Hitting the Slopes? These 7 Strength Moves Will Get You Ready for Ski Season

If you’re a winter outdoor adventurer, there’s a good chance that you’re looking forward to doing some skiing this season. The open air, smell of fresh snow, cutting through the powder on your skis…There’s nothing quite like it. 

Since skiing is more weather-dependent than some other sports, you may think there’s no way to train for your afternoons on the slopes. Think again. Not only is there a way, Peloton has an entire new Strength for Skiers Program. As Peloton instructor Irène Kaymer explains, strength training for skiing is crucial. Here, she shares why it’s important to train for skiing and shares her best ski workout strength training moves to do in advance of hitting the slopes. 

Why You Should Train for Skiing

To really understand why training for skiing is important, it helps to know what muscles skiing uses. Skiing engages the abs and entire lower body, including the quadriceps, hip flexors, and glutes, says Irène. She adds that skiing also works the back, something many people don’t realize until it's sore the next day. You know what else she says skiing works? Your arms. Yep, this winter sport is a full-body workout.

“Skiing is a combination of strength and endurance, and depending on your level of skiing there will also be elements of high intensity added on top,” Irène says. This means your ski workout leading up to ski season should include both strength training and endurance training. Additionally, Irène says it’s important to work on strengthening your abs too. “We definitely should think about strengthening the core, which is our powerhouse, to ensure a strong position no matter how steep or uneven slopes are,” she says.

Feeling overwhelmed? That’s where Peloton’s new Strength for Skiers program comes in. Unlike general strength training programs, Irène explains that the Peloton program was specifically created for skiers, taking into account the best ways to prepare them for that particular sport. “Doing a specific strength program, like the Strength for Skiers program, creates body and movement awareness around that sport and general physical preparedness,” she says. 

When training for ski season, Irène recommends two strength training sessions a week (one general strength training session and the other one geared toward skiing specifically), one weekly cardio workout that gets your heart rate up to between 140 and 150 beats per minute, one high-intensity interval training workout a week, and two weekly recovery sessions, focusing on mobility and flexibility.

Strength training for skiing will help you feel more confident on the slopes and help protect the body from injury. Instead of putting muscles to work that haven’t been used in a while, they will already be primed for the athleticism skiing requires, which will lead to less strain. But the benefits don’t start and stop on the slopes; you’ll find yourself moving better during other tasks too. “Once you move well and balance inside the gym, you are able to apply those methods into your everyday life. Our program Strength for Skiers does exactly that: Move well and balance off the mountain in order to apply strength for when you are on it,” Irène says. 

Below are more benefits of training for ski season.

You Won’t Be As Sore After a Day On the Slopes

Ever spent an afternoon skiing and could barely walk the next day? Going from zero to 100 can do that. But if you train in the months and weeks leading up to the skiing season, your muscles won’t be as shocked by the work you’ll be doing. It’s a way to minimize muscle fatigue, which is common in skiers after a day of skiing when muscles are not used to being engaged for a prolonged amount of time.

It Will Make You a Better Skier 

Scientific research shows that strength training in preparing for skiing can lead to better performance, particularly for cross-country skiing. Researchers found that skiers who prepped by strength training outperformed skiers who didn’t strength train. Endurance training is important too, researchers found. 

You’ll Feel More Balanced On Your Skis

As a skier, you know how important maintaining proper balance is while skiing. If you can’t balance on your skis, you’ll likely spend most of your time on your butt in the snow! PSA: Strength training improves balance. This is because it’s easier to balance when muscles are strong. Scientific research shows that adults who strength train experience less falls. You can count on this benefit translating to when you’re on your skis. 

It Helps Prevent Injury 

In 2022, the most recent year stats are available, more than 66,000 people experienced an injury due to skiing or snowboarding. The most common ski injuries include fractures, soft tissue injuries, bone dislocations, pulled muscles, and sprains—none of which are fun. Strength training for skiing can help decrease your chances of experiencing any of these types of injuries. 

As mentioned earlier, training off the slopes leads to less injury on the slopes. Scientific research backs this up showing that lower body strength training as well as balance training are both important parts of reducing the risk of injury while skiing. 

Strength training improves muscle performance, reduces injury and decreases pain one may experience if they skip strength training as a way to prepare for the skiing season. “Besides minimizing the risk of injuries and helping to recover faster, having a plan to get strong for the slopes pre-season always gets me even more excited about the upcoming season. It's like a little journey I am going on for my mind and body,” Irène says. With this in mind, you’re probably super motivated to start training for the slopes!    

