It’s the same every year – you book your ski or board holiday in the summer (or earlier for the super-organised) and make a mental to note to get fit for the ski season before you go.
It’s now the month before your holiday and you’ve done no exercise. You’ve also forgotten about how you walked like John Wayne after your first day on the slopes the previous time you went.
Don’t panic, you don’t need a personal trainer or dedicate 60 hours a week to exercise before you go. Just follow these three simple sets of exercises and you’ll be bounding out of bed on day two of your ski holiday!
We’ve all experienced leg ache after a hard day on the slopes, but why? It’s all about getting your muscles in good condition, so here’s a handy guide to which muscle groups you use when skiing or snowboarding:
Quads: the hardest working muscle. They keep you stable and protect your knees
Hamstrings and glutes: they stabilise your body whilst heading downhill
Calves: they’re under constant strain as your lower leg is mainly bent forward
Thighs: inner thighs keep your skis together; outer thighs help you steer and keep you stable
Abs & back: these keep you aligned and also protect your spine
You don’t need to join a gym in order to get fit, but if you think that will help and get you motivated, go for it.
The below exercises can be done in your front room and outside. The only kit you really need is some running shoes or a bike.
Start in a standing position with your feet shoulder width apart. Keeping a straight back and with outstretched arms, move your hips back so your bum sticks out.
Bend your knees and squat down slowly as far as you can. Come back up and repeat as many times as you can. Do this once a day and try and beat your previous days’ count each time. Add weights if it’s getting too easy.
Muscles worked: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, hips and core
This is a great full body workout and is good for cardio training too.
Start off in a good solid planking position, squeezing your glutes and pulling your shoulders away from your ears. Pull your left knee up to your chest and make sure you squeeze your abs to keep your body from sagging.
Now push your left leg back and quickly bring your right knee up to your chest and repeat. You want to use a running motion and always be aware to maintain a good body position. Keep going for a full minute if you can and repeat to do three sets.
Muscles worked: Quads, hamstrings, deltoids, biceps, triceps, chest, core, hip abductors and cardio
These exercises just accentuate one of our most common daily movements – walking.
Ensure you keep your upper body straight by engaging your coreand keep your shoulders back and relaxed. Lift your chin by staring at a point in front of you. Take a big step forward with one leg and lower your hips until both knees are bent at a 90-degree angle.
Your front knee should be directly above your ankle and your other knee just above the floor. Keep your weight in your heels as you push back up to the starting position. Repeat with the other leg and keep going to do as many as you can. Add weights if it’s getting too easy.
Muscles worked: Quads, glutes, hips, hamstrings, core and inner thigh
Working your most important muscle, the heart is key to endurance. It helps deliver vital oxygenated blood to your (newly toned) muscles to keep you going for longer in between hot chocolate stops.
Running is the easiest of all exercises as you just need a pair of running shoes and as bit of motivation. Start off easy if you haven’t done much running before. The Couch to 5k appis good as it gently builds you up over time.
Alternatively, get out on your bike. It’s lower impact exercise than running and is also good for your legs. Pick a nice circuit and gradually extend how far you go each time, taking in a few hills on the way. Just make sure you have a good stretch after both of these exercises.
Doing yoga doesn’t have to mean getting yourself into stretchy lycra (tricky enough) and contorting into impossible positions. Basic yoga is great for you as itstretchesyour muscles out.
You should always start off easy to warm your muscles up. Cold muscles can tear giving you an injury before you even hit the slopes.
Try these simple yoga moves to increase your flexibility…
Alternate arm and leg raises: helps your coordination and core strength
Planking: great for your core
Warrior: perfect for building strength in your thighs
Cat / cow pose (pictured): increases suppleness in your back and abs
So you've done the hard work in the weeks leading up to your holiday, now make sure you don't ruin it by not warming up properly before you ski or board.
Warming up before you ski or board is really important to help you get the most out of your day and avoid injury. Taking a yoga mat to the top of the mountain may be a step too far, but yoga is a great activity to do before, and on your holiday...
Take a look at more ski fitness exercises from our friends at Ski Club of Great Britain and The Telegraph.
Now get out there and get fit!
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