13 Week Skiing Pre-Season Strength and Conditioning Program

Fitness Program By Living Fit – Featured image by: Photo by Tiffany Bui:

What differentiates pre-season ski training from general physical preparedness programs?

Once you tighten your boots, and strap two planks to the bottom of your feet, the way your body experiences gravity and external forces become dramatically different than normal upright, biped human interactions. A skier must have enough aerobic capacity to enjoy their day on the slopes, with enough strength, speed, agility, and quickness to start, stop, turn, and blast through their downhill powdery (or groomed) playground.
To reduce the chance for accidents and injuries, each skier must master their legs, hips, torso, and arms enough to create tight
turns through moguls or laid out powdery carves, all while being able to foresee the upcoming terrain, in order to manipulate their bodies physical prowess to enhance their joy-filled chair lift conversations about their epic descents. This is done through actively controlling a greater range of motion in their knees, hips, spine, and shoulders, as well as aerobic development, strength development, and SAQ (speed, agility,
and quickness).
Strong, mobile, and durable legs, hips, torsos (core), and shoulders are crucial components of any pre- season skiing regimen. This program is designed in three phases to proper tackle the demands of the upcoming ski-season, and each phase will utilize the SAID (Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands) principle as well as the Progressive Overload principle in all three phases of the program, this ensures that you actually improve your aerobic capacity, strength, and SAQ, and you also improve in your movement quality, intensity, and efficiency with each movement pattern/exercise.

Let’s jump into the first phase.

Weeks 1-5 – Aerobic Capacity and Active Range of Motion Development

Conditioning the aerobic capacity and durability of the legs, core, and upper body is an essential starting point, as this will allow for greater lengths of time devoted to strength development, as well as improved endurance come ski season. With
Each workout begins with a warm-up and mobility session that will remain the same throughout the pre-season training. The goal will be to complete three of these workouts in one week, and then there will be an increase in the amount of work you will do.

WARM-UP

To improve your active range of motion, you must actively engage at the ends of your range of motion. This is done best with open chain
mobility.

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AEROBIC CONDITIONING

AEROBIC CONDITIONING
For the conditioning, we will progressively overload a full body circuit with as much movement variability as possible. Movement variability will improve coordination and balance by improving proprioception (knowing where your body is in space and time). Performing these body weight exercises will improve
both endurance and proprioception at the same time. If you can perform this workout three times per week and then do some active recovery on the other days (like walking, hiking, jogging, cycling, or swimming), it will drastically improve your outcome.

You will perform one exercise with as much quality and intensity as possible for the requisite work time, and then take the requisite rest time before moving to the next exercise. Once you have completed all the exercises in the high intensity interval training circuit, you will begin the next round with the first
exercise, until you have completed the requisite number of rounds. (Scroll below for the table of each week with progressive overload by work time, and rounds).

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COOL DOWN

COOL DOWN
A proper cool down will stimulate the recovery process, speeding up your recovery time. A cool down will also help with stretching the muscle and soft tissues involved in the exercises. Here are the cool down stretches and exercises for this workout:

Progressive Overload For Week 1 through Week 5

● Equipment Needed – Bodyweight
● Time To Complete – 30 minutes to 60 minutes
● Perform How Many Times Per Week – Three Times Per Week, with Active Rest Days In Between

