6 ski exercises you can perform at home
Make the most of your skiing holiday this year by getting in shape before you go. A ski holiday usually lasts only a week and there is nothing worse than having to spend that precious time with sore muscles.
A certain basic fitness and strength are required if you want to get the most out of every day on the slopes and still have the energy at the end of the day for that fun and important après-ski 🙂
It’s a really good idea to prepare with some light exercise before you go. You can certainly start with some swimming, jogging, cycling and opting for stairs instead of the elevator. Your general stamina will definitely improve.
There are also some very simple exercises you can do to strengthen your body as well. Your main focus should be on your thighs, glutes and calves, but a strong and stable torso is also very important. You’ll be surprised what a difference these exercises will make (while your friend’s legs are burning and asking for rest) and you’ll be able to go even further.
My team has selected some basic exercises to perform at home. Start at least a month or two before you leave. That way you are certainly well prepared. Maybe you can even venture on a black slope 🙂
1. Squats
Your thighs are probably the muscles that will work the most while skiing. A squat is one of the best and easiest exercises to build strength in your legs.
Here’s how to perform the squat:
- Stand with your legs straight and feet shoulder-width apart.
- Push your hips back.
- Bend your knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
- It’s like sitting down on a chair.
- Come back up by leaning on your full foot, not the tips.
- Continue to look straight ahead throughout the movement.
- Extend your arms in front of you to better maintain your balance.
Points of attention:
- Make sure your knees don’t extend past your toes as you descend. If you do, try to remedy that by pushing your hips back a little more and resting well on the heels.
- Keep your back tense and as straight as possible. Avoid a round back.
Quantity:
- 3 to 4 sets of 20 reps with 60 seconds rest between sets.
Progression:
- Want to make it a little harder? Perform the squats with a weight in each hand or on your shoulders.
2. Jump squats
Take the squat to the next level with the jump squat. Not only will this exercise continue to strengthen your legs, it will also help develop explosiveness in the thigh and glutes. This is useful when parallel turning on the steeper slopes.
Here’s how to perform the squat jump:
- Start with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Perform a squat, then jump high into the air.
- Land back on both feet and try to dampen the shock by landing on the front of the feet first.
Quantity:
- Perform 4 sets of 10 jumps.
- Take a short break to catch your breath between each set.
Point of attention:
- Try to land on your feet as softly as possible.
3. Wall sit
Wall sit or wall sit is an excellent exercise to help prevent the burning sensation in your legs during long, hard descents.
Here’s how to perform the Wall sit:
- Lie with your back against a flat wall.
- Lower yourself until you are in a squat position.
- It’s like sitting on a chair with no seat.
- Hold this position for as long as possible.
Quantity:
- Sit 2 to 4 times as long as possible.
- Take a short rest between sets.
- During the rest you can shake the legs loose.
Points of attention:
- Push your back and tailbone well against the wall and keep yourself as straight as possible.
- Look out for you.
4. Lunges
Lunges are great not only for strength, but also for good balance.
Here’s how to perform lunges:
- Start with both feet together.
- Step forward with one foot and lower your hips so that the lower and upper legs form a right angle.
- The knee of your back leg almost touches the floor.
Points of attention:
- Provide a pillow or mat if your knee touches the floor.
- Keep your torso upright and your shoulders back.
- Look straight ahead, not the floor.
- Maintain a good balance by keeping your entire body in tension.
- Make sure your front knee is not too far forward. Definitely don’t go past your toes.
Quantity:
- 4 sets of 20 reps (2 x 10 per leg).
- Take a short rest between sets.
5. The Plank
A strong torso is the basis of a fit body. You use your lower back and abs a lot more than you might think while skiing, especially when you’re turning or going downhill on more technical terrain.
Here’s how to run the plank:
- Lie flat on the floor.
- Rest your elbows on the floor and push your hips up.
- Rest only on your elbows and toes.
- Hold this position for 60 seconds.
Quantity:
- 4 sets of 60 seconds with a short rest between sets.
Progression:
- If you can maintain a stable position for 60 seconds, you can make the exercise a bit more difficult by alternately lifting one foot and one hand.
- Raise your left arm and right leg at the same time until they are horizontal.
- Maintain your balance for 5 seconds by tensing your entire body.
- Come back to the floor with your arm and foot and switch sides.
6. The side plank
You use your abs more often than you think, even when skiing. In fact, there is almost no movement where these muscles are not used. If this muscle system is not stable, the body will compensate. This puts additional strain on another part, such as the back. To prevent this, you can strengthen your abs with the side plank.
Here’s how to perform the side plank:
- Lie on your side on the mat, with your elbow directly under your shoulder.
- Keep your top hand against your top hip.
Straighten your legs and push yourself up. - Tighten your abs well.
- Now lift your hips until you are in a straight line with your feet, hips and shoulders.
- Hold this position for 3 to 5 seconds while continuing to breathe deeply.
Quantity:
- 4 sets of 20 reps. 2 sets left and 2 sets right.
- Take a short rest between each set.
Progression:
- Try the side plank by extending your arm not resting on the floor vertically
These 6 basic exercises will definitely help you get more out of your skiing holiday and have less muscle soreness at the end of a long day.
P.S. Don't forget to stretch your muscles after a long day on the lats. It will definitely help to have less stiff muscles the next day 🙂
Carine
Coach