Going skiing?
Be well prepared with our training tips

Elegantly winding your way down the slopes in winter puts your body under enormous strain. Skiers should therefore prepare themselves properly by doing some strength training beforehand.

Alpine skiing requires strong thighs, a strong core and strong glutes, as well as coordination and a good sense of balance. But how can you train all these areas properly if there’s no snow on the mountains yet? It’s best to get out into the fresh air! By doing so, you can supply your body with oxygen, boost your vitamin D levels from the sunlight and enjoy the relaxation that nature brings.

Ski gymnastics aren’t the only thing you can do to prepare for the slopes. Mountain biking and speed-walking with sticks are also ideal activities during the summer. Cycling exercises the legs just as much as skiing does. In addition, you can also practise going up and down slopes, which trains your coordination and reaction times. Nordic walking not only strengthens your legs but also the arms and helps cultivate your sense of balance. It is best to combine both outdoor sports with whole-body exercises, such as those from crossfit: burpees (a combination of a push-up and a star jump), squats, sit-ups or lunges strengthen the core and provide you with great stamina for the pistes.

Work out, year round
As long as the sun’s shining, all this will seem quite easy. But if you want to get off to a great start on your skiing holiday, you will need to maintain your fitness into the winter, too. Theoretically, you can still do that outdoors. As long as it’s not bitterly cold or very icy, there’s nothing stopping you from going for a run or getting the mountain bike out. If you don’t fancy doing outdoor sport once the autumn drizzle sets in, you can switch to indoor sports instead. Backstroke and crawl, for example, are great ways to strengthen the back. 1,000 metres per week are a good distance to help you prepare for the ski season. Prefer to work out in the gym? Then go for the extensors, flexors and rotators. The leg press will help provide stability for skiing.

Training on an uneven surface is also a good basis for training – for example, on a wobble board or trampoline. If you can hold a squat for 10 to 15 seconds on the trampoline, you will be preparing your thighs well for your carving turns. About eight weeks before you head towards the slopes, supplement your normal training programme with a few exercises at home: squats, the warrior III yoga pose and side planks will all help skiers later on when they hit the slopes.