If you are looking to build strength and stay injury-free ahead of your next ski trip, read on to discover the 5 best exercises for skiing to incorporate into your fitness routine. 

Recommended by professional ski physical therapist, Dr. Greg Louie, and included in our Free 6-Week Ski Fit Guide, these ski-specific exercises will strengthen key muscle groups and help to improve your endurance and overall performance when skiing.  

If practised consistently before your trip, these top exercises for skiing will enhance your balance, stability and power, so you can ski stronger, longer and with a reduced risk of injury.

The 5 Best Exercises for Skiing: 

Exercise 1: Squat Hold

Application for Skiers:

Squat holds help to build endurance and strength in the legs while training your body to maintain a stable, centred position that is crucial for skiing. Unlike wall squats, which can promote a “back seat” position, this exercise teaches you to hold a strong skiing stance directly over the centre of your skis. Developing endurance in this optimal position allows for better control and balance during turns and when navigating uneven terrain on skis.

What to do:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes slightly turned out.
• Lower your hips, bring your knees over your toes, flex through the ankle and get into a squat position where the knees bend to about 90°.
• Keeping your chest up and knees tracking over your toes.
• Hold this position until your legs fatigue and you can’t keep going.

Recommended Set: 1 rep until fatigue 

Exercise 2: Lateral Lunges (with weight shifts)

Application for Skiers:

Lateral lunges with weight shifts help to develop strength, balance and control in the muscles used during lateral movements in skiing, particularly in the quads, glutes and adductors. This exercise mimics the weight-shifting demands of skiing, improving your ability to smoothly transition your weight from one leg to the other while maintaining stability and control. Whether you’re carving through turns or shifting your weight to navigate varying terrain, strong lateral movement ensures that you can stay centred on your skis and avoid injury.

What to do:

• Stand with feet hip-width apart.
• Step out to the side with your right leg, bending your right knee and lowering into a lateral lunge position while keeping your left leg straight.
• Shift your weight onto the bent leg, engaging your glutes and quads as you lower into the lunge.
• Staying low, push through your right leg, transition in a squat position with your weight distributed between your feet, then extend your right leg fully to bring yourself into a lateral lunge position on the other side.  
• Repeat the movement shifting from left to right remaining low throughout for the set number of repetitions.

Recommended Set: 3×10 each leg (20 total), 1-2 minute rest

Exercise 3: 90° Jumps

Application for Skiers:

90° double leg jumps simulate the quick rotational movements required during skiing, particularly when making fast transitions between turns. By jumping in the 3-12-9-12-3 clock pattern with your trunk and legs moving together, you’re building strength and coordination in your legs and core, which helps improve your ability to control rotational forces on the slopes. This exercise also trains your body to react quickly while maintaining balance and stability, which is essential for skiing performance.

What to do:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent.
• Jump from the 3 o’clock position to the 12 o’clock position, rotating your trunk and legs together.
• Continue jumping from the 12 o’clock position to the 9 o’clock position, and then back to 12 o’clock.
• Repeat this pattern: 3-12-9-12-3, focusing on smooth and controlled jumps.

Recommended Set: 3×5 each side (10 total), 1-2 minute rest

Exercise 4: Plank (with weight shifts) 

Application for Skiers:

Shifting weight in multiple directions during a plank simulates the constant core engagement and balance adjustments needed while skiing. This plank exercise challenges your core stability as you shift your weight side to side, as well as forward and backward, helping to enhance your control during turns and when navigating uneven terrain on the slopes.

What to do:

• Start by lying face down on the floor.
• Place your elbows directly under your shoulders, with your forearms flat on the ground.
• Lift your body off the floor, keeping your body in a straight line from head to heels.
• Slowly shift your weight to your right side, hold for a few seconds, then shift your weight to your left side.
• Next, shift your weight forward by moving your shoulders slightly past your elbows, then shift your weight backward.
• Continue shifting your weight side to side and forward and back for the duration of the exercise until you can’t hold the position with proper form any longer

Recommended Set: 1 rep until fatigue

Exercise 5: Calf Raises

Application for Skiers: 

Calves are often overlooked, but they play a vital role in controlling both the ankle and the knee during skiing. Strong calves help to manage the eccentric movement at the ankle, which is crucial for controlling the descent and absorbing forces during turns. This key exercise builds calf strength, which enables you to maintain stability and balance when skiing and helps to prevent knee and ankle injuries.

What to do:

• Stand on an elevated surface (like a step or block) with your heels hanging off the edge.
• Slowly rise up onto the balls of your feet, lifting your heels as high as possible.
• Lower your heels down past neutral, allowing them to drop below the edge of the surface to work through the full range of motion.
• Return to the starting position with control.
• Repeat until you can’t do any more calf raises.
• For the 1st set, do them with the knees straight. For the 2nd set, do them with the knees bent.

Recommended Set: 2 x until fatigue, 1-2 mins rest

Add these 5 top exercises for skiing to your workout routine and you’ll be able to feel a noticeable difference in your skiing performance. If you want to know how to get ski fit for your next ski holiday, find more expert-recommended exercises for skiing and complete workout plans to follow in the Maison Sport Ski Fit Guide. 

Take Your Skiing to the Next Level 

To improve your ski performance even further, why not book ski lessons with an expert instructor? No matter your experience level, our instructors can help you to perfect your technique and take your skiing to new heights!