You may have more options for outdoor activities during the summer, but nothing will wear you out like skiing and snowboarding.
The act of simply being on your feet and balancing back and forth while making turns all day is enough to have most people needing a rest day afterwards, but if you’re lucky enough to be riding through powder or are skiing at high altitudes then you may find yourself taking a breather at the end of every run. To help you spend more time riding instead of catching your breath this year, the ASO Mammoth team has put together a basic guide to getting in shape for the ski season. Check it out and find what exercises work best for you!
Hiking
The most common exercises focus on muscles used for lifting, but the muscles you need to tone for skiing and snowboarding are used to provide balance and stability. These stabilizing muscles are most common in your core and your legs, making hiking the perfect exercise to prepare for winter.
Hiking will not only allow you to explore the beautiful mountains you’ll be riding down in the winter, but it will work your legs and core muscles where all the movement needed for skiing and snowboarding emanates from. Plus, if you have tall mountains near you then you can get an extra benefit from hiking by getting experience exercising in thinner air as you will on many ski mountains.
Yoga
Hiking is a great experience that works several muscles over a long period of time, but if you’re looking to target specific muscles then yoga is a great option.
Not only does yoga allow you to work specific muscles and joints like your hips and core, but it’s also a great method for recovering from an injury or building up strength in order to move on to more strenuous exercise. For example, lunges will open up and strengthen your hips and the warrior pose will strengthen your legs, hips and shoulders. Once you know which poses you like, you can also use them to stretch before you step onto the mountain and increase your odds of avoiding injury!
Legs
One of the most obvious places to start your preseason exercise is your legs, but simply walking around your office won’t do.
As mentioned, hiking is a great way to work your legs, but you can also strengthen your legs by doing home exercises like squats. Whether you create a daily routine or just do squats during the commercials of your favorite show, a set of squats every day is sure to strengthen your legs and ultimately give you more control on the mountain. You can also use variations of the squat, such as the jump squat, to challenge yourself even further. Lastly, step ups are another great exercise that will build endurance as well as leg strength needed for a long day on the mountain.
Core
The core is one of the most important areas to work out because it is where most of your balance and movement comes from. Traditional crunches and sit ups may be the most accessible core exercises, but they’re not always the most effective or the best for your long-term health.
Planks are a great exercise for skiers and snowboarders because they force you to engage and tighten most of your core through a method many people can master within a few tries. Russian twists may take a little more practice to perfect, but they also work your core exclusively while also mimicking the turns you use your core to make on the mountain.