Fine tune your skiing & snowboarding at home

Some of the most important ski exercises to do at home are all about getting your body used to the correct skiing or boarding position. It can feel unnatural at first, but nailing your position will not only encourage your body to work as efficiently as possible, it’ll also reduce your chances of injury. And there’s nothing worse than being out of action during your holiday! Nothing.

Some useful exercises

• Knee position -Your knees should always be bent while skiing or boarding, as this will help you balance and carve through the snow. If you imagine a vertical line coming down to the floor from your kneecap, it should fall between your second and third toe. Many people find their kneecaps turn inwards, so practice getting in to the right knee position with your kneecaps facing forwards.
• Pelvis position -For your back, hips and core to work optimally, you want to achieve a neutral pelvis position – no sticking that bum out or tucking it too far under. The best way to practice finding this neutral position is to stick your bum out as far as you can, then tuck it under as far as you can, before finding a comfortable midway point. The more you practice finding and holding this neutral position, the more natural it becomes.

If you’re an experienced skier or boarder, you’ll know all too well the familiar thigh burn that comes after, or even during a long piste. Your thigh muscles (or quads) work really hard when you ski and board, especially if you’re using them to propel you off the ground for jumps and tricks. Get yourself off to a head start with some simple strengthening exercises in the run up to your holiday.

Some useful exercises

• Squats -Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, then push your hips back and bend your knees until you reach a sitting position. Keep your knees over or behind your toes.
• Squat jumps -Take it up a level by jumping as high as you can after each squat. Bend your knees, hold your squat and then power up into the air before landing as gently as you can.
• Lunges -Begin with your feet together then step one foot forwards and bend that knee. You’re aiming to create a 90-degree angle. Keep your upper body straight and engage those core muscles to help you balance. Push back up through your bent leg to come back to standing.

Desk jobs and too many great boxsets can take their toll on our poor glutes (bum muscles). Kick yours into touch with some straightforward but effective exercises. You particularly want to target your gluteus medius muscles - often overlooked yet crucial to stabilising your body, they run around the side of your bum.

Some useful exercises

• Clams -Lie on your side with your knees bent and your ankles in line with your hips. Slowly lift your top knee and lower it again. Keep your hips stacked on top of each other making sure they don't drop forwards or backwards.
• Monster walks -If you have an elastic resistance band at home, tie it around your shins, just below the knee. Then get into a quarter squat position and take big steps forwards and backwards keeping the band taut.

There’s a lot of balancing involved in staying upright on the slippy slopes. With all those turns and bumps to absorb, a strong core is a huge help. Get yours into shape with a couple of simple drills.

Some useful exercises

• Planks - This famous move is highly effective when done right. From a kneeling position, move down to take your upper body weight on either your hands or forearms, stretching your legs out backwards so that your body is in a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles. Get a friend to check you aren’t dropping your bum or sticking it up in the air. Hold for 20 seconds, building up your time gradually.
• Bird-dogs -Start on all fours with your shoulders directly above your hands and your hips directly above your knees. Slowly straighten and lift one leg out behind you, while stretching the opposite arm out in front of you. Hold the balance as still as you can by engaging your core muscles. Then swap sides.

Skiing and snowboarding work you hard, so any exercise that improves your cardiovascular fitness will help you enjoy your holiday more. Build your stamina however you like, whether its cycling, swimming, running or taking an exercise class. The main thing is to keep yourself fit and strong – even in the face of the British winter.

And our last tip? Don’t forget to treat yourself to a swim and a massage during your holiday – it’s the ideal way to ease any aching muscles. Many of our Neilson ski hotels have fantastic spa and wellness facilities to get you feeling all refreshed and ready to head back up the mountain.