Each Workout Day

Exercise	Week 1	Week 2	Week 3	Week 4	Week 5
WARM-UP/ MOBILITY
Open Chain Mobility – Neck	30 Seconds	40 seconds	50 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds
Open Chain Mobility – Scapula	30 Seconds	40 seconds	50 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds
Open Chain Mobility – Shoulders	30 Seconds	40 seconds	50 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds
Open Chain Mobility – T- Spine	30 Seconds	40 seconds	50 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds
Open Chain Mobility – Elbows	30 Seconds	40 seconds	50 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds
Open Chain Mobility – Hips	30 Seconds	40 seconds	50 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds
Open Chain Mobility – Foot, Ankle, Knee	30 Seconds	40 seconds	50 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds
Lunge Matrix with Arm- Drivers	3 Minutes 30 Seconds	3 Minutes 30 Seconds	3 Minutes 30 Seconds	3 Minutes 30 Seconds	3 Minutes 30 Seconds
HIIT Circuit	3 Rounds	3 Rounds	3 Rounds	4 Rounds	5 Rounds
Jumping Jacks	20 secs work / 10 seconds rest	30 secs work/10 seconds rest	40 secs work/10 seconds rest	40 secs work/10 seconds rest	40 secs work/10 seconds rest
Butt Kickers	20 secs work / 10 seconds rest	30 secs work/10 seconds rest	40 secs work/10 seconds rest	40 secs work/10 seconds rest	40 secs work/10 seconds rest
Knee Drivers	20 secs work / 10 seconds rest	30 secs work/10 seconds rest	40 secs work/10 seconds rest	40 secs work/10 seconds rest	40 secs work/10 seconds rest
Lateral Shuffle Left to Right	20 secs work/10 seconds rest	30 secs work/10 seconds rest	40 secs work/10 seconds rest	40 secs work/10 seconds rest	40 secs work/10 seconds rest
Lateral Caraoca	20 secs work/10 seconds rest	30 secs work/10 seconds rest	40 secs work/10 seconds rest	40 secs work/10 seconds rest	40 secs work/10 seconds rest
Hinge Hops	20 secs work/10 seconds rest	30 secs work/10 seconds rest	40 secs work/10 seconds rest	40 secs work/10 seconds rest	40 secs work/10 seconds rest
Line Rotations	20 secs work/10 seconds rest	30 secs work/10 seconds rest	40 secs work/10 seconds rest	40 secs work/10 seconds rest	40 secs work/10 seconds rest
Squat Jumps	20 secs work/10 seconds rest	30 secs work/10 seconds rest	40 secs work/10 seconds rest	40 secs work/10 seconds rest	40 secs work/10 seconds rest
Side Elbow Plank Left	20 secs work/10 seconds rest	30 secs work/10 seconds rest	40 secs work/10 seconds rest	40 secs work/10 seconds rest	40 secs work/10 seconds rest
Side Elbow Plank Right	20 secs work/10 seconds rest	30 secs work/10 seconds rest	40 secs work/10 seconds rest	40 secs work/10 seconds rest	40 secs work/10 seconds rest
COOL DOWN
World’s Greatest Stretch	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds
Spinal Rolls	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds
Standing Quad Stretch	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)
Straddle Stretch	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)
Seated Kneeling Lat Stretch	60 seconds Stretch seconds each side)	60 seconds Stretch seconds each side)	60 seconds Stretch seconds each side)	60 seconds Stretch seconds each side)	60 seconds Stretch seconds each side)
Lying Glute	60 seconds Stretch seconds each side)	60 seconds Stretch seconds each side)	60 seconds Stretch seconds each side)	60 seconds Stretch seconds each side)	60 seconds Stretch seconds each side)
Lying Supine Breathing	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds

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Weeks 6-10 – Strength Development and Active Range of
Motion Development

WARM-UP

To improve your active range of motion, you must actively engage at the ends of your range of motion. This is done best with open chain mobility.

• Open Chain Mobility Neck – https://youtu.be/l8Zx2ZApBGE
• Open Chain Mobility Scapula – https://youtu.be/5iUTiCU8pLM
• Open Chain Mobility Shoulders – https://youtu.be/iACpRXyMgco
• Open Chain Mobility T-Spine – https://youtu.be/8Dd4rTGXRt0
• Open Chain Mobility Elbows – https://youtu.be/c3cd9GQhZq
• Open Chain Mobility Hips – https://youtu.be/OXPUx5i26k8
• Open Chain Mobility Foot Ankle Knee – https://youtu.be/WQUAAiy97H4

To warm-up your entire body, and prep the legs, glutes, hips, torso, and shoulders for aerobic conditioning, strength, and SAQ, you should be training
your feet, ankles, knees, hips, spine, and shoulders in as much movement variability as possible.
The best warm-up for this engagement is the Lunge Matrix with Arm Drivers: https://youtu.be/BIoE0QDf4yo

STRENGTH DEVELOPMENT

(Scroll below for the table of each week with progressive overload by work time, and rounds).

