Preparing your body for ski season

By Ben Olson
Reader Staff

For some, a late October snowfall brings sour faces and groans. For the rest of us who don’t walk around with an “I smell poop” face 24/7, it elicits a tingling sensation that reminds us that ski season is just around the corner, and it’s time to start preparing our bodies for the winter in earnest.

The first day up on the mountain is always a breathtaking experience; the soft acceptance of powder under your board or skis, the happy glow of fellow ski bums who begin their quest for 100 days on the mountain and a general glad feeling that we have yet another outdoor activity to occupy our time here in North Idaho.

The preseason ski lift.
Courtesy photo.

But how many times have you ripped it up on your first day back on the mountain and paid for it the next few days? I’m talking about the wobbly thighs, the aching joints, the exhaustion from digging yourself out of the trees after taking the wrong line down the North Bowl.

This year, I plan to actually prepare my body for the ski season instead of just launching myself down the mountain and suffering the consequences. In that spirit, I talked to a local skier and health professional to ask their best advice to start the season prepared and ready for anything. What follows is a quick list to help kick your body into gear for the season. All signs point to a good winter, so let’s begin.

Work it out 

Skiing involves a lot of muscle groups, as well as cardio endurance and core strength, so it’s easy to get exhausted early in the season. This can lead to an increased risk of injury if you don’t prepare. 

Heather Lien, a physical therapist at Total Physical Therapy in Sandpoint, said the best remedy to prepare for a long ski season is to always stay strong.

“I just always try to stay strong anyways, so any activity I do doesn’t hurt,” Lien said. “It’s good to keep all around strength to make sure the first day doesn’t crush you.”

For those of us who aren’t so proactive, now is the time to institute a cardio program that includes three to five days of cardio such as running, to get your heart rate up and work out your entire body. While many workouts range from 20 to 45 minutes, it might be beneficial to extend one workout a week to more than an hour to condition your lungs and legs for the long days of skiing ahead.

Stretch, dummy

As with any workout, you don’t want to go into it cold. Develop a stretching routine before — and after — your ski days to help prepare your joints for the bumpy days on the hill.

“For the joints themselves, there’s definitely impact with skiing,” Lien said. “Get your joints lubricated. You don’t want to do it cold — just getting on your clothes and walking over to the lift and jumping on, expecting your body to do these advanced maneuvers.”

Strong like bull

Some muscles are used more than others while skiing or snowboarding, which are the ones you should concentrate on more when it comes to pre-season strength workouts. This includes your quadriceps, which are probably the most used muscle in skiings. Your quads hold you in position as you ski and also provide protection for your knees — always a vulnerable part of our bodies. Incorporate squats and lunges to help prep your quads.

Hamstrings and glutes are also important to strengthen, because when skiing downhill, a skier typically holds their body in a flexed position. Strong hamstrings and glutes help stabilize your body, so work them out with deadlifts, step-ups and hamstring rolls.

Calves, abs and back muscles are also vital to keep conditioned, as they help you stay upright so you don’t fall over. For calves, incorporate standing calf raises. For abs and back workout, crunches, wood chops, back extensions and planking help to strengthen your body.

Wash your gear 

This may sound like an overly simple piece of advice, but if you are like me, you might have just tossed all your ski gear in the winter bin after the final day of the previous ski season and cracked it the morning of opening day without a good wash to take away the funk.

Lien said it’s important to clean your gear before and after the season to avoid those sour looks from your friends on opening day.

“Wash your gear,” Lien said. “Don’t wear the same shirt twice in a row, and wool is better at combating odors. Also, make sure you take a shower! If you ever want to know if your gear stinks, just have somebody else smell it and they’ll tell you.”