In fact, it doesn’t help you much to have real strong legs if your balance is left untrained. You can do all the leg presses you want but have a poor balance, that will be your limiting factor and vice versa.
That’s why I believe in combining strength and balance in the same exercises when training for skiing, so that you get used to using your muscle strength in unstable situations.
While training in the machines in a fitness center has its purpose for building absolute strength and muscle mass, you should try to incorporate exercises where you involve that element of balance as well. It teaches the muscles to work together as a “team” rather than as “individualists” and the result is much better ski balance.
Good balance is when your body has learnt to recruit its muscles to act or react in a certain order. If that doesn’t happen you will not be able to recruit all your force. The system relies on feedback from little receptors out in the body that will signal that you are in an unstable position. On order for this system to work well the communication channels have to be used regularly.
If you don’t care to read about all of this and just want to get started on a plan to get fit for skiing – the most direct way, I have made these SKI EXERCISE PROGRAMS that will help you get fit for skiing in as little as 2 x 30 minutes a week.
Balance training for skiing is not just about standing on a balance board although that is a good start. It is easy to use and you can even try it with your ski boots – if you have good flooring! If you try to squat on a wobbly surface or a balance board, you will...
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To be effective, strength training for skiing must involve elements of balance to some degree. Good, simple examples are exercises in which you work one leg at a time. This will challenge your balance and get your glutes working as well. As an added bonus...
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