Ski season is here! President’s Day is approaching fast, signaling a mass exodus from the city toward the mountains.
While you won’t be able to make significant strength gains before you hit the slopes, you can focus on some ski-specific moves to improve your proprioception — your sixth sense about how to control your body in space — and get your body ready for the demands of time on the mountain. There’s nothing worse than being so sore after day one that you can’t hang on day two. Or worse, you wind up hurting yourself.
Skiing isn’t exactly like riding a bike. Even though the muscle memory is there for how to do it, it’s extremely taxing on the body. In downhill skiing, you’re holding a dynamic squat for an extended period, on uneven terrain. That takes a toll on everyone. Developing some fundamental ski-specific strength will translate to better performance on the mountain. Here are three key exercises you can do at home to help ensure your last run is as smooth as your first.
These help build plyo strength with rotation. Change of direction drills should definitely be part of your pre-ski training. If you’re weaker on one side, go that way twice as often as your dominant side. It’ll help strengthen that leg when it’s on the down mountain side. Watch our demo.
Single Leg Deadlift with Kettlebell Hand-Off
Works full body stability, improves alignment and activates the entire lower body from the feet and ankles to the glutes, hamstrings and hips. Training your feet and ankles will not only solve many of your low back and hip issues, but it's key prep for mountain sports requiring your feet and shins to be pressed into snug boots for hours each day. Check out our demo.
These ”monster walks” mimic the contraction of muscles you'll demand of your body a jillion or so times during a ski trip. Your abductors, glutes and quads will be glad you prepped with these. Watch us do them.
In addition, make it a habit to stretch aprés before any other type of aprés activity.
Watch this simple stretching routine from Dr. Josh to hit all the major areas — ankles, calves, hip flexors and quads — here.
Need help sorting out the best training you should be doing? Already know that your turns to the right are a lot weaker than your turns to the left? We can work on that. Come in for a movement analysis and let’s address those imbalances!
Rip it up out there!
Team Clutch PT
For quick reference, click on each exercise below to watch our demos: