Skiing, Snowboarding Training & Conditioning

We prepare you for the skii season with programs & conditioning tips that will help you prepare for a safe, healhty fantastic ski season.
Snowshoeing is a low-impact winter hiking activity that requires little more than snowshoes strapped onto your feet and adjustable trekking poles that can be helpful in deep snow.

The muscles you work are your hip flexors, glutes and hamstrings. They play a large role in moving the winter hiker uphill in deep snow. Snowboarding and alpine downhill skiing are typically less aerobic than backcountry skiing and snowshoeing but generally involve more strength to absorb impact and navigate steep downhill terrain.

Cross-country skiing (Nordic skate skiing) involves free-heel skiing with short, soft boots on long, thin skis lacking metal edges. Cross-country skiers often use groomed trails at ski resorts. This low-impact sport requires good balance and high endurance throughout all the major muscle groups. Backcountry telemark skiing (Nordic downhill skiing) involves free-heel skiing on metal-edged skis designed to accommodate steep, aggressive slopes. Telemark skiers add skins and use heel elevators to provide a comfortable resting position for backcountry climbing.

This type of skiing also includes high-altitude touring, requiring additional anaerobic conditioning and lower-body strength compared to cross-country skiing. Randonee (alpine touring, AT) gear is lighter than alpine downhill gear but heavier than telemark gear. The binding allows the heel to be free for climbing or for crossing flat land but locked in place for parallel turns. Such skis are suitable for rugged and steep backcountry terrain.

Cross-country skiing (Nordic skate skiing) involves free-heel skiing with short, soft boots on long, thin skis lacking metal edges. Cross-country skiers often use groomed trails at ski resorts. This low-impact sport requires good balance and high endurance throughout all the major muscle groups. Backcountry telemark skiing (Nordic downhill skiing) involves free-heel skiing on metal-edged skis designed to accommodate steep, aggressive slopes. Telemark skiers add skins and use heel elevators to provide a comfortable resting position for backcountry climbing.

Snow travel requires the large core and leg muscles to work in coordination with the muscles of the shoulders, upper back, and arms for extended duration in cold conditions.

All snow sports benefit from exercises that target the gluteals and hamstrings, upper back muscles, and core.

We prescribe Strength Exercises for all Snow Sports, snow shoeing, alpine skiing, cross country skiing, randonee skiing, telemark skiing, below are some samples...

Hamstring Exercises: Stiff-Leg Deadlifts for core and hamstring development
1-Leg Deadlifts to enhance balance
Lunge Variations for advanced exercises to challenge balance, gluteus maximus and quadriceps
1-Leg Bridges for unilateral development of hamstrings and glutes
Stability Ball Leg Curls for additional challenge to core, hamstrings and glutes

Floor-Assisted Pullups for upper back and core1-arm Rows
Reverse Corner Pushups for mid-back
Straight-arm Standing Lat Pull Down for double-pole technique
Shrugs to strengthen the trapezius for carrying a pack

Snow Sports: Stretching, Injury Prevention & Rehab

In skiing we utilise a full range of motion through the shoulders, hip flexors, and hamstrings . This enables high steps, awkward gait, double poling, skate skiing, ascents, and descents. Since some of these movements are not easily duplicated on dry land, a good stretching routine can help to prepare you for snow challenges as well as restore flexibility following a day of snow play.

Stretches for the hamstrings, abdominals, and lower back are especially useful for the double-pole technique, which generates forward movement from the arms and torso. For details about putting together a targeted stretching program, please email us as in all sports, we need to stretch particularly if you feel stiff and sore, as a low-intensity recovery workout can reduce muscle soreness and restore flexibility.

So whether you require a strength and conditioning program to get you in shape for skiing, or a stretching program we can help you and prepare you for the ski season.