Do you break out in a cold sweat if anyone mentions skiing fitness tips? Do you joints start to ache merely thinking about taking exercise before the skiing season begins?
If this is you then please read on, as however you despise the thought of it, fitness and skiing together like bread and butter. Being fitter will not only boost your confidence on the slopes but will also greatly improve your skiing ability and stamina.
Skiing is a very physical sport that requires strength, ability, balance and aptitude. Now, just because you are super fit does not necessarily mean that you will step into your skis and be an expert, but it will make a helluva difference to your enjoyment out on the slopes as if you do one run and are worn out, what is the point? So if you hate exercise and enjoy being unfit, a better sporting choice for you would be darts.
Whilst pre-skiing exercises are a must, there is no need to go and pump 90kg of iron or run 30 miles on a treadmill with lead weights strapped to your ankles. A regular, disciplined programme that includes both cardio and weights will ensure that when you do hit the slopes you will be in great shape both physically and mentally.
By working on increasing your aerobic capacity and weights to improve the strength in your stomach, calf and thighs muscles you are going to feel great when you fly down the piste. A great way to combine these is to run or power walk up and down hills, if you don’t live in an environment that allows you to do this, do your programme at the gym, and stick to the plan the instructor devises for you.
If you are getting aches in your thigh muscles after your runs, here is a tip from the great Jean Claud Killy that he used to do for 5 minutes every morning. He used to sit against a wall with his knees bent and his calves straight so they were at right angles to the thighs. Sit like this, with your arms crossed, every day in the month leading up to your ski trip, and you too can have strong thighs like the triple Olympic gold medallist.
To be honest, you should have some kind of exercise programme in place all year round, so you are not panicking a few weeks before the plane takes off and running the risk of injury by trying to do too much too quickly. Don’t neglect mental fitness either, you have to be seriously on the ball when you are skiing as you will be reaching high speeds and have to have your wits about you at all times.
Here is a tip that deals with mental fitness. As mentioned earlier, balance is essential when skiing, so fashion yourself a balance beam by placing a piece of wood between two strong supports. Start about a foot off the ground, and walk backwards and forwards until you can accomplish this easier. As your balance improves, raise the height and narrow the wood. After a couple of weeks you will have much better balance and mental stamina.
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