Skiing and snowboarding require power, endurance, balance, and flexibility, making pre-season preparation essential. Whether you’re carving up the slopes in Australia or NZ, a crafted skiing & snowboarding workout with essential exercises will help ensure you enjoy your time on the slopes. Here are our 6 essential exercise tips to help you train your body for peak performance when you are on the snow.
Skiing and snowboarding both demand strength, balance, flexibility, and cardiovascular fitness, making pre-season training essential. Exercise preparation is crucial for skiing or snowboarding because it enhances performance, reduces injury risk, and improves endurance on the slopes.
Here’s our 6-step exercise plan to help you get the most out of your trip.
1. Build Lower-Body Strength
Strong legs stabilise turns, absorb impact, and prevent knee injuries. Exercise focus should include:
- Squats & Lunges – Mimic ski movements and strengthen quads, hamstrings, and glutes
- Step-ups – Train unilateral leg strength for better balance
- Romanian Deadlifts – Enhance hamstring strength, preventing strains
2. Core Stability for Control on the Slopes
A strong core improves balance, stability, and posture in skiing and snowboarding. Your exercise program should incorporate:
- Planks – Engage deep core muscles to support your spine
- Russian Twists – Strengthen obliques for better edge control when carving
- Medicine Ball Rotations – Improve rotational strength for snowboarders making sharp turns
3. Improve Balance & Agility
Balance training enhances control in unpredictable terrain. We suggest you incorporate:
- BOSU Ball Squats – Challenge stability, simulating ski movements
- Single-Leg Hops – Strengthen ankle stability for landing jumps
- Lateral Bounds – Improve agility for quick turns and maneuvering moguls
4. Cardiovascular Conditioning for Stamina
Long ski days demand high endurance. To boost your cardio fitness to get the most out of each day on the slopes, include:
- Cycling or Stair Climbing – Strengthen legs while increasing cardiovascular endurance
- Interval Training – Simulates ski bursts with intense effort followed by short recovery
5. Flexibility & Mobility Work
Prevent stiffness and improve fluid movements with:
- Dynamic Stretching – Leg swings, arm circles before hitting the slopes.
- Yoga for Skiers – Builds flexibility while improving recovery.
6. Injury Prevention Strategies
At PROHEALTH PHYSIO & FITNESS (EP), we help clients strengthen weak areas to help ensure you are safer and stronger. A physiotherapy assessment identifies imbalances, improves mobility, and reduces injury risks.
Hit the Slopes Feeling Strong!
Prepare your body with targeted ski & snowboard exercises, and you’ll ride longer, perform better, and stay injury-free.
For personalised snow-season training, visit Lane Cove’s PROHEALTH PHYSIO & FITNESS (EP) – your partner in ski conditioning and recovery!