Winter is coming!

In the fitness world that means ski season & total body toning workouts to burn calories and stay in shape over the winter months.

Let’s start off with a quick, simple yet effective ski circuit to improve strength, stamina, balance and core for hitting the slopes.

Strengthen the quadriceps (front leg muscles)
Exercise: Lunge Hold with core twist

Why do it? The quadricep (front of thigh) muscles work in two ways on the slopes, helping as you both bend and straighten the knees. The controlled lengthening of the quads from straight to bent is called eccentric training and is a fundamental and often neglected component of ski/snowboard training

Strengthen the Gluteal muscles (Bum muscles)
 Exercise: Glute bridges with resistance band

Why do it? The lateral hip muscles, in particular the gluteus medius (buttocks), are important because they’re not used in the same way in any other sports so are often weak.

Improve Propulsion
Exercise: Lateral jumps

 Why do it? Once you’ve built up strength, it’s time to move onto propulsive movements – being able to propel yourself into the air is particularly important for off-piste steeps and moguls.

 Try this drill: Jump sideways onto then off a step, starting with a low step and gradually making it higher, always making sure position is perfect of course.

Hit the cardio
 Exercise: Squat jumps with Split lunges

Why do it? If alignment is correct, the body works so efficiently you can get away with a lower level of heart and lung – aka cardiovascular – fitness. However, most of us of are still on the path to perfection, so training is still important – and interval training increases its efficiency because it puts maximum strain on the heart and lungs to make them fitter, and takes the least time.