The Best Strength Training Exercises for Skiers and Snowboarders
It’s the most wonderful time of the year for skiers and snowboarders looking for fresh pow.
Whether you’re ready to slay the powder days or your time on the hill is spent crouched over little ones teaching them the ways of winter, one this is for sure: skiing takes strength, agility and power.
The good news: proper cross training can check off all these goals and have you dominating the slopes this season. Better news: whether the run is green or black; Kubex can get you there.
When it comes to cross training for skiing or snowboarding, there’s a few specific movements and exercises we’ve outlined (and feature in sequence) to get you in the best ski shape of your life.
Leg Strength For Skiers and Snowboarders
You don’t have to be Lindsey Vonn to know skiing takes a toll on your legs, even if you’ve been running, swimming or cycling all year long thanks to its large use of eccentric strength versus concentric strength.
What’s the difference?
- Concentric strength is what you use to to stand up from a squat or hike up a hill. Think positive strength.
- Eccentric strength allows you to sit down into the bottom of a squat or hike down a mountain. Think negative strength.
Have you ever been more sore from hiking down the mountain than up? Hello, eccentric effort.
So let’s dial in. Think about this concept as you cross-train: The next time you perform squats go up at a normal pace but perform the a slower movement when you move into the squat. This technique can be employed in many of the exercises we’ll spell out and can be the difference between being in shape and being in slope shape.
If you’re looking for out of sequence conditioning, lunges and squats are easy to perform anywhere and when it comes to building strength in the legs, they’re boss and have lots of options:
- Front lunge
- Squat
- Bulgarian Split Squat
- Jumping lunge
- Curtsy lunge
Boarders will want to work in:
- Jumping squats
- Walking lunges
- Calf raises
If you’re incorporating your training into your Kubex Fitness workout, our sequences offer a number of weight machines within our sequences to max out those leg muscles:
- Jump Squat
- Seated leg press
- Horizontal seated leg press
- Standing Squat
- Calf raiser
- Hack Squat
- Squat to push
After you’ve familiarized yourself with these machines, challenge your legs by adding more weight or increasing your number of reps within the allotted time period. It’ll burn, it’ll make you push… but measurable progress will be noticeable once you get to the slopes.
Core and More
A strong core is necessary for the everyday adventures of life but when it comes to boarding and skiing that core (both abs AND lower back) will give you an edge while also protecting you from injury. Even expert level boarders crash now and again- it comes with the territory.
You can easily squeeze in these core exercises at the end of your workout or at home:
- Plank
- Inchworm
- Mountain Climbers
- Sit-Ups
- Burpee
Kubex hosts a variety of machines to benefit your core:
- Hanging Leg Raise
- Target Practice with Medicine Ball
- Weighted Ab Crunch
- Ab Rocket Twister
- Ab Glider
Try to up the weight or get more reps in. Perform these movements with dedication and consistency and we guarantee you’ll feel stronger and more balanced as your whoosh your way through the pow.
Balance
Balance is a fundamental skill of snowboarding and skiing. Without it, there will definitely be more falls than fun. Plyometric exercises (dynamic, jump-based training) will afford you speed, agility and power.
Plyometric moves on the go:
- Power skipping
- Tuck jumps
- Long jumps
- Single leg hops
- Lateral jumps
- Side skaters
Kubex understands balance, check out our:
- Ball Drop
- Bosu Balance trainer
Whatever your goal is this year, Kubex can get you there. Come in today for a tour.
