Do you struggle with shaky weak legs while skiing or are your legs rock solid and last all day long with no injuries? I'll show you in this article why most skiing fitness programs are setting you up for failure and possibly even injuries by doing the wrong exercises and ineffective routines.
Every time I see a website recommending a fitness routine for skiers or read an article about ski fitness in a skiing magazine I'm often shocked when I see some of the horrendous exercises that are recommended! Isn't the goal of an effective ski fitness conditioning routine to reduce your risk of injury while also building strength and endurance in your legs, back, and core?
Yes, of course that's the goal... don't we all want to eat up the slopes all day long, avoid the "jello legs" that might cut our day of skiing short, and also prevent those dreaded injuries that might even cut our season short.
The major problem I have seen with typical exercise routines that are being recommended for skiers are that they not only use ineffective exercises that do not carry over that well to skiing, but also may even be increasing your chances for injuries. For example, if you have seen exercise routines that recommend leg presses, leg extensions, and leg curls, please run away as fast as you can! Those types of exercises will only set you up for injury, and they are not even that effective for training your legs for skiing (poor carry over to skiing movements).
The same can be said if you see publications that recommend smith machine squats or any smith machine exercises for that matter... they should all be avoided as smith machine movements follow unnatural movement patterns (not bio-mechanically correct) that can create excess stress on the back and possible injuries there or in your knees.
How about those wall squats (aka "wall sits") that everyone recommends? Well, although almost every skiing exercise program in existance seems to recommend this exercise, I don't find it to be optimal for skiers. I will say that it is a step in the right direction compared to the machine exercises that I mentioned in the previous paragraphs. However, wall sits are still not a truly effective exercise that carries over directly to strength and endurance throughout the entire range of motion for the legs during skiing. This exercise can be mildly effective since even an isometric exercise held for endurance in one joint angle will still carry over to a slightly wider range of motion, but I actually have at more than 10-15 other exercises that are MUCH more effective than wall sits.
One of the other big problems that I have found with traditional skier exercise programs are that they often neglect achieving a proper joint strength balance (proper strength ratios between hamstrings, quadriceps, etc). Although skiing typically works your quadriceps harder than your hamstrings and glutes, it is still extremely important for injury prevention to maintain proper strength ratios between all of the muscle groups of the lower body and also make sure the small stabilizer muscles around the joints are properly strengthened. This is yet another major factor that is lacking in most ski conditioning fitness routines.
You'll see in the site below that I recommend about a dozen or more extremely effective exercises if you truly want rock solid legs that will last all day long on the slopes and even reduce your risk of injury.
Learn how to do the most effective exercises on the planet for strong enduring skier legs at Best Ski Fitness Exercises, Skiing Workout and get your legs in the best shape of your life this year.
Michael Geary is a Certified Nutrition Specialist & Certified Personal Trainer and the Author of the internationally popular ski fitness program for skiers that are serious about their fitness - Avalanche Ski Training, Your Guide to Carving Down the Mountain with the Power of an Avalanche.
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