Preparing your body for skiing is necessary and by no means superfluous. Every year, numerous muscular and ligament injuries occur on the slopes, and many could have been avoided with a minimum of preparation. It's essential to put certain exercises in place before hitting the slopes and after your last run of the day. It's worth knowing that injuries aren't reserved for the boldest or most experienced skiers — on the contrary, less experienced and less well-trained skiers are often more at risk, as falls are more frequent, muscles less prepared, despite lower speeds and a smaller appetite for risk. Here, then, is a short ski fitness programme to help you prepare at home before heading to your dream ski resort, warm up and stretch in the morning before clipping in, and keep your body active to wind down after a day on the slopes.
Pre-season ski fitness: training at home before winter
A solid ski preparation starts with good physical conditioning before you even set foot on the slopes. Skiing is a physically demanding activity that calls on your entire body — particularly your thighs, core, and arms. It's therefore essential to work on and build these muscle groups over time.
• Work your cardio: cardio training builds the endurance of your heart muscle. The exercises below will help you resist fatigue caused both by exertion and by altitude, which will leave you breathless more quickly. The ideal way to improve your endurance is jogging, but cycling or swimming work just as well. Each session — weekly at a minimum — should be 45 minutes for running, 1 hour for swimming, and two hours for cycling. If you're just starting out, build up gradually, warm up properly, and don't neglect hydration. Brisk walking is also a good alternative, and always take the stairs over the lift!
• Core strengthening: core work targets the entire abdominal and back muscle chain, ensuring good tone and stability throughout your body. A very simple exercise like the wall sit delivers excellent results: lean your back against a wall and bend your knees as if sitting on a chair. Do 3 sets of 30 seconds every day. This exercise has the added benefit of working both the core and the thighs at the same time.
• Muscle strengthening: you need to work your muscles deeply so they're more resistant to effort and strain during your ski runs. Building your core and thighs is essential for skiing. For your core, perform sets of crunches: lying on your back on the floor, legs at a right angle, hands placed at the sides of your head, raise your upper body towards your knees or diagonally in alternation. Do 3 sets of 30, with at least 30 seconds of recovery between sets. For your thighs, squats (bending towards the floor while keeping your knees aligned with your toes and your back straight) or lunges will help build deep muscle strength.
Ideally, you should practise an endurance sport all year round — your body will then be ready for the physical effort required. If not, this short fitness programme should be followed for at least a month before hitting the slopes. Don't make the mistake of waiting until the last week and going all out — that's a near-certain route to injury on the slopes!
Stretching for better ski fitness and recovery
Stretching isn't optional: it enables better muscle recovery after exertion and a proper warm-up before your first runs. Stretching in the morning before skiing helps your muscles prepare for the demands you'll place on them throughout the day. After a day on the slopes, stretching will loosen your muscles and help you avoid aches and pains the next morning.
Hold each stretch for around 30 seconds, working from the top of the body downwards.
• Wrists: warm up your wrists by clasping your hands together and rotating them in both directions.
• Torso: standing upright, legs straight and hip-width apart, raise your arms above your head and lean gently to the right, then to the left. Hold the position for around ten seconds to make it effective. You can also do this with your legs wider apart, straight, and hands on hips: rotate your torso, driving the movement from your elbow. Perform this exercise twice on each side.
• Knees: it's important to warm up your knees as they'll be put through their paces on the slopes — flexion, rotation, torsion — nothing will be spared. Standing with feet together and arms by your sides, bend your knees rotating towards your left foot, then your right foot, mimicking the characteristic knee action of a skier passing a gate in a slalom. Aim for 10 to 15 repetitions per set, with a few minutes' rest between each.
• Legs: standing upright, take your right foot in your right hand behind you. Keeping your balance on your left foot, pull your foot towards your glute while keeping your knee pointing towards the floor. Hold this position for around twenty seconds, then switch legs. A second exercise involves bending forward with straight legs to touch the floor with your hands. From this position, bend your right knee, rising onto the ball of that foot while keeping the other leg straight. Hold for approximately 15 seconds, then switch legs.
Don't underestimate warm-ups and stretching — they are a genuine part of successful ski fitness preparation and essential conditions for avoiding unnecessary injury. Allow around 20 minutes in the morning before starting your ski session and at least 10 to 15 minutes after skiing. The end-of-day session should also be an opportunity to transition and gently bring your heart rate back down.
After the effort, a little reward
At the end of the day, consider doing some gentle swimming or a stint on an exercise bike if there's a gym nearby. Spas, steam rooms, massages and wellness activities in general are all welcome for relaxing the body and aiding recovery. A simple post-dinner walk can be a powerful ally in preparing your body for a good night's sleep and healthy recovery. Any slow activity that relaxes your body through moderate muscular effort will contribute to your wellbeing the next day and optimise the work you've put into your ski fitness preparation. But don't forget that you're on holiday, and all of these moments should remain enjoyable. Make the most of every opportunity to move: all activity is positive for building endurance, strength and, above all, having fun. A good old-fashioned evening sledge run after skiing works too — pure pleasure for young and old alike!
Making the most of a winter sports holiday takes a little preparation: for some, it will be the only week of the year with intense physical activity, making them more prone to physical setbacks. Giving yourself every chance isn't complicated — it just takes a little discipline. This groundwork will give you better stability and control on the slopes, and ultimately more enjoyment… with less pain! And why not keep the effort going once you're back from the mountains? It would be the best way to be in great shape next year!
