The Ultimate Workout To Prepare You For Ski Season / A Ski Trip

For those who embrace the winter cold and love to hit the slopes, having a strong foundation and core is key. When those legs fatigue or ankles and shins start to burn, there's not much you can do to feel better and continue down the mountain.

But with some simple moves and stretches practiced each day leading up to your ski trip, you can notice a wide range of benefits to your snow game!

Read on for five Pilates-based exercises that can help you build up core strength and improve your balance, control and mobility on and off the slopes. These tips can be done from home and shouldn't take more than a few minutes each day!

1) Superman - ​improves balance, develops stability and core strength

Aim to keep your torso and shoulders completely stable, connecting your sternum to your spine. 

1. Kneel with hands under shoulders and knees under hips, and inhale through your nose.
2. Exhale out your mouth reach your right arm forward and your left leg back, lengthening in opposition, maintaining a neutral pelvis and spine. Co-Contract your core and spinal muscles to help you balance. 
3. Inhale and slowly lower the arm and leg down and repeat on the other side.
   
4. Repeat 5 times each side. 

Photo: Pinterest

2) Criss Cross - ​develops core strength, control and spinal mobility

This total body mat Pilates exercise strengthens your trunk, spine and aids in patellar tracking– which means you stay upright and can fight a wipe out, and regain control of those sticks or board attached to your feet. 

1. Lie on your back with a neutral spine (space under low back, sacrum weighted). Co-contract abs and spinal muscles, draw your legs in towards you with your knees bent and shins parallel to the floor. 
2. Interlace your fingers together and rest your pinkies at the base of your skull, draw your elbows slightly in and nod your chin to float your head and shoulders off the mat. The movement should come from your thoracic spine flexing forward softening your sternum to allow your abdominals to curl you up. 
3. Exhale and bring your left leg in and your right armpit toward each other rotating through your ribcage. Then rotate your spine to switch.
   
4. Repeat x 10 changing sides. ​

Photo: cimformacion.com

3) Leg Circles and Hamstring Stretch - ​for flexibility of your hammies and mobility of your hips

Creating length in the leg muscles is very important – you’ll be working your quads and hamstrings all day on the slopes. 

1. Lie on your back with a neutral spine and both legs bent. Loop a resistance band, scarf or belt around one foot and straighten the leg towards the ceiling until you feel a gentle stretch in your hamstring. 
2. Take a deep breath to increase the stretch by slowly bringing your leg in towards you, aiming for a 90 degree angle to your body. 
3. Exhale and circle the leg around like you are unplugging Barbi’s leg and arrive at the top increasing the hamstring stretch.
   
4. Repeat with both legs - hold at the top on each side breathing into the stretch. ​

Photo: northernspinal.com.au

4) Seated Spinal Rotation - ​spinal mobility

This exercise helps rotate your torso while keeping the hips stable – a key to smooth skiing and boarding. 

1. Sit with your knees bent and feet drawn to one side, lengthen up through your spine 
2. Exhale and rotate to your left placing your right hand on the outside of your thigh and left palm on the floor. 
3. Inhale and grow taller; increase the rotation.
   
4. Exhale and return to the center.
5. Inhale and rotate to the right, placing your left hand on the outside of your thigh and left palm on the floor.
6. Inhale, grow taller and increase the rotation.
7. Exhale return to the center.
   
8. Repeat sequence 5x. ​

5) Leg Pull Front Support - core strength and ankle mobility

This exercise will help build your core strength, scapula stability and improve balance while working ankle flexion. Strong core muscles are required to support your back and pelvis in snowsports. Scapula stability improves your ability to drive forward with ski poles. 

1. Place your hands underneath your shoulders and one leg at a time out to a plank. Balance on the balls of your feet. 
2. Co-contract abdominals and spinal muscles and feel your shoulder blades (scapula) connected down your spine draping like a cape and spread your fingers wide to stay out of your wrists. 
3. Strike a match with your toes to extend from the hip to lift the leg off the mat. Flex the ankle and return the toes to the mat.
   
4. Repeat with the other leg. Repeat 4x each side. Or hold a plank and take 8-10 deep breaths. ​ ​

Find the power transfer from your core to your board or skis. Pilates will help improve your edging and make you carve like the athlete you are leaning in with skill and confidence! Train like an athlete and do Pilates! ​​​