If you have a ski trip planned, it is time to start thinking about how physically ready you are to tackle the slopes! Skiing is great fun, but unfortunately we see injuries every winter from people returning from skiing holidays with injuries that have put a dampener on their trip. Obviously falls are almost an inevitability of skiing, but the more physically prepared you are for skiing, the less likely you are to get non-traumatic injuries such as muscle strains/tendinopathies, and the more capable you will be to push yourself on the slopes.

Skiing can be a physically demanding exercise, especially if you haven’t used some of the muscle groups needed in a long time! So what is required physically to be a good skier? Gluts (buttocks muscles),quads (front of thigh), adductors (inner thigh), and core muscles are some of the most important muscle groups needed to keep you stable whilst skiing. Here are a few exercises below to get prepared for your skiing holiday.

1.Crab walk with resistance band:

With a resistance band around your ankles/above knees, have the feet slightly wider than hip distance apart. Pretend you are about to sit back in a chair and squat down. Make sure your knees are in line with your ankles, and you can see your feet. Maintaining this position, step to the right with your right foot x approx 10cm, then step to the right x 10cm with your left foot. Repeat x 10 to the right and then change direction and step to the left. Spend 3 mins doing this x 5. You should feel it in your gluts if you are doing it right.

2. Toe taps:

Holding a neutral back position, engage your deep core muscles. Bring one leg up to table top at a time. Maintain neutral and tap one foot down to the mat. Return to table top and repeat with other leg. Do slowly and make sure your back and other leg don’t move.
Do x 20 x 2-3 sets.

3. Arabesque:

Standing on one leg with the knee soft but not bending, lift your other leg up and try to straighten it out behind you, leaning forward keeping your back straight as in picture. Do slowly x 20 times on each leg. Repeat x 3 sets.

4. Remember to foam roll!

Remember to ease yourself into your skiing holiday, and a nice soak in the hot tub at night is great for easing out tired muscles! If you would like any specific advice on pre-skiing prep, or injury prevention, we do Clinical Pilates classes and Physiotherapy treatments in our Clinic in Malahide village. Call at 086 358 2911 if you would like more info!

Anne