(Scroll below for the table of each week with progressive overload by work time, and rounds).
● Front Squats with Kettlebell or Dumbbell –
https://youtu.be/gGtD7Gg1ONM or https://youtu.be/7FZlnD6Larw
● Deadlift with Kettlebell or Dumbbell – https://youtu.be/slJSC_9mxyw or
https://youtu.be/-Lp8G9VqTsM
● Overhead Press with Kettlebell or Dumbbell –
https://youtu.be/kKo1Nqey5M8 or https://youtu.be/-tbzlNDzIUg
● Bent Over Rows with Kettlebell or Dumbbell –
https://youtu.be/ygmnssaDYPo or https://youtu.be/bYgJZxZb0MM
● Core Twists with Kettlebell or Dumbbell – https://youtu.be/esTu-H8u6l4
or https://youtu.be/zZuzdOj6ueE
● Alternating Lateral Lunges with Kettlebell or Dumbbell –
https://youtu.be/r4wn1rg5_C8 or https://youtu.be/Dy5eTn5BIvw

● Alternating Forward Lunges with Kettlebell or Dumbbell –
https://youtu.be/syZb5WA5UYA or https://youtu.be/YtCXLh4uLbQ
● Floor Presses with Kettlebell or Dumbbell –
https://youtu.be/EwVBELapJyU or https://youtu.be/UvaTpME7tbM
● See-saw Upright Row with Kettlebell or Dumbbell –
https://youtu.be/vDpYgc62LRY or https://youtu.be/1qkOk-6ky5A
● Rolling Press-up with Double Kettlebell or Dumbbell –
https://youtu.be/sJRrynHBTqM or https://youtu.be/Oy73hfRgxDQ

COOL DOWN

A proper cool down will stimulate the recovery process, speeding up your recovery time. A cool down will also help with stretching the muscle and soft tissues involved in the exercises. Here are the cool down stretches and exercises for this workout:
● World’s Greatest Stretch – https://youtu.be/vy2V8j4HgOE
● Spinal Rolls – https://youtu.be/pUxqwbGVR9k
● Standing Quad Stretch – https://youtu.be/mSTBodsD2-w
● Straddle Stretch – https://youtu.be/o55mIOjAK-0
● Seated Kneeling Lat Stretch – https://youtu.be/e9IX7w-T-iM
● Lying Glute Stretch – https://youtu.be/YEjE3PN6f2E
● Lying Supine Breathing – https://youtu.be/mSoPgMypQ_o

Strength Development Progressive Overload For Week 6 through Week 10

● Equipment Needed – Two Kettlebells or Two Dumbbells (Optimally, you would have light
weights for overhead pressing, core twists, upright rows, and roll-up presses; moderate weights
for rowing, floor presses, and lunges; and heavy weights for squats and deadlifts.)
● Time To Complete – 30 minutes to 60 minutes
● Perform How Many Times Per Week – Three Times Per Week, with Active Rest Days In Between

Each Workout Day

Exercise	Week 1	Week 2	Week 3	Week 4	Week 5
WARM-UP/ MOBILITY	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds
Open Chain Mobility – Neck	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds
Open Chain Mobility – Shoulders	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds
Open Chain Mobility – T- Spine	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds
Open Chain Mobility – Elbows	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds
Open Chain Mobility – Hips	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds
Open Chain Mobility – Foot, Ankle, Knee	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds
Lunge Matrix with Arm- Drivers	3 Minutes 30 Seconds	3 Minutes 30 Seconds	3 Minutes 30 Seconds	3 Minutes 30 Seconds	3 Minutes 30 Seconds
Strength Circuit	3 Rounds	3 Rounds	3 Rounds	3 Rounds (Increase Weight if Possible)	3 Rounds (Increase Weight if Possible)
Front Squats with Kettlebell or Dumbbell	20 secs work/20 seconds rest	25 secs work/25 seconds rest	30 secs work/30 seconds rest	30 secs work/30 seconds rest	30 secs work/30 seconds rest
Deadlift with Kettlebell or Deadlift	20 secs work/20 seconds rest	25 secs work/25 seconds rest	30 secs work/30 seconds rest	30 secs work/30 seconds rest	30 secs work/30 seconds rest
Overhead Press with Kettlebell or Dumbbell	20 secs work/20 seconds rest	25 secs work/25 seconds rest	30 secs work/30 seconds rest	30 secs work/30 seconds rest	30 secs work/30 seconds rest
Bent-over Row with Kettlebell or Dumbbell	20 secs work/20 seconds rest	25 secs work/25 seconds rest	30 secs work/30 seconds rest	30 secs work/30 seconds rest	30 secs work/30 seconds rest
Alternating Lateral Lunge with Kettlebell or Dumbbell	20 secs work/20 seconds rest	25 secs work/25 seconds rest	30 secs work/30 seconds rest	30 secs work/30 seconds rest	30 secs30 secs work/30 seconds rest
Alternating Forward Lunge with Kettlebell or Dumbbell	20 secs work/20 seconds rest	25 secs work/25 seconds rest	30 secs work/30 seconds rest	30 secs work/30 seconds rest	30 secs work/30 seconds rest
Floor Press with Kettlebell or Dumbbell	20 secs work/20 seconds rest	25 secs work/25 seconds rest	30 secs work/30 seconds rest	30 secs work/30 seconds rest	30 secs work/30 seconds rest
See-saw Upright Row with Kettlebell or Upright Row with Dumbbell	20 secs work/20 seconds rest	25 secs work/25 seconds rest	30 secs work/30 seconds rest	30 secs work/30 seconds rest	30 secs work/30 seconds rest
Floor Press with Dumbbell or Kettlebell	20 secs work/20 seconds rest	25 secs work/25 seconds rest	30 secs work/30 seconds rest	30 secs work/30 seconds rest	30 secs work/30 seconds rest
Rolling Press up with Double Kettlebells or Dumbbells	20 secs work/20 seconds rest	25 secs work/25 seconds rest	30 secs work/30 seconds rest	30 secs work/30 seconds rest	30 secs work/30 seconds rest
COOL DOWN
World’s Greatest Stretch	2 Minutes	2 Minutes	2 Minutes	2 Minutes	2 Minutes
Spinal Rolls	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds
Standing Quad Stretch	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)
Straddle Stretch	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)
Kneeling Lat Stretch Lying Glute Stretch	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)
Lying Supine Breathing	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds

