and within 8 weeks you'll be doing an hour's workout.

Finally, adding some work on a balance board or stability discs will improve your coordination and balance, helpful when you hit the slopes.

So what should your programme look like? A good balance would be :

• Strength training - twice weekly
• Cardio training - two to three times per week
• Flexibility training - after every strength or CV training session

So whether you are a beginner or are an experienced exerciser, take a look at our exercise programs to make sure you are getting it right.