Ski Exercises Blog

There is only so much that can be written about ski exercises so I have decided to open this blog up a little. To be quite honest this is probably just a one off post as I want to show off the fact that I just got engaged.

As someone who works online in the ski equipment business, I am generally a computer geek. My excitement in life is really just once a year when I visit the ski slopes with friends or family. Plus when I visit the indoor ski slope near the Trafford Centre in Manchester. In case you don’t know it, their website is at Chill Factore and it is well worth traveling to. The facilities are second to none.

Anyway I visit the place once a week, usually when I think it will be quietest, sorry I am not sharing that secret hehehehe. I love it when there aren’t crowds so my experience and knowledge of the best time to go is a closely guarded secret. Just use common sense and you will do fine.

Three years ago I was there alone, enjoying myself when I met someone. One thing led to another and she is now my fiancee. It was great to meet someone with the same interest. She had a kind of half boyfriend at the time but it wasn’t serious so we were soon meeting every week at my secret time (this is another reason why I don’t want to share it).

Anyway what swung it was when she hurt her knee stopping in the way show off skiers do. (don’t do those show off stops people, they are not smart). I was there to offer a helping arm and took her to the hospital. She was very nervous when getting the X Ray because she knew it could ruin a family holiday coming up. 

Anyway I stayed with her for hours and when the good news cam through that it just needed a weeks rest, she was so happy we hugged and I got a peck on the cheek and a long stare in the eyes. It might of led to more but there were two nurses watching us.

She quickly became the love of my life. We practiced skiing together all the time and discussed it online and via text. Our texts were about ski gear, plans and exercises rather than sweet love letter texts.

She works for an English School in Manchester and has been privately tutoring the son of a wealthy family in a great skiing region. When they met my fiancee and heard we were engaged, they offered us a free week at their cottage in the Alps as a honeymoon gift.

It is about that time of the year when many of Brits are thinking about going on a skiing holiday. January and Fabruary are the ideal months to get away from the gloomy weather in the UK. Skiing is the perfect holiday choice, but for most of us we just won’t be in a good condition for the slopes.

Here are a few ideas to help you prepare better for the piste. Including getting you fitter, loosening your body up to help avoid aches, pains and injuries, plus some techniques for getting you in the skiing frame of mind.

Getting Fit

If you haven’t been skiing for some time then your leg muscles could do with strengthening. Any exercise you enjoy will help, from jogging to football to swimming. But you should consider adding some extra fitness exercises into the mix too.

If you are a member of a gym use the machines aimed more at the leg muscles. Some light lifting will give your thigh muscles a good workout. Try using your legs rather than your arms on the rowing machine too.

There are exercises you can do at home too such as squats. Hold the position until you feel the burn. Don’t go too hard, you want to built up your fitness levels as well as strength. Being out on the slopes all day requires stamina so you want to find a good balance.

Limbering Up

You should already know how important this is. If you get into the habit now of stretching your muscles they will be less likely to get damaged when skiing. Yoga is wonderful for this. 

Otherwise just try to get into a routine of stretching your legs with lunges and other muscle stretching exercises. Start doing this a week or two before you hit the slopes and always have a good stretch on the day, before and after your ski session.

Honing your ski skills

With the ski season upon us, now is the time to give your body the extra love it deserves in the form of getting in shape. You, your back, and your knees will be appreciative of the effort. Plus, your buddies will be impressed with you beating them down the slopes.

What are the best exercises to do for getting in shape for the ski slopes quickly? Continue reading to learn…

1. Trail Running with Ski Poles: an all body sport, trail running with ski poles is going to get the legs, torso and arms toned, while at the same time enhancing balancing abilities. Try to run trails that have corners and hills. When running downhill pretend you are skiing a slalom course of tight turns. This angulation will help the fine muscles of the legs be ready for what the mountain has to offer.

2. Mountain Biking: mountain biking single track trails is an exceptional way to get your core and your endurance ready for doing full descents without stopping. Make your ride last, trying for at least an hour. Also, if applicable to your ability, go for the technical ride as this will help with your balance when on skis. Another great way to use mountain biking for endurance is to do short spurts of intensity during your rides. For example, for every 15 minutes that you ride, sprint the next two. This is an amazing training tool for strengthening the heart and increasing stamina dramatically.

