Are you sore from skiing?

Our family has been layering on the clothes and heading to Bristol Mountain for some downhill skiing this winter.  I want to start by telling you all, I am a skiing novice.  I have learned to ski as an adult, and I continue to enjoy the sport with my friends and family. I started thinking about this article after listening to some of the guys in my life say how sore they are from the moguls they skied.
Hum, maybe I could teach them a thing or two?

Skiing as with many sports requires strength, endurance, flexibility, balance, and agility.
Today I want to talk about strength!

Sport specific training is important for participating in and improving your performance at any level from novice to expert. When you go skiing and your body is not in it’s best shape, you will most likely be sore the next day or two, but you will also increase your risk for injury.  The most common skiing injuries are  joint injuries (knees, hips, ankles).  By training you will build strong muscles and stabilize your joints, lessening the risk of injury.  Skiing is a total body workout, but it is particularly intense for your lower body and core muscles. I want to focus on your abs, hip flexors, glutes, lower back, quads, hamstrings, calves, and ankles.

Here are a few exercises for those ski muscles: wall sits, squats, squat jumps, lunges, walking lunges,  fitness ball hamstring curl, low bridge with leg raise, basic ab crunch, dumbbell step up, calf raises.

Stay tuned for tips on skiing endurance, flexibility, balance, and agility!