Ski
A good ski fitness program targets exactly what the first week on the slopes brutally reveals: thighs burning by the second run and knees that simply don't hold up well.
Ski Prep specifically builds the isometric leg strength and core stability genuinely needed for skiing and snowboarding over 8 full weeks at three sessions a week, with specific dedicated knee strengthening work to limit the sprains and aches so common on the ski slopes. The program always finishes just before your ski holiday starts, not during it.
Always start a full eight complete weeks before you actually leave so you genuinely arrive fit from the very first lift ride, without spending the first two days on the slopes in pain.
Not sure yet?
Try the method first with the Starter Week: three full-body sessions written like our Ski programs, free, no credit card.
How do you get your legs ready for ski season?
By building the strength that downhill actually demands: long minutes in a bent-knee position, thighs under constant tension, knees absorbing every turn. Ski Prep develops that isometric leg strength and the core stability needed for both skiing and snowboarding, over 8 weeks at three sessions a week, so you ride the first lift with legs that are ready instead of trying to build them on the mountain. Three sessions a week for two months: a demanding rhythm, but a sustainable one, even with a busy schedule.
When should you start a ski fitness program?
A full eight weeks before you leave: the program is calibrated to finish just before your ski week, not during it. Count backwards from your holiday date: for a February trip, the first session lands in early December. Starting later still beats doing nothing, but every complete week counts: two months of consistency is what changes how much your thighs can take by day three on the slopes. The same logic applies to every trip of the season: eight weeks out, every time.
Why your knees deserve specific work
The knee is the most exposed joint in skiing, and the program gives it dedicated strengthening work to limit the sprains and aches so common on the slopes. Stronger thighs and hips absorb part of the load that would otherwise land straight on the joint. This prevention work pays off for the cautious beginner and the black-run regular alike: end-of-day fatigue makes no distinction. That is the principle behind any serious sports preparation: strengthen in advance whatever the discipline will demand the most.
What equipment does ski prep require?
Dumbbells or a barbell, a resistance band and a box: nothing more. You can follow the program at home, in the spirit of our home workout programs, or in any gym. It is aimed at skiers and snowboarders at a beginner to intermediate fitness level, which covers most people who head to the mountains for a week or two a year.
A PDF program that stays yours
The PDF lays out every session exercise by exercise: sets, reps, rest times, week-by-week progression and alternatives based on your equipment. You download it once, carry it on your phone, and it stays yours: the same preparation will serve you again next winter. No subscription and no app: one clear file you can print or read offline. The other sports are gathered in our sports performance programs.