Get Ready for the Slopes with this Pre-Season Ski Workout
Skiing is a fantastic way to stay active and enjoy the winter season. However, if you haven’t stayed active throughout the year, it’s good to start with these pre-season workouts to get you nice and limber. A pre-season ski workout is designed to get your body ready to handle the demands of skiing, reduce the risk of injury, and improve your overall performance. Whether you’re a seasoned ski pro or new to the sport, here are some exercises and workouts that will help improve your strength, flexibility, and endurance, and get you ready to tackle the slopes with confidence.
Warmup
Before you start any workout, it’s important to warm up your muscles and joints to prevent any injuries. Start your workout routine with a 10-minute jog or brisk walk to get your heart rate up.
Jumping Jacks
Jumping jacks are a simple yet highly effective way to warm up your entire body. Do jumping jacks for about 30 seconds to elevate your heart rate and warm up the major muscle groups.
Lunges
Lunges are a great way to activate and stretch your legs before any lower body workout. Start by standing straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. Step forward with one leg and lower your hips until both knees are at a 90-degree angle. Ensure that your front knee is above your ankle and your back knee isn’t touching the floor. Return to the starting position and repeat with the other leg. Do about 10 lunges on each leg to get your legs ready for the workout ahead. Check out other lunge variations and how to keep proper form in this article.
Push-Ups
Push-ups are one of the most popular warm up and full-body exercises because they activate your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core muscles. Start with the classic push-up position, hands shoulder-width apart and creating a straight line from your head to your heels. Lower your body by bending your elbows, and then push back up. If a full push-up isn’t comfortable, try a modified version where you bend your knees. Do about 10-15 push-ups to warm-up your upper body.
Leg Swings
Leg swings are an excellent warm up exercise to increase flexibility in your hamstrings, quadriceps, and hip muscles. Start by standing straight and holding onto a wall or sturdy surface for support. Swing one leg forward and backward, keeping it straight, and then swing it side to side. Repeat this motion with the other leg for about 30 seconds.
Planks
Planks fire up your core muscles and improve your overall stability. Start in a push up position and lower yourself onto your forearms. Keep your back straight and hold the position for at least 30 seconds then lift yourself back up into a push up position. Repeat this twice for 30 seconds each to engage your core muscles, preparing you for the workout ahead.
A post workout stretch is as important as a pre-workout stretch. Stretching helps in maintaining flexibility, reducing muscle soreness, and injury prevention. Just remember that taking a few minutes to prepare your muscles and elevate your heart rate can make all the difference in your performance on the slopes and reducing your risk of injury.