8 Best Gym Exercises for Skiing

8 Best Gym Exercises for Skiing: Get in Shape for the Slopes

Over the past twelve years in my profession as a personal trainer, many clients have asked for my help training for specific sports and activities.

Today I am answering the question what are the best exercises for skiing?

The best exercises for skiing include the leg press, sissy squats, walking lunges, Bulgarian split squats, Romanian deadlifts and the SkiErg.

In this article I have compiled a list of the best gym exercises to ensure you dominate the mountain and make the most of your skiing adventure.

Skiing for four or five consecutive days can be physically demanding, even for those who exercise regularly.

Whether you’re an experienced gym goer or a complete beginner to resistance training, it’s time to shift gears and focus on getting your legs ready for the exhilarating experience of skiing.

Skiing is a full-body workout, but it predominantly targets the lower body.

The key muscles used in skiing include the arms, hips, hamstrings, quadriceps, glutes, calves, and abdominal muscles.

Therefore, it is important to focus on strengthening your lower body, particularly during the eccentric (lengthening/lowering) phase of each exercise.

Most sports demand mainly concentric muscular contractions whereas skiing requires a lot of eccentric contractions.

Eccentric contractions occur when the muscle lengthens as it contracts, whilst concentric contractions cause the muscle to shorten as it contracts.

By incorporating the exercises in this article into your fitness routine, you’ll be well-prepared to tackle the slopes and enjoy an unforgettable skiing experience whilst maintaining your strength and endurance throughout your trip.

1. Leg Press

Out of all the exercises you can do, the leg press is arguably the most impactful.

The value of the leg press lies in its ability to target specific areas of the body. Primarily, the leg press focuses on the quadriceps (front thighs) and gluteus maximus (buttocks) – the two largest and strongest muscles in the human body.

These muscle groups are not only important for skiing but also play a crucial role in overall everyday physical functioning.

Additionally, the leg press engages secondary muscle groups such as the hamstrings and calves.

Here are the key benefits of regularly performing the leg press, supported by research (Rhodes et al., 2000; Zampieri et al., 2015):

Increased strength in the gluteal and quadriceps muscles.
Improved physical appearance of the thighs and buttocks, resulting in shapelier contours from both front and side views.
Strengthened bones in the hips and lower back.
Enhanced functional ability, making daily activities such as standing, climbing stairs, and walking easier as the thighs and hips become stronger.
Improved balance, as the thighs and hips gain strength, leading to better stability and coordination.

Now, let’s explore the proper technique for performing the leg press to ensure safety and effectiveness:

Select an appropriate weight: Start with a weight that falls within a 6-8 difficulty range on a scale of 1-10 (10 being impossible). Adjust the weight until you find the desired difficulty level.
Push through your heels: Focus the majority of your effort through your heels. Initiate the leg press by exerting pressure through your heels to move the weight. Maintain this focus on your heels throughout the exercise, ensuring that your heels never leave the footplate.
Control your pace: Move the weight in a slow and controlled manner, both during the lifting and lowering phases. This deliberate and consistent pace reduces joint stress and makes the exercise safer.
Avoid fully straightening your knees: When pushing the weight, stop just before your knees fully straighten. Instead, reverse direction and lower the weight slowly. This precaution is essential for safety, as fully straightened knees can potentially lead to hyperextension and injury.

2. Sissy Squats

The sissy squat exercise is highly effective in isolating the quadriceps, providing nearly 100% focus on this muscle group while minimising stress on other areas such as the knee joints.

This makes it a safer alternative to traditional squats and leg extensions, particularly for athletes recovering from specific injuries like back strain.

Sissy squats primarily target the quadriceps, but they also engage the hip flexors, core muscles, and contribute to improved balance.

Using a sissy squat machine provides stability, allowing you to lean back securely without compromising your posture.

To perform a sissy squat exercise, follow these simple steps:

Step onto the sissy squat machine and adjust it to suit your needs, ensuring that your feet are firmly secured in position.
Lower yourself into a squatting position while maintaining tension in your thighs. Keep your back straight and core engaged.
Return to the starting position by extending your knees and lifting your body back up.
Repeat these steps for your desired number of repetitions, focusing on maintaining proper form and control throughout the exercise.

Incorporating sissy squats into your workout routine can be extremely beneficial for your skiing by helping you to develop stronger quadriceps, improve hip flexibility, strengthen your core, and enhance your overall balance.