3. Yoga: If finding time to do extra exercise for skiing is a challenge then use yoga to your benefit. This amazing practice will make you stronger, increase your lung capacity and will greatly benefit your balance. Not to mention it will give you the power and focus to ski strong all day long. Try to mix up different kinds of yoga. For instance, use Bikram Yoga for endurance, use Vinyasa Yoga for strength and focus, and use Kundalini Yoga for lung capacity, inner peace and longevity.

One of the easiest ways to blow a knee when skiing is to get in the backseat. The angle on the leg creates enough strain that the ACL tendon has known to just snap right off its attachment. It’s safe to say that that is feeling no one wants to feel.

So, how do you keep yourself from falling victim to getting in the backseat? Here are three tips that will help you keep your weight where it should be…right over center.

1. Pretend you are a waiter at a white glove restaurant and it is your job to serve fancy champagne that costs $1,000 per glass. Obviously, in this scenario it is imperative that you don’t drop a glass off of your tray. So, how do you do that? Make sure that the tops of your poles are staying at a level angle.

There are no major shifts of the positioning of the hands, helping to make sure that the invisible tray of champagne glasses stays right where it’s supposed to. This imagery trick helps your body to stay level and to avoid hand movements that make you look like you are waiving to the camera (which will lead to falling on your butt).

2. Focus on the ball of the foot. When it comes to the exact placement of body weight for ideal ski angulation, the best place is right over the foot. Make a point with yourself to stay in awareness of where exactly the majority of your weight is falling. Is it the heel? Is it the outside of the foot? Always try to bring your weight to the ball of your foot and you will find that everything else falls into place.

Skiing is an intense sport that requires strength, technique and endurance. Spending hours on the slopes having fun and training at the same time is good but if you go unprepared, you could exert and damage your body without even noticing it.

It is important to train each part of your body individually to make sure that you can meet and appreciate the physical challenges of this sport. Just like with any other sport, you need warming up first and the following 3 ski conditioning exercises can help you achieve greater strength and agility and protect your body from possible injuries.

1# Lateral hops to strengthen your posture Lateral hops are quite popular and you may have already done some. It’s a jumping exercise that focuses on the posture. All good skiers know how essential posture and movements are. Stand with both feet joint and hop to the side as if you were skiing for real. 

Do this for several sets of 15 to 20 jumps and each time, increase the speed. Make sure you don’t overdo it as this exercise can be hard on the legs and calves. However, the more sets you do, the easier it will get and you’ll notice an increased strength next time you slide down the slopes.

2# Step Up exercises for general endurance Endurance is important when practicing a sport, especially in the cold weather. Endurance is not something you do occasionally, on the contrary. The more you practice–and you don’t need to do it for 1 hour each time, 30 minutes will be enough- the fitter you will get. 

Step-up exercises are great for skier as they combine both cardio and leg training. It is of course best if you own a stepper at home but if not; you can always use your staircase or make one. All you have to do is jump onto the step (make sure it isn’t slippery) then jump backward as many times as you can. The longer you can last without stopping the better you’ll get. However, this is not a competition, so take it slowly and increase your time by a few minutes each time you practice this exercise.

Speeding on the slopes is always tempting but can have consequences. Not knowing how to control your own speed is quite risky- for you and others. And yet, it is always possible to improve your skiing skills and especially your speed. Speed control is predominantly made by doing short turns and this is arguably the most difficult part of the exercise. This said, with good tips and training, you’ll be able to achieve the most perfect turns and control your speed quicker than you think.

The key is to try and keep the same speed as you do your turns. It may sound complicated right now, but by consciously practicing it, you’ll soon get a really good grip. By learning to do short turns every 2 to 3 meters as you slide down the slope, you’ll be able to keep the same speed.

Doing short turns is slightly technical but can be learnt quickly too as it is quite a natural “stance" so to speak. Short turns are done by turning the skis to your legs instead of to your hips, which is the most common mistake, made by beginner or even advanced skiers.

The secret is to be able to move your weight evenly to get a really smooth movement. This is probably the hardest bit but again, with practice, you can definitely conquer it. Most people will try this move on the most difficult slopes whilst you should take a couple of hours every day to learn the ropes on a very easy slope.

You also need to keep your body well-balanced so that the weight is spread evenly. To do so, you need to keep moving your poles as they will counteract any imbalance and help you keep your upper body moving.

