No, It’s Not Too Soon To Start Getting In Shape For The Ski Season

With meteorologists predicting a snowy winter for much of the United States, skiers are getting psyched. But wait, there’s something else: getting in shape. A quick review of the forest of websites offering get-into-ski-shape advice reveals general agreement on the benefits of two exercises: squats and lunges. The rest, my friends, is chatter. Livestrong.com describes squats as “the cornerstone” of your skiing workout,” and recommends that you compound the gain (and pain) by doing them with dumbells in your hands or a barbell across your shoulders. Maybe. Lunges, Livestrong points out, are particularly useful because they build strength while improving balance, which, we recall, keeps up upright all the way down the mountain. How to do lunges properly? Take a large step forward and bend your legs until your rear knee hits the floor. Push back up abd repeat, using your opposite leg. As with squats, the gain (and pain) can be amplified by holding dumbells or barbells. Your choice. For more detailed, day-by-day-of-the-week advice, read this. Or watch the video below.