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Weeks 11-13 – Speed, Agility, Quickness and Active Range of Motion Development

Once you have established and maintained your aerobic capacity, and then developed your strength base, it is time to put it into action with speed, agility,
and quickness development. This is where skiers will be able to display all of the coordination, balance, and prowess through explosive movements and power output for better powder output or mogul-handling. In order to be able to properly taper into the ski- season, each skier must have endurance and strength, but without speed, agility and quickness, you will feel one step behind.
Each workout begins with a warm-up and mobility session that will remain the same throughout the pre- season training. The goal will be to complete three of these workouts in one week, and then there will be an increase in the amount of work you will do.

WARM-UP

To improve your active range of motion, you
must actively engage at the ends of your
range of motion. This is done best with open
chain mobility.

● Open Chain Mobility Neck – https://youtu.be/l8Zx2ZApBGE
● Open Chain Mobility Scapula – https://youtu.be/5iUTiCU8pLM
● Open Chain Mobility Shoulders – https://youtu.be/iACpRXyMgco
● Open Chain Mobility T-Spine – https://youtu.be/8Dd4rTGXRt0
● Open Chain Mobility Elbows – https://youtu.be/c3cd9GQhZqw
● Open Chain Mobility Hips – https://youtu.be/OXPUx5i26k8
● Open Chain Mobility Foot Ankle Knee – https://youtu.be/WQUAAiy97H4

To warm-up your entire body, and prep the legs, glutes, hips, torso, and shoulders for aerobic conditioning, strength, and SAQ, you should be training
your feet, ankles, knees, hips, spine, and shoulders in as much movement variability as possible.
The best warm-up for this engagement is the Lunge Matrix with Arm Drivers: https://youtu.be/

SPEED, AGILITY, & QUICKNESS DEVELOPMENT

For the SAQ development, we will progressively overload another full body circuit with as much movement variability as possible, only this will be done with speed and intensity as the main component. SAQ movement variability will improve coordination and balance by improving proprioception and the ability
to get into positions or mitigate injury faster. Performing these slam ball and battle rope exercises will help maintain endurance, strength and proprioception
while improving on your speed, agility, and quickness. If you can perform this workout three times per week and then do some active recovery on the other
days (like walking, hiking, jogging, cycling, or swimming), it will drastically improve your outcome.

You will perform one exercise with as much quality and intensity as possible for the requisite work time, and then take the requisite rest time before moving to the next exercise. Once you have completed all the exercises in the high intensity interval training circuit, you will begin the next round with the first
exercise, until you have completed the requisite number of rounds. (Scroll below for the table of each week with progressive overload by work time, and
rounds). The biggest difference between endurance and strength development will be the short (but explosive work time), and the prolonged rest. Feeling sore and fatigued is not a good metric for performance, think faster and more repetitions during the requisite work time as the best way to know if you are
progressing with the SAQ training.

