Ski season preparation is worth thinking about before the lifts start turning in British Columbia. Before heading back to the mountains, it’s a good idea to make sure your body is as ready for the season as your equipment.
Dr. John Dang, chiropractor and clinic director at Columbia Integrated Health Centre in New Westminster, says it’s easy to underestimate just how physically demanding skiing and snowboarding can be.
“Sometimes they forget that skiing and snowboarding and winter sports is a very physically demanding set of sports and physical activities,” he said.
Preparing ahead of time can help build the strength and stamina needed for a full day on the mountain — rather than expecting your body to immediately pick up where it left off last winter.
Ski Season Preparation Should Start Before the Snow Falls
You don’t need to wait until opening day to start thinking about ski conditioning.
“My recommendation as an avid skier myself, if you’re planning on making the most of your winter season, is to ensure that you start early in your ski season preparation,” says Dr. Dang. “I would recommend starting in September or October.”
For Dr. Dang, that preparation includes both cardiovascular exercise and strength training.
Cardiovascular training helps prepare you for the sustained physical demands of a day on the mountain, while resistance training can help build the strength required for skiing and snowboarding.
As Dr. Dang explains in the video, your muscles need to be not only strong, but conditioned for repeated use throughout the day.
Don’t Forget Mobility and Flexibility
Strength and cardiovascular fitness are important, but there’s another part of ski season preparation that can easily get overlooked: mobility and flexibility.
“Skiing entails a lot of dynamic movements, and you’re relying on a lot of joints to move through full ranges.”
Working on mobility and flexibility before ski season can help prepare your body for those movements. It can be particularly important in a sport where your body is constantly adjusting to changing terrain, turns and conditions.
Dr. Dang recommends incorporating regular stretching or yoga into your preseason routine.
“A good program of consistent stretching or yoga should be part of your daily regimen as part of your pre-season training.”
Get Your Body Ready for Ski Season
Whether you ski every weekend or only make it to the mountains a few times each winter, some preparation before your first day can help you arrive better conditioned for the physical demands of skiing and snowboarding.
Start early. Work on your cardiovascular fitness and strength. Make mobility and flexibility part of the equation.
And when that first great ski day finally arrives, remember one more piece of advice: don’t try to be a hero on day one.
If you have questions about ski season preparation, managing an existing injury or getting back to an activity you enjoy, contact Columbia Integrated Health Centre.
