How to Dominate on the Trail: 5 Exercises for Better Skiing

The ski season has begun, so if you are also preparing to go to the mountains, these tips will help you in your intention to prepare as well as possible. If you go skiing unprepared, you could get a terrible muscle soreness or even an injury, and that’s certainly not something you want. That is why we have written an interesting program of preparation for the most pleasant skiing.

1. Romanian deadlift

4 sets of 8 reps

Take 20 kg weights in your hands (if you can weigh more), bend your knees slightly, your back is straight, and then slightly bend forward with the weights while you are leaning on your hips. Lower yourself until your chest is almost parallel to the ground, and then return to the starting position. Strong tendons are very important in preventing cruciate ligament injuries that are common in skiing.

2. Leg press with one foot

4 sets, 4 reps on each side

Place about 60 or 70 percent of the maximum weight you can lift with both feet on the leg press machine. Lift the weight with both feet, and lower it with one as slowly as possible to create a kind of tension. You perform the movement at a controlled pace all the time, and this exercise will help you strengthen your quadriceps, which are crucial for sudden movements in skiing.

3. Squat with a medical ball

3 series, duration 1 minute

Take a medical ball weighing 6 to 20 kilograms in your hands, depending on your shape, bring it to your chest and lower yourself into a squat. While getting up, drop the ball from your hands and catch it again only when you straighten up. Your muscles should always be contracted during this exercise. This exercise will improve muscle endurance, strength of the lower back, gluteus and quadriceps.

4. Jumping from a squat

4 sets, 4 reps

Place yourself in a shoulder-width apart position. Squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground, then rise in an explosive jump. Try to lower yourself gently and with both feet at the same time. This exercise will help you especially with difficult changes of direction during skiing.

5. Walking backwards on the treadmill

3 series, duration 3 minutes

Walk at a leisurely pace on a treadmill about 3 or 4 miles per hour. Increase the slope of the bar and turn very carefully so that your face is facing the other side. When you start to move, bend your knees to form at an angle of 90 degrees, similar to the position when skiing. There is no better exercise that will serve you as a ski simulation than this one.