Excited about getting back on your skis this winter? After last year's non-season and the abrupt end to the season before, it's probably been quite a while since you last squeezed into your ski boots and did the chairlift shuffle.
To get the most of your holiday and avoid aching legs or worse, injury, make sure you are in tip top condition before you hit the slopes. You will find your technique and stamina improve, helping you to get in more runs and really enjoy your holiday.
Lots of people overlook this and regret it on the second day! Start preparing around 2 months before your trip and you’ll really notice the difference. Even just a few weeks will help though.
Here are some resources that we find very useful, from core strength to balance, cardio to flexibility, they give you an all-round approach to your training, and best of all you can do it from home for FREE. No excuses.
1 A very thorough article from the Daily Telegraph on the best exercises to do (and to avoid) when getting ready for your ski holiday, with everything from improving your stance to strength and cardio.
You Tube videos are a great way to get into a routine at home – here are some of our favourites to do before or after work:
2 Team GB skier Chemmy Alcott with a great 10-minute workout for those of us who haven’t hit the gym in a while, brilliant for those trying to build their endurance slowly:
Make sure you take lessons – even just one hour with an instructor at the start of your holiday is money well spent. We all get into bad habits and it’s a great way to keep them in check! (new skiers should take a course of lessons – don’t think you can skip this part, skiing is a complex, technical sport)
3 Fitness Blender 30 min ski conditioning workout – not for those who are starting from scratch, if you can’t make it through the entire video the first time build up to it!
4 Don’t forget flexibility, here is a great 10-minute stretching routine to add to your workout:
5 Now see how the freestylers do it…don’t try this at home!
If you have any tips or suggestions for getting ski fit we'd love to hear them in the comments below! Don't forget to check out our selection of ski holidays in Europe or contact us for inspiration.
