Basic Fitness Program for Skiing

Get ready for your ski holiday with our basic fitness program below. Whether you are a complete novice or just want to fully prepare yourself for the rigour of the slopes, get the most out of your holiday and help to prevent injury.

Not only are our basic exercise and fitness plans designed to help you get fit, they are hopefully going to help prevent injuries by ensuring you have less muscle fatigue whilst out on the slopes. Skiing and snowboarding can be very demanding and tiring whatever level you're at!

Strengthen Those Muscles

The following basic exercise program is designed to help strengthen the key muscles that are used for skiing. This includes the front and back of your legs, your abs and core strength, your back and even your arms.

Throughout the workout program you will be focussing on balance, core strength and stability.

Workout Routine

Always always warm-up using a cardio exercise (like rowing or biking)
If you ever feel pain or a muscle hurting - stop before you injure yourself!
Between exercises, keep your rest short e.g. c.60 seconds
Choose a weight that you can complete the first set comfortably and then start finding difficult about rep 4 or 5 on the second set (this will be different for each exercise)
End your workout with stretching and a warm down. This is hugely important to prevent injury and stiffness
You should aim to be doing about 30 minutes 3 times a week

Prepare for Exercise

For our beginners exercise and fitness plan we assume that you either do little or no exercise and coupled with that you are either new to skiing or have only completed a week or two.

We recommend that you start exercising at least 12 weeks before you go skiing and that you perform two sets of 8 to 10 repetitions (reps) with a rest of around 60 seconds between each set.

You will also need a 2 to 3 minute rest at the end of each exercise before the next exercise. Finally a 5 minute warm down and stretch.

Throughout the workout, concentrate on breathing correctly - do not hold your breath during an exercise. Breathe in and expand your chest to prepare to do the exercise, then as you perform the exercise breathe our whilst simultaneously drawing your belly button inwards towards your spine.

Ready?

Basic Workout

WARM-UP

Minimum of 5 minutes cardio (bike, rower, walking on the spot)

Stretch all muscles carefully, use a simple squat, rotate your arms slowly etc.

EXERCISES (in any order)

Ensure you do two sets of each exercise

Squats

Great for thighs, hamstrings and calf muscles - 3 key muscle groups!

Click here for a description of how to perform »

The Plank

Lower back as well as your abs/trunk ~ core strength

Click here for a description of how to perform »

Lat pulldowns

Great for upper back and arm strength

Click here for a description of how to perform »

Tricep pushdowns

Works the back of your arms - getting up from the slope is simpler!

Click here for a description of how to perform »

Bench Press

Works your chest muscles and triceps

Click here for a description of how to perform »

Shoulder Press

A great workout for your shoulders

Click here for a description of how to perform »

Squat Jumps - Plyometrics

This one provides great strength and stamina for your leg muscles and core

Click here for a description of how to perform »

Note :

If you start finding this easy after about 6 weeks then you are progressing well. Increase the sets to three and use a slightly heavier weight. Alternatively take a look at the intermediate exercise plan.

By Will Smith