Using this exercise has proved extremely beneficial to some of my clients who are regular skiers.

Remember to start with an appropriate weight or resistance level and gradually increase intensity as you become more comfortable with the exercise.

3. Barbell Walking Lunges

A barbell lunge is a highly effective compound exercise that engages multiple muscle groups simultaneously.

Barbell lunges are also unilateral movements that promote full-body coordination which is extremely beneficial for the time you spend on the slopes.

By adding weight through a barbell, the tension placed on the muscles increases, leading to strength development in the lower body. It is recommended to initially perform lunges using only body weight to master the movement.

Once you have established the proper form, gradually introduce the use of a barbell for added resistance.

Walking barbell lunges strengthen the legs and glutes. Strong glutes contribute to power output, back pain prevention, and enhanced speed.

In addition, walking barbell lunges improve stability, coordination, and balance which are vital for both skiing and everyday activities.

To perform a sissy squat exercise, follow these simple steps:

Stand upright with feet hip-width apart and maintain a tall chest.
Hold the barbell and load it with an appropriate weight, positioning it on your rear deltoids.
Step forward with your left foot, then step back with your right foot until you are in a lunge position.
Keep your right knee hovering just above the ground and ensure your left knee does not extend beyond your left ankle.
Shift your weight onto your left heel and drive upwards to return to the starting position.
Repeat steps 1-5 for the desired number of repetitions and sets, then switch legs to maintain balance.

4. Bulgarian Split Squats

The Bulgarian split squat is an excellent variation of the single-leg squat, where the back leg is elevated on a bench or sturdy chair.

This exercise specifically targets the quadriceps and glutes.

Bulgarian split squats require a significant amount of balance and coordination, resulting in increased engagement of the core and upper body to maintain proper form.

As a compound exercise for the lower body, incorporating Bulgarian split squats into your workout routine can greatly enhance lower-body strength or serve as a valuable addition to a total-body workout.

Here’s how to perform a Bulgarian split squat:

Stand approximately two feet in front of a sturdy bench or chair with your feet hip-distance apart. Engage your core, pull your shoulders back, and keep your chest and eyes facing forward.
Lift your right foot and place it on the bench behind you. You can choose between two options: either rest the top of your foot on the bench with your ankle aligned roughly with the edge, or flex your ankle and find balance on the ball of your foot and toes, similar to a traditional lunge.
Engage your core, keep your chest high, and your eyes forward. Bend your left knee, allowing your right knee and ankle to naturally bend as you descend without relying on the back leg for support.
Inhale during the downward phase, descending until your left quadriceps is approximately parallel to the ground.
Rise back to a standing position by pushing through your left foot, utilising your left quadriceps and glute muscles. Exhale as you return to standing.
After completing a full set on one side, step your right foot off the bench or chair. Maintain balance by performing an equal number of repetitions and sets on each side.

5. Romanian Deadlifts

Romanian deadlifts (RDLs) offer various benefits, including reducing the risk of back injury.

This exercise effectively targets the entire posterior chain, from the calves, hamstrings and glutes up to the lats and especially the lower back.

By engaging the posterior chain muscles, RDLs help strengthen the core and protect the lower back.

They also provide conditioning for the abdominal muscles, even more so than specific abdominal exercises.

While RDLs are slightly more advanced and may take some practice to master, they are highly effective for developing lower back, glute, and hamstring strength.

Here’s how to perform the Romanian deadlift correctly:

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and maintain an upright posture. Grasp a loaded barbell, allowing it to rest against the front of your thighs. Position your hands slightly wider than your thighs.
Begin the movement by pushing your hips back and slightly bending your knees at around a 15-degree angle. As you lower the weight, keep the barbell close to your legs, chest up whilst hingeing at the hips, and maintaining a straight back. Keep your core engaged and tight throughout the exercise.
Lower the weight until you feel a slight stretch in your hamstrings, typically just past the knees. Throughout this descent, maintain an upright torso, keep your arms straight, and round your shoulders slightly while drawing your shoulder blades back toward your spine.
To complete the movement, drive your hips forward and use your hamstrings to push the weight back up to a standing position. Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions.

6. Ab Crunch Machine

Consistently incorporating the ab crunch machine into your workout routine can strengthen your abs and obliques, potentially enhancing their aesthetic appearance.

However, it’s important to note that visible abs are primarily a result of having a low body fat percentage.

