For most people, skiing is not an everyday activity; in fact, many people wait the entire year to ski the slopes once or twice during the winter season. While these once or twice per year activities are extremely fun and a change of pace, in order to avoid injury, you should prepare your body for the ski season.

Preparing your body for ski season should include three major focuses, increasing your body’s strength, endurance and flexibility. You don’t need to become a professional body builder to ski safely, but you should be at a decent and average level of fitness to enjoy skiing. This means that you should be in overall good health and that you should be flexible enough to endure a few slips or falls.

Building Strength
Some of the muscle groups that you should focus on for ski season are your quadriceps, which are your legs major muscle group. The quadriceps are an important muscle to keep you stable when you hit the slopes. Quadriceps are the muscles that hold you in place and offer protection to your knees. There are a few different types of exercises that focus on the quadriceps; they are leg presses, lunges and squats.

Another important muscle group that you should focus on is the inner and outer thighs. These muscle groups help you steer in the snow and are important at protecting your knees as well. One specific exercise that you can focus on to build these muscles are calf raises. Your abs and back muscles are also important, focus on sit ups, bench presses and lat pulls.

Building Endurance and Flexibility
Endurance and flexibility are also extremely important when preparing your body for ski season. While you don’t need to run a marathon, skiing can be very taxing, especially when on your feet and outdoors for the entire day. If you cross country ski, you will be pushing your body to its limits in some circumstances. Make sure you are in decent shape before setting out. In order to build endurance, jog a few times each week or enroll and participate in an aerobics, Pilates or a yoga class.

Flexibility is also another concern; you should be flexible enough to weather a few spills and falls. Make sure you can move your body easily, if not, stretch each day and do simple calisthenics that can improve your body’s flexibility and balance.

Preparing your body for the ski season is usually a great way to ski safely and avoid injury. By following the above tips, you can not only get more out of your ski vacation, but also get into shape as well.