First of all it is key to identify what type of skier you are so that you can choose what type of training that you should be doing. We've broken it down to three types of skiers; beginners, intermediate, and advanced.
Beginners Beginners will spend more time skiing and moving than they do at rest. This is because they typically move more slowly on flatter slopes so the fixed chairlift riding time is relatively short compared to the amount of time skiing. Their speed is also quite low, terrain relatively similar meaning their range of movement is low as well as the forces acting upon them. Aerobic Training - As you'll be exercising for a longer period of time at a low intensity with little rest, you'll want to develop your aerobic capacity so that you can ski all day. Isometric - You won't be moving very much or have a lot of forces acting upon you, but that doesn't mean that you won't be working hard. Think of doing a 'plank' all day and that is like beginner skiing, staying upright takes energy. Isometric exercises are those where you don't move but your muscles are contracting. Recommended Exercise - Jogging, cycling, rowing at a low intensity for extended periods of time will develop your aerobic capacity. Yoga poses will help you with your isometric strength.
Advanced Advanced skiers ski at a high intensity for a short amount of time with lots of rest between efforts with a high amount of forces acting upon them and a large range motion. World cup ski racers rarely ski for more than a minute at a time and so your workout should prepare you for doing repeated high intensity efforts. Anaerobic Training - power, strength and speed are going to be cornerstones of your training. That doesn't mean that you can neglect your aerobic fitness but it certainly shouldn't be your focus. Eccentric - Eccentric muscle contractions are when your muscles lengthen under load, think of the 'down' part of a squat rather than the 'up' part. You'll want to focus on this part of exercises to prepare your body to function under g-forces. Recommended Exercise - Power lifts, Olympic lifts, Speed and Agility Ladders, Box Jumps, and all of these may be done on unstable surfaces! In the gym you'll want to feel like you are on the slopes. Probably doing as many reps as you can in a minute and then resting for 10 minutes.
Intermediate The middle ground between the two! Skiing for amounts of time that may be similar to rest at a moderate intensity with moderate amount of forces acting on you. Aerobic/Anaerobic Training - The longer you want to ski the more aerobic training you'll need to do, and the more intense you want to make your skiing the more strength training you'll need to add. Isometric/Eccentric - Isometric exercise will help you maintain balance and be more efficient where you can afford to be and eccentric exercise will help you be dynamic when you need to be. Recommended Exercise - All of the above but at a higher intensity than the beginners and a lower intensity than the experts.
See you out there on the slopes
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