Question: What are you doing to prepare (physically) for ski season?

[marzNC]

I do credit my balance work for making my first day of skiing this season feel just like another day last year. Strength and fitness are great, but in a sport where we're literally sliding around, I think balance is a huge part of feeling comfortable.

I think working on 1-leg balance is one of the easiest ways to feel more confident on skis. From Tai Chi I've also learned the value of just shifting weight from one foot to the other, without even lifting the feet. When I'm waiting around, I often do 1-leg balance or weight shifting.

This video is one of two in the first blog entry I ever wrote about ski conditioning. During knee rehab, improving balance and proprioception was fundamental. Consistency is key. 5-10 min a day can make a big difference over 6-8 weeks.

 

[marzNC]

Hi !
I have a quick question, is swimming a good preparation for skiing? If so, which strokes are the best?
Thank you!

One aspect of swimming that is useful for ski conditioning is that swimming works the hamstrings. Strong hamstrings are good for providing support for knees.

 

[karrie lou]

Soooooo we've got two weeks left before we head over to the USA to ski.... AND we haven't quite trained as much as we planned. We trained SOME but no where near as much as we talked about. Life blah blah blah, excuses excuses excuses!

What can I do in two weeks? I can't run or do loads of walking as I'm preserving my dodgy ankle as much as possible. I do have an elliptical trainer thing and kettle bell weights and those stretchy rubber band strap things.

 

[marzNC]

For two weeks, you might work on core strength and flexibility. One of the stretch routines I like is by a UK chiropractor.

I have a few simple mat pilates videos in my personal fitness blog. Scroll down an look for list of labels in the right hand column.