6 Movements To Crush Your Ski & Snowboard Season
By Coach Keller
Oh boy do I love waking up to the crisp air and seeing leaves turning yellow and orange. I doubt I am the only one who is dreaming of skiing pow soon! Fall offers us the chance to reset our routine after the inevitable summer burnout. As the days start to get shorter and cooler, it’s time to start preparing for our next season of adventures.
As many of our members know, winter places high demands on our bodies. Skiing and snowboarding require strength, stability, endurance, and mobility—usually all at once. Whether you’re getting ready to tour the backcountry, float in deep powder, carve groomers, or session some booters, pre-season training can make a huge difference in your performance and lower your risk of injury.
We are looking forward to the return of our 8-Week Ski and Snowboard Program, and I want to remind you why putting in the work ahead of the winter season will seriously benefit your body (and mind!). Here are six strength and conditioning movements to help you build the power, stability, and resilience needed for optimal ski and snowboard fitness.
1. Deadlifts (Posterior Chain & Core Stability)
Skiing and snowboarding demand strong glutes, hamstrings, and lower back muscles to control speed and absorb impact. The deadlift is one of the best ways to build posterior chain strength. This muscular strength in turn helps support our spine, hips, and knees, so that they can maintain their full range of motion and be more resilient to compressive movements.
Why it matters: Improves hip extension, core stability, and leg power for carving turns and handling landings. Protects lower back and joints.
Variations: Romanian deadlifts, single-leg deadlifts, sumo deadlifts, deficit kettlebell deadlifts, suitcase deadlifts, weighted good mornings.
2. Bulgarian Split Squats (Unilateral Balance & Strength)
Since skiing and snowboarding places uneven loads on the legs, building single-leg strength is critical. Bulgarian split squats not only strengthen the quads and glutes, but also train stability and balance.
Why it matters: Adding unilateral movements into your training program addresses muscle imbalances between sides and builds resilience in each leg individually, reducing strength imbalances that could lead to injury.
Variations: Other unilateral quad and glute-strengthening movements include walking lunges, farmers carry lunges, barbell reverse lunges, single-leg step-ups, and pistol squats.
3. Jumping (Power & Explosiveness)
Explosiveness helps you absorb shocks, pop off features, and handle variable terrain. Jumping also improves fast-twitch muscle recruitment and landing mechanics. Additionally landing jumping movements increases bone density and joint stability.
Why it matters: Jumping enhances power production and trains your body to absorb force safely. It also improves neuromuscular coordination to create more efficient movements. Lateral jumps mimic carving and edge-to-edge transitions while building hip and knee stability.
Variations: Box jumps, seated box jumps, weighted jumps, lateral jumps, broad jumps, single-leg jumps, max height jumps, split jumps, squats jumps… don’t forget jump rope!
4. Rotational Movements (Core Strength)
Turning, carving, and stabilizing during spins all require rotational core strength. Rotational movements help train your torso to control rotation and transfer force between upper and lower body.
Why it matters: Rotational movements improve control and stability during dynamic movements, especially when changing edges or spinning. It builds oblique, transverse abdominis, and lat strength, all of which help protect your spine.
Variations: Russian twists, kettlebell x-chops, rainbow medball slams, Pallof presses, sprinter sit-ups, rotational kettlebell presses.
5. Squats (Mobility & Range of Motion)
Lower-body mobility allows skiers and riders to stay low and strong through turns, as well as absorb impacts. The squat builds quad and glute strength while improving hip and ankle range of motion.
Why it matters: Increases endurance and control in low stances on the slopes. Adding depth or eccentric (slow) squats improves endurance.
Variations: Back squats, front squats, goblet squats, deficit kettlebell squats, cossack squats, squat holds.
6. Isometric Movements (Strength & Stamina)
Isometric movements train muscular strength and endurance by holding a contraction without movement, which builds strength and stamina by creating sustained tension on the muscles. They are also beneficial for improving joint stabilization, promoting recovery after injury by being low-impact, and can improve tendon health.
Why it matters: Isometrics improve your muscular strength and endurance so you can take more laps and play all day. They also build tendon strength and durability, keeping your muscle connections healthy and pliable.
Variations: Planks, hollow holds, superhero holds, wall-sits, glute bridges, side planks.
Training for ski and snowboard fitness isn’t just about getting stronger—it’s about building power, balance, mobility, and control. It’s also about boosting confidence in your mind and body and becoming the very best version of yourself.
Join us for the upcoming 8-Week Winter Training Program where we will incorporate these movements into our programming to prepare your body for the unique demands of the mountain so you can ride longer, stronger, and with less risk of injury.
We look forward to seeing you soon! Let’s make this the best winter yet. 👊🏼
