Have you overdone the summer holidays and now worrying about levels of fitness for your 2022/23 ski holiday?
If so, we’ve got everything you need to know about getting ski-ready this winter. By breaking you in gently with these first few exercises courtesy of our fantastic partner The Blackberry Clinic, we’ll get you ready to smash those blue runs out the park before you know it.
1. Squats
The thighs are some of the hardest working muscles in skiing and let’s face it, we’ve all had that burning feeling! Squats are great for targeting this muscle group.
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, hands by your side. Push your hips to the rear and bend your knees until your thighs are roughly parallel to the floor. Stand back up and repeat.
Do 2-4 sets of 12-20 reps. 30-60 sec rest between sets.
2. Lateral Jumps
A great skiing exercise for strengthening the outside of the thighs, whilst improving agility & coordination.
Stand side on to a shin high barrier. With your feet together, jump over the barrier and then immediately jump back. Keep ground contact to a minimum and make the jumps quick & light. Easy!
Do 2-4 sets of 10-20 jumps.
3. Wall Squats
This exercise is all about building up muscular endurance in the legs.
Rest your back on a smooth wall, your feet slightly in front of you. Slide down the wall until your knees are bent to 90 degrees and your shins are vertical. Push your lower back into the wall and hold this position for as long as you can (not your breath!)
Do 2-4 sets, 30-60 sec rest between sets.
4. The Plank
The core works hard when you ski, especially when changing direction or over rough terrain. Planks are a great way of targeting this area.
Lie on your front with the arms bend and elbows resting on the floor. Lift your hips so your weight is supported on your arms and toes only. and hold this position for 30-60 seconds. If you can!
Do 2-4 sets, 30-60 sec rest between sets.
Let’s Do This
So, there you have it, our introduction to some of the best exercises to start you on your fitness path to Get Fit to Ski this Winter, and we’ll be back soon with some more exercises to get your ready for for the tougher stuff.
Thank you @blackberryclinic, let the hard work begin…