Also, did you know that by moving your body forward, you instantly increase your speed? The weight is transferred forward and as a result, the pressure will increase the speeding effect. So, if you lean slightly backwards even when sliding down at a quick speed, you’ll automatically reduce and control the speed.

Learning to control your speed when skiing is probably a tricky exercise but it can be achieved quickly provided you do it consciously first. At some point, your body will feel naturally inclined to control the speed but it requires some work on your part first. The “short turns" technique remains the most effective especially when skiing on fast slopes.

If you are a keen skier but aren’t too sure which are the best ski exercises at home, to condition your body and prepare each muscle and joint for the challenge, here are 4 easy ski exercises that will help you get fit.

Training ahead of your holiday is very important especially since the cold temperatures on the ski slopes can lead to injuries. Some of these injuries may declare themselves a few weeks after your trip, and generally speaking, they are the ones to avoid, unequivocally.

To condition your body correctly, you need a mix of endurance and muscle training. Endurance or cardio is a necessary element as it will allow you to last longer on the slopes. Muscle training is also important and it is best to isolate a couple of muscles and work on them for a few weeks at a time. The most important muscles are located within your legs since most of the weight and action is going to come from the lower part of your body.

1# Endurance training Endurance training doesn’t have to be boring. The goal is to get your heart pumping and your blood circulate around your body. Make sure you take up something you enjoy- whether it is jogging, rope skipping or swimming. It is preferable to avoid sports such as cross-country running since these can lead to frequent injury and this is clearly the last thing you want before your skiing trip.

Take up steps training for instance. You don’t need a stepper but if you have one, all the better. If not, you can use any steps (if you have a staircase this will be perfect- provided they are large and wide enough. Jump on and off at a good rhythm and for at least 20 minutes three times a week. If you aren’t already doing cardio training, you should start incorporating it into a routine.

2# Core muscle training This is another very important part of your pre-skiing training routine. Far too many ski enthusiasts skip this part and end up unprepared when going on skiing trips. Isolating your main leg muscles is necessary as it will warm them up and allow you to cushion your landings, which is important for your joints and your back.

Doing walking lunges 3 to 4 times a week will prevent your leg muscles from straining when you eventually get to the slopes. The exercise is quite simple: Stand with your legs slightly apart and take big steps forward- as big as you can-while bending slightly and reaching for your feet. 

If you are looking forward to your skiing trip-and you’re right- don’t forget to get your body and more particularly, your legs in shape before putting on your skis. Warming up and training your legs before taking to the slopes is more than necessary. It is mandatory and will prevent injuries that could potentially stop you from skiing for a long time.

Naturally, your legs play a really important role when you ski and should not be neglected. There are specific ski workouts designed to help make your legs stronger and your muscles less prone to injuries. Most ski injuries are due to lack of training and the number one injuries are to the joints and muscles.

The first exercise consists of simply walking big steps and bending forward at the same time. Ideally, you should feel your muscles in your legs, especially the hamstrings ache slightly. 

Do not overdo it and when walking those large steps, make sure that your knees are correctly positioned, that is they aren’t out of place but in line with the rest of your leg. A few sets a day will start soliciting the right muscles in your legs and as you progress, you’ll feel that you have gained some strength and agility.

Moving on to the second exercise, the goal here is to focus and strengthen your hips as this part of your body is going to be solicited during the jumps. It is important to learn how to cushion your landings on the snow especially when you ski fast.

Make sure you wear proper shoes when doing this series of exercise. Start off in a balance position, slightly bend forward and consciously bring your whole weight onto one foot at a time by taking a big step to the side. You want to train your hip to move with balance and at the same time train your feet to sustain your weight. This exercise is best done 2 to 3 times a week maximum.

Finally, in order to maximize your skiing time, you want to strengthen your hips as a light and delicate hip movement will prevent many injuries, mostly lower back ones. Place yourself in a kneeling position and take a large step up moving one of your feet outside your hands.

Good skiers know the importance of balancing the upper body for better skiing results but only a few practice what they preach. And yet, it isn’t such a complicated thing to do but your need some pointers to do it correctly. It is also a matter of being able to harmonize technical skills with balance and speed.

Skiing is a skilful sport but, however good you are at sports, if you don’t learn the ropes straight away, you’ll never progress. The very first lesson you should learn is that you don’t turn with your body, but with your legs. This is the number one mistake that skiers make and if you do, it’s best to rectify it now.