● Double Vertical Waves with Jump – https://youtu.be/Jqf0VhnmYYY
● Hinging Outside Circles – https://youtu.be/rs9GJAjwMlU
● Lateral Waves with Walk – https://youtu.be/0oAw_TwUs8A
● Rainbow Skater (Skier) Hops – https://youtu.be/frsthNgSick
● Split Squat Switch with Vertical Waves – https://youtu.be/dXQPOqf1CKo
● Vertical Slams – https://youtu.be/Fjbss88WoOo
● Underhanded Vertical Toss – https://youtu.be/WPXxVxjdhhI
● Split Squat Switch Rotation – https://youtu.be/HKFjdrruRbg
● Lateral Rotators – https://youtu.be/hl-x8Q8NciY
● Overhead Rotational Slams – https://youtu.be/AeWzxUsMXh8

COOL DOWN

A proper cool down will stimulate the recovery process, speeding up your recovery time. A cool down will also help with stretching the muscle and soft tissues involved in the exercises. Here are the cool down stretches and exercises for this workout:
● World’s Greatest Stretch – https://youtu.be/vy2V8j4HgOE
● Spinal Rolls – https://youtu.be/pUxqwbGVR9k
● Standing Quad Stretch – https://youtu.be/mSTBodsD2-w
● Straddle Stretch – https://youtu.be/o55mIOjAK-0
● Seated Kneeling Lat Stretch – https://youtu.be/e9IX7w-T-iM
● Lying Glute Stretch – https://youtu.be/YEjE3PN6f2E
● Lying Supine Breathing – https://youtu.be/mSoPgMypQ_o

Progressive Overload For Week 11 through Week 13 (Perform This Workout 3 Times Per Week)

● Equipment Needed – Battle Ropes, Sliders and Slam Ball
● Time To Complete – 30 minutes to 60 minutes
● Perform How Many Times Per Week – Three Times Per Week, with Active Rest Days In Between

Each Workout Day

Exercise Week	Week 1	Week 2	Week 3
WARM-UP/ MOBILITY	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds
Open Chain Mobility – Neck	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds
Open Chain Mobility – Scapula	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds
Open Chain Mobility – T-Spine	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds
Open Chain Mobility – Elbows	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds
Open Chain Mobility – Shoulders	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds
Open Chain Mobility – Hips	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds
Open Chain Mobility – Foot, Ankle, Knee	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds
Lunge Matrix with Arm-Drivers	3 Minutes 30 Seconds	3 Minutes 30 Seconds	3 Minutes 30 Seconds
SAQ HIIT Circuit 5 Rounds 3 Rounds 4-5 Rounds	5 Rounds	3 Rounds	4-5 Rounds
Double Vertical Waves with Jump	5 secs work/25 seconds rest	10 secs work/50 seconds rest	10 secs work/50 seconds rest
Hinging Outside Circles	5 secs work/25 seconds rest	10 secs work/50 seconds rest	10 secs work/50 seconds rest
Lateral Waves with Walk	5 secs work/25 seconds rest	10 secs work/50 seconds rest	10 secs work/50 seconds rest
Rainbow Skater (Skier) Hops	5 secs work/25 seconds rest	10 secs work/50 seconds rest	10 secs work/50 seconds rest
Split Squat Switch With Vertical Waves	5 secs work/25 seconds rest	10 secs work/50 seconds rest	10 secs work/50 seconds rest
Vertical Slam	5 secs work/25 seconds rest	10 secs work/50 seconds rest	10 secs work/50 seconds rest
Underhand Vertical Toss	10 secs work/10 seconds rest	10 secs work/10 seconds rest	10 secs work/10 seconds rest
Split Squat Switch Rotation	5 secs work/25 seconds rest	10 secs work/50 seconds rest	10 secs work/50 seconds rest
Lateral Rotators 5 secs work/25 seconds rest	5 secs work/25 seconds rest	10 secs work/50 seconds rest	10 secs work/50 seconds rest
Overhead Rotational Slams	5 secs work/25 seconds rest	10 secs work/50 seconds rest	10 secs work/50 seconds rest
COOL DOWN
World’s Greatest Stretch	3 Minutes	3 Minutes	3 Minutes
Spinal Rolls	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds
Standing Quad Stretch	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)
Straddle Stretch	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)
Seated Kneeling Lat Stretch	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds
Lying Glute Stretch	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)	60 seconds (30 seconds each side)
Lying Supine Breathing	60 seconds	60 seconds	60 seconds

Living.Fit produces digital workouts, fitness education courses and fitness equipment. Additonal equipment you may want for your workouts:

Battle Ropes

Dumbbells

Sliders

Let’s GOOOO! (SKIING!!)