Ski Workout: 7 Best Strength Moves for Skiing

Now that you know why training for ski season is important, let’s get into some specific moves that will prepare you for the slopes. Remember, skiing is a total body workout, so your strength training routine should reflect that. Irène recommends training for ski season at least four to six weeks in advance. “However, anything is better than nothing and every session you do pre-skiing will help you be a little more aware about how you move on the slopes,” she adds.

Here, Irène shares her seven favorite strength training moves for skiing.

1. Deadlifts

Deadlifts strengthen the core, glutes, and hamstrings—all key muscle groups used when skiing, as Irène pointed out. By strengthening your core through this exercise, you’ll have an easier time maintaining proper balance while on your skis. 

1. Stand with your feet hip-distance apart. Hold one dumbbell in each hand, with your palms facing toward your body.

2. Hinge forward from the hips and bend your knees so that the dumbbells are grazing the shins.

3. Stand up while holding the weights. Your back should remain straight the entire time. Pause at the top and then repeat the move. Do two sets of 15 reps.

2. Squats

It shouldn’t be a surprise that Irène recommends doing squats as part of a ski workout; you’re essentially doing a squat the whole time you glide down a slope. Squats build strength in the glutes, hamstrings, and quads, so if you want more power on the slopes, squats will get you there. You can make this move more challenging by holding a dumbbell in each hand as you do it.

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with your toes pointed slightly out.

2. Bend your knees and hips to lower your body down while engaging your core muscles and keeping your back straight until your thighs are parallel with the ground or lower.

3. Push back through your heels to stand back up. Do two sets of 15 reps.

3. Lunges 

Lunges improve the range of motion in the lower body while strengthening the core, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps. You’ll be glad you did lunges in preparation for the slopes as you take deep steps through the snow. You can make this move more challenging by holding a dumbbell to your chest as you do the move.

1. Stand up straight. Step forward with your right foot, bending both knees to 90 degrees until your thigh is parallel to the floor. Keep your core engaged.

2. Squeeze your glutes and return to the starting position. Step forward with the left leg and repeat the move. Do two sets of 15 reps.

4. Windmill 

“This exercise helps teach our body to work with a one-sided load in rotational phases, getting our spines ready for all those shifting, turning moves on the slopes,” Irène says. This full-body exercise helps train muscles to be more flexible as they move in different directions.

1. Stand with your feet hip-width distance apart.

2. Raise one arm overhead. Slide your other arm down your leg on the same side. Keep your eyes focused on the arm that is raised.

3. Come back to the starting position. Now, repeat on the other side, raising the other arm over head and the opposite arm down the leg on the same side. Do two sets of 15 reps.

5. Woodchop

The woodchop is another strength training for skiing exercise move Irène recommends because it forces the body to work in one-sided load rotational phases.  

1. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and hold a dumbbell with both hands.

2. Raise the dumbbell over your right shoulder by rotating your torso to the right.

3. Now, twist your torso to the left and bring the dumbbell diagonally across your body until it’s next to your left hip. Do 15 reps. Then switch sides.

6. Broad Jump

Irène likes broad jumps because they mimic what happens on the slopes. This exercise move strengthens the hip flexors, hamstrings, and calves. They take power, coordination, and strength—all skills needed while skiing.

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width distance apart. 

2. Squat down until your thighs are parallel with the floor.

3. Swing your arms to create momentum and push through your feet to move yourself forward. Land in a squat position, bending your knees. Stand back up. Do two rounds of 15 reps.

7. Russian Twist

The core work skiing takes can’t be emphasized enough. It’s why Irène recommends Russian twists. This move improves core strength, stability, and rotational power—all important for skiers. 

1. Sit on the floor with your knees bent.

2. Lean back slightly, engaging your core as you do so. Bring your hands to your chest. You can make this move harder by holding a weight against your chest. 

3. Lift your feet off the floor. Twist your torso to the right, bringing your shoulders to shift to the right. Lower your hands toward your right hip on the floor.

4. Bring your torso back to the facing center. Repeat the move, this time twisting to the left. Do 30 reps.

Takeaway

Skiing takes strength, endurance, mobility and balance. It’s a total body workout. To stay safe on the slopes this winter and minimize day-after soreness, prepping for ski season is key. Irène emphasizes that training for ski season is a great way to improve your mobility and get to know your body better, including any weaknesses you should focus more on improving. For some people, that may mean extra ab work. For others, it may mean focusing more on moves that improve balance.

“Strength helps all of us for everyday life and the more ‘extreme’ the sport is we like to do, the more focus would I place on strength training. Skiing is for many of us a seasonal sport, meaning our bodies are being put through extremes,” Irène says. “Physical preparedness will always help put our mind at ease and really enjoy what we are doing.”

With that in mind, start getting ready for ski season now. That way, you’ll be ready for the slopes!