The best exercises for ski racing are the ones that have the greatest amount of transfer to the hill. To maximize the transfer of training to skiing, the exercise and skiing must be similar in three ways: muscle coordination, muscle contraction, and joint movement.

 

Not every exercise will fulfill all of the above criteria, but the more principles an exercise meets, the better chances your efforts in the gym will result in improved skiing performance. When designing your off-season training, select exercises that check off at least one of the transfer of training principles.

To develop ski-specific strength, the following three exercises should be staples in your gym training this summer:

 

Coordination: The Squat

The squat has very similar muscle coordination to skiing and though it may not seem flashy, it is a tried and true staple in training for skiing.

 

Contraction: Single-Leg Eccentric Leg Press

This exercise has a similar type of muscle contraction to skiing. Managing eccentric load in skiing is critical because of the forces resisted in turning at various speeds through ever-changing terrain.

 

 

Joint Movement: Landmine Skier Squat

The landmine squat has similar joint movement to skiing, specifically the direction of applied force.

 

Armed with these three exercises, you should have a solid start to your summer training program.