The lower your body fat levels, the more likely you are to see the definition in your abdominal muscles.

Reducing body fat is mainly achieved through positive dietary changes, including maintaining a calorie deficit, consuming a high-protein diet, and engaging in consistent resistance training… but that’s a whole article by itself for another day!

Regardless of whether your goal is a toned stomach, having a strong core can greatly benefit your skiing performance.

The rectus abdominals, also known as abs, play a crucial role in respiration and childbirth, making them functionally significant muscles. Additionally, they contribute to stabilisation, which is particularly advantageous on the slopes.

When performing the ab crunch, paying attention to proper form is essential to avoid straining the lower back.

Follow these straightforward steps:

Choose a light resistance level and sit on the ab machine.
Place your triceps on the pads.
Grasp the top handles with your arms bent at a 90-degree angle.
Crunch your upper torso downwards.
Exhale as you perform the movement and focus on using your abs.
Maintain a slow and controlled motion.
Pause for a second at the top of the movement.
Slowly return to the starting position while inhaling.
Pause for a second at the bottom of the movement before repeating the exercise for the recommended number of repetitions.

7. V Squats

The V Squat machine is a plate-loadable piece of gym equipment that enables you to perform squat movements with less pressure on the lower back compared to barbell squats.

The V squat machine is an excellent tool for targeting all the leg muscles. By adjusting your foot placement on the foot plate, you can specifically target different leg muscles and vary the intensity of the exercise.

One of the advantages of using the V squat machine is the reduced risk of lower back and knee injuries compared to barbell squats.

The back pad provides support, reducing the strain on the lower back, while the fixed plane of motion promotes better form and decreases the activation of core and stabiliser muscles.

By performing the exercise correctly on the V squat machine, you can effectively strengthen your legs while minimising the risk of injuries and ensuring proper form throughout the movement.

Here’s how to perform a V squat:

Step up onto the platform. Place your feet approximately shoulder width apart and put a small bend at your knees. Position your shoulders under the machine’s pads.
Use your hands to grab the Hammer Strength Machine handles located at shoulder height. Ensure a secure grip.
Exhale and stand up with the weight. Pull out the handle used to hold the weight in position.
Inhale and hinge at your hips, moving them back and bending your knees. Lower your body until the crease of your hip is in line with your knees.
Drive your heels into the ground, raising your body back up to the starting position.

8. SkiErg

Whilst not a resistance training exercise as such, SkiErgs can be found in most commercial gyms and are a valuable addition to your ski training.

The SkiErg machine originated from Nordic cross-country skiing, hence the ‘ski’ in its name.

The term ‘Erg’ stands for ergometer, a device used to measure the work exerted. Pro skiers used this device in the past to track their performance data and improve for future competitions.

While cardio endurance is the primary benefit, SkiErg machines also simulate the motion of skiing.

Here’s how to use a SkiErg:

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands slightly above your head, gripping the two handles of the SkiErg. Keep your arms bent.
Engage your core muscles and pull the handles downward, simultaneously bending your knees and pushing your hips back. Maintain a bend in your arms to keep the handles close to your face.
Complete the pulling motion with your knees slightly bent, extending your arms down alongside your thighs, resembling a squat-like position with parallel knees.
Extend your arms upward and return to a standing position, ready to repeat the movement.

Summary

Resistance training in the gym plays a crucial role in enhancing skiing skills.

Skiing requires a combination of strength, power, stability, and endurance, all of which can be effectively developed through targeted resistance training exercises.

By incorporating different variations of exercises such as squats, lunges and deadlifts, skiers can improve their leg strength, stability, and power, which are essential for maintaining control and balance on the slopes.

These exercises also help to strengthen the muscles around the knee joint, reducing the risk of knee injuries.

Resistance training not only improves overall strength but also enhances muscular endurance, allowing skiers to perform at a high level for longer periods without fatigue. This is particularly important for long days on the mountain or during multiple runs.

Furthermore, resistance training helps to improve body mechanics and proprioception, enhancing body awareness and coordination. Skiers can develop better body control and movement patterns, leading to more precise turns and improved technique.

To optimise the benefits of resistance training for skiing, it is essential to work with a qualified trainer or coach who can design a customised program tailored to individual needs and goals.

Consistency, proper form, and gradually increasing the intensity and difficulty of exercises are key factors for success.

Thanks for checking out this article on the best gym exercises for skiing.

Keep pushing.

Speak soon.

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