Ski gymnastics – your complete training guide with exercises

Why ski gymnastics is so important

Skiing is a sport full of passion, speed and adrenaline, but it also challenges the body on many levels. Good ski gymnastics ensures that you start your skiing holiday fit, stable and injury-free.

The physical demands of skiing

Skiing involves many muscles working simultaneously:

• Legs (quadriceps, hamstrings, calves) provide stability and pressure on the skis.
• Core muscles keep you upright and prevent you from involuntarily trying out yoga positions on the first bump in the snow.
• Back muscles stabilise the spine, which is especially important on long descents.
• Arms and shoulders support pole technique.

Skiing requires endurance, strength, flexibility and coordination – a complex combination of skills.

When is the best time to start training?

To be honest, starting the day before your skiing holiday is... let's say, optimistically ambitious. Ideally, you should start 6–8 weeks beforehand, but 4 weeks is realistic. However, every session you do is helpful. Every workout helps you prepare for an energetic and fun skiing holiday.

Injury prevention and improved performance

Ski gymnastics is your reliable bodyguard on the slopes. It helps you to:

• stabilise your knees and joints,
• build muscles that absorb shocks,
• improve your responsiveness and coordination,
• avoid typical skiing injuries such as cruciate ligament tears or strains,
• keep going for longer (with training, the last run of the day no longer feels like survival training).

Basic principles of ski gymnastics

Now that we know why, let's take a look at how ski gymnastics works. It is based on three fundamental principles:

Targeted training for strength, endurance and flexibility

Strength in your legs and core is essential. It gives you control and precision. Endurance ensures that you don't start thinking about the next ski hut after your third run. Flexibility protects you from blocked joints or tension. A good ski gymnastics workout effectively combines all three areas and improves your fitness.

Balance and coordination are key to safe skiing

Balance is your superhero when skiing. It helps you set your edges cleanly, master quick changes of direction and remain stable even when the slope has been prepared in a rather ‘rugged and creative’ manner.

Ski gymnastics – exercises for at home

These exercises are perfect for at home, as they require no equipment, no excuses and no gym membership. This makes it easy to get in shape for your upcoming winter holiday.

Exercise 3: Airplane pose

This standing balance exercise trains your balance, coordination and deep core muscles.

How to do it:

• Stand on one leg.
• Bend your upper body forwards and stretch your other leg backwards.
• Goal: Your body should form a straight line.

Duration: 3 x 20 to 40 seconds per side.

Training plans for your ski gymnastics

Now it's time to get practical: here's how you can plan your training right away.

4-week plan until your skiing holiday

If your skiing holiday is approaching faster than you would like and your fitness level is still in hibernation, this four-week plan is just the thing for you. It picks you up where you are, even if that's on the sofa rather than in the gym. The programme is compact, effective and even fits into days when you're mentally already in the mountain hut eating Kaiserschmarrn. With a little discipline, you'll notice how stable and confident you feel on the slopes in an amazingly short time.

3 sessions per week, 25–30 minutes each.

Weeks 1–2: Focus on technique

• Squats
• Lunges
• Planks
• Light balance exercises (airplane pose)

Weeks 3–4: Increase intensity

• Squat jumps
• Hold side plank longer
• Balance with eyes closed
• Small HIIT elements

6-week plan for advanced skiers

If you've decided that you want to be properly prepared for your skiing holiday this year and not pretend that the first three runs are a high-performance battle, then this six-week plan is perfect for you. It gives your body enough time to build up strength and coordination, and you can relax and get fitter step by step. The exercises increase slowly but surely, so that by the end you will be much more stable on your skis and your muscles will remain pain-free. With this plan, the slopes will become your second home.

Training: 3–4 sessions per week, 35–45 minutes.

Building blocks:

• Leg/core strength circuit
• Jump training (e.g. box jumps, skater steps)
• Longer plank variations
• Endurance (jogging, cycling, cross trainer)
• Complex balance exercises (e.g. on cushions, wobble board)

How often should you train?

Ideally, 2–3 training sessions per week. Professionals can increase the intensity to 4 times per week. For beginners, 2 times per week is perfectly adequate.

The most important thing here is regularity; it always beats perfection.

Special ski gymnastics programmes

Everyone trains differently. That's why there are special programmes for different groups.

For children – playful exercises together

Children love to move, and we should take advantage of that. The following playful exercises can help little ones build muscle and endurance, so that skiing is fun right from the start.

• ‘Animal walk’ exercises (frog, bear, crab)
• Mini obstacle course
• Exercises with music
• Short, varied sessions
• Children benefit particularly from coordination training – this helps them enormously later on when skiing and promotes brain development.

For seniors – gentle on the joints, with a focus on mobility and safety

Ski gymnastics is highly recommended for seniors. Not only for skiing, but also to counteract the physical decline that comes with age.

Important points:

• Slow, guided movements
• Joint circles
• Core stability
• Gentle stretching
• Balance exercises to prevent falls
• Strength exercises without jumping to protect the joints

The result of these exercises is reflected above all in a greater sense of safety, better body awareness and more relaxed skiing.

For those returning to skiing or after a long break – build up slowly, get the balance right

Many skiers start again after years away and underestimate their physical condition. Parents or grandparents in particular, who want to get back on the slopes safely with their children, can get back into it properly with ski gymnastics:

• Start with light exercise
• Focus on strength and balance
• Increase speed slowly
• It is better to do a little more often than a lot less often
• Take the body's warning signals seriously, otherwise you can quickly become overstrained

Frequently asked questions about ski gymnastics

How long before my holiday should I start ski gymnastics?

It is best to start training about six to eight weeks before your skiing holiday. During this period, your body can noticeably build up strength, stability and endurance. If that seems too long, four weeks is still a really good basis. And even if you only start shortly before your winter holiday, every training session will benefit you and is definitely better than not starting at all.

Which muscle groups are particularly important for skiing?

Many muscles work simultaneously when skiing. The thighs, buttocks, calves and entire core muscles are particularly challenged. The back also plays an important role because it stabilises your posture and supports you on longer descents. The shoulder girdle helps you use your poles correctly and ensures harmonious movement in the upper body. In short. Almost all muscles are involved, but the legs and torso do most of the work in the snow.

Can I start late and still get fit?

Yes! If you start today, you will be fitter tomorrow than you were yesterday. Even two weeks of training make a real difference – especially for balance and basic strength.

Conclusion: Ski gymnastics is your key to more fun in the snow

Whether you're a beginner, returning to the slopes, an ambitious pro or someone who always says ‘I'll start next week’, ski gymnastics will make you stronger, safer and more enduring. And best of all, you can even train at home without any equipment. Ski gymnastics gives you more stability, more strength, a lower risk of injury, better technique and significantly more fun on every day of skiing. So roll out your mat, put on your playlist and get started.

Your future self on your next skiing holiday will thank you for it!