The ski season is just around the corner here in Vermont! For a fun and safe ski season this year, add lower extremity strength on your to-do list as well as switching to your winter tires.
Some benefits of lower extremity strengthening pre- ski season:
- Increases lower extremity stability while skiing
- Decreased risk of an injury on the slopes
- Increased muscle endurance during long days on the mountain
Important things to focus on when strengthening for ski season are:
- Hip and knee strength: quads, hamstrings, lateral hip muscles, core, and many more
- Dynamic stability (balance)
- Lateral motion
Here are just a few exercises to get you started with ski season prep!
Narrow stance quadricep focused squats
Feet should be hip width or a little narrower than hip width holding dumbbell near your chest. Squat in a range that is comfortable for you.
Side plank clamshells
Begin lying on your side with your legs bent at a 90-degree angle, a resistance loop around your knees, and resting on your forearm.
Tighten your abdominals and lift your hips off the floor into a kneeling side plank position. Lift your top knee, pulling against the resistance band. Hold briefly, then relax and repeat.
Skaters
Alternate taking small hops from one foot to the other, then continue increasing the distance of each hop until they are jumps, landing on each leg in a lunge position.
Glute bridge hamstring curls
Begin lying on your back with your feet resting on a swiss ball.
Tighten your stomach muscles, then lift your hips up into a bridge position. Maintaining your bridge, bend your knees, curling your heels towards your bottom. Reverse the movement and repeat.
Single leg Romanian deadlift
Begin standing upright with one hand grasping a weight and your other hand resting at your waist.
Balancing on the leg opposite the weight, bend at your hips and slowly tilt your body forward while extending your other leg backward. Then, return to the starting position and repeat.
*Make sure to keep your back straight!
We hope that you have a fun and safe ski season!
Written by: Haley Miller, PTA