With a ski trip coming up, and full of inspiration from the winter Olympics, I’ve spent quite a bit of time researching the different training schedules of the top downhill skiers. As you’d expect, most of the training is done on the slopes, but there’s also a considerable amount of dry land training that focuses on building strength, speed and agility. As Chemmy Alcott, Britain’s number one female Alpine skier, says, “It takes a lot to race down a mountain at 90mph…”

Leg strength and endurance is obviously essential, and a variety of squats, lunges and lifts are used to develop the muscles of lower body. Julia Mancuso, US Alpine racer, takes this to the next level however. She doesn’t just do regular squats; she does tuck squats whilst standing on a gym ball, now that’s talented!

Balance and core strength are vital components of the off-piste training programme as they enable the skier to hold good form on the slopes. This is where the plank, side plank and back extension exercises come in. Top skiers also use wobble boards, medicine balls and gyms balls to create additional instability challenges that attempt to mimic what they do on the snow. To take this to the extreme, Lindsey Vonn, US Alpine racer, balances on a tightrope in a tuck position while throwing a medicine ball at different angles against a wall – don’t practice this at home!

Explosive and controlled power is fundamental, and off the slopes this can be practised by doing a range of dynamic jumping drills. I think the most challenging example of control I’ve seen so far is Ted Ligety, US Alpine racer, jumping from a trampoline and landing on top of a gym ball in the tuck position!

Stamina and endurance are also vital, and most top alpine skiers improve their lower body potency by doing leg-punishing hill running or cycling Tour de France style. For something a little more fun, try doing what Bode Miller, another US Alpine racer, reportedly does and push a wheelbarrow full of your friends up a steep hill!

Whatever level skier you are, working on your total body fitness prior to your ski trip will improve your overall skiing technique, enjoyment and will help to prevent injuries. Try to avoid boring gym workouts though, and don’t forget that skiing is all about having fearless fun!

Happy Skiing!

Heather

To get the most out of your ski trip, you should get your body into shape well before you hit the slopes. Ski-specific fitness training will help you to ski harder, faster, and injury-free. You'll also have more energy to party in the evening!

Feel the Burn!

You should focus on exercises that simulate the moves you'll be making on the slopes. For example, start to build-up your "crouch endurance" by getting into your ski tuck position and holding it for several minutes.

Work your thighs by holding a squat position with your back flat against a wall. Build up the time
you can endure in this position and/or hold weights in your hands to increase the intensity. Once you've mastered this, try lifting one heel up at at time, putting more weight on the other leg (similar to turning on the slopes).

Try placing a skipping rope on the floor and jump sideways over it with your feet fairly close together (as if you had skis on). Start with several sets of 30 to 40 seconds and gradually add time on to increase your endurance. Up the intensity by doing this in a crouch position!

Endurance & Stamina

A great way to work the whole body whilst also increasing your stamina and endurance for skiing is circuit training. The three key areas to focus on are cardiovascular fitness, lower body strength training and core stability.

Perform 1 minute of each of the following exercises, then rest and move onto the next one. Each week, reduce your rest period until you just have enough time to sip some water in between exercises. Building
up your endurance in this way will help you to recover quicker in between challenging ski runs.

Always warm-up before you start, and finish with a cool down and stretches.

Cardiovascular Fitness

• Jogging on the spot, skipping, step-ups, jumping jacks, squat thrusts etc

Muscular Strength and Power

• Squats (include some challenging variations such as one-legged squats, plié squats, narrow squats, half squats, squat calf raises, squat kicks etc.)
• Lunges (include some challenging variations such as skater lunges, lunges with knee lifts, lunges with back leg raised, walking lunges, half lunges etc).
• Calf-raises. Try doing these on a step and/or on one leg.

Increase the intensity of any of the above by holding dumbbells.

Core Strength, Agility and Balance

• Crunches, reverse curls and back extensions to target your core muscles
• Holding the plank position to increase your core stability. Try different variations on this including plank walking, reverse planks, side planks etc.
• Exercises using stability balls, medicine balls and wobble boards to develop your balance and agility

Improving Your Overall Fitness

Aerobic endurance activities such as running, cycling and hill walking should also be included into your fitness plan. As with all of the above, you should try to increase the intensity and duration of these activities over the weeks leading up to your trip.