Ski season is fast approaching, and the Best of Breckenridge team is gearing up! We’ve come together to share our favorite pre-season exercises to help get you ready for another epic year of fresh powder and fun on the slopes. Follow our lead for the ultimate ski workout! \

  • Pre-Season Ski Exercises - Team Edition

    October 16, 2024 / Bec Metras

Pre-Season Ski Exercises – Team Edition

Ski season is fast approaching, and the Best of Breckenridge team is gearing up! We’ve come together to share our favorite pre-season exercises to help get you ready for another epic year of fresh powder and fun on the slopes. Follow our lead for the ultimate ski workout!

Lauren:

I ride snow with: All Mountain Black Crows

Favorite terrain: Fresh deep pow–duh!

Taking a few minutes to stretch at the start of the season can make all the difference! Your body will be using muscles it hasn’t engaged in months, especially your legs and back. Prepping with some warm-up stretches helps ensure you’re ready for a full day of skiing—those squats on the mountain will feel so much better when your muscles are properly primed!

Bec:

I ride snow with: Atomic Bent 110 Skis

Favorite terrain: Trees, glades, big mountain

Hiking 14ers is my favorite pre-season exercise. The primary benefit it has for ski season prep is cardiovascular fitness. The endurance required for hiking 14,000 foot peaks in Colorado will easily translate to long, fun-filled days on the ski hill. In addition to cardio benefits, hiking 14ers throughout the summer helps with leg strength. It targets muscle groups such as the quads, hamstrings, & calves which are crucial for skiing.

Colin:

I ride snow with: NVR Summer Proto Synthesis and Westbound

Favorite terrain: Wide open bowls on spring powder days

My favorite pre-season exercises are to enjoy a well-rounded summer full of biking, hiking/running with my dog, and all the chill days on the lake in between. I like to establish a more consistent rec center routine a month or two out of opening day to activate/work on certain muscles that are important to snowboarding/skiing that I have neglected all summer. That way, the first few weeks back on the mountain aren’t as painful.

Andy:

I ride snow with: All of the skis – a pair in the quiver for every scenario

Favorite terrain: Powder!

I love mountain biking and gravel biking as pre-season training for the ski season. Gravel biking is especially helpful in the early winter months when the weather is a wintery mix and singletrack isn’t in the best shape.

Cody:

I ride snow with: Snowboard, Lib Tech Jamie Lynn 156

Favorite terrain: Steep high alpine pitches

During the summer months, I get enough cardiovascular exercise through biking and hiking so getting ready for ski season for me is all about flexibility and injury prevention – and yoga and dynamic movement are perfect for that. For Yoga, simple flows (Sun A’s and Sun B’s) offer tons of possibility for customization such as holding poses to get a deeper stretch or adding in chaturangas build strength. As for Dynamic movement, try planks with shoulder taps, lateral jumps with a 180⁰ turn, skater jumps and single leg jumps / bounces. All of these exercises help strengthen the tiny muscles in your shoulders, knees and core that are so important to skiing and snowboarding.
Chris:

I ride snow with: Snowboard, Jones Mountain Twin 163

Favorite terrain: Untouched powder in bowls

Biking – As the colder weather arrives, I lean on gravel / road biking to keep my legs from becoming Jello the first day out on the snowboard. I have some family in Denver, so if a wintery mix arrives before the resorts open, I am known to go down there for a good weekend ride.

Rachel:

I ride snow with: Snowboard, Never Summer 151

Favorite terrain: Powder, always! Nothing beats Wanderlust on a good powder day.

I like to focus on strength and cardio training at the gym. The Breck Rec Center offers an array of fabulous classes for all sorts of conditioning. My favorite class is Power, which blends weightlifting with cardio, balance exercises, and core training. This has helped me strengthen the major muscle groups, in addition to the smaller muscles that aid in precision while on the mountain. I also do HIIT workouts on the Stairmaster 2-3 times a week which is key for strengthening my legs, and I run 3-5 miles at an incline once a week to build my endurance. Additionally, my husband and I go for a one-hour hike with our Bernese Mountain Dog every evening which helps maintain overall good physical fitness.

Laurel:

I ride snow with: Never Summer snowboard for resort riding and Salomon splitboard in the backcountry

Favorite terrain: Backcountry powder and fresh morning groomers!

I stay active in the summer months with weightlifting, trail running and hiking. Single-leg exercises really help activate stabilizing muscles and lifting heavy weights helps to keep my legs strong for powder days.

Emmily:

I ride snow with: Ride Warpig, Jones Solution Splitboard, Salomon QST skis

Favorite terrain: Bowls, whiteout conditions

This fall is for golfing. I’ve accepted my fate of my legs hurting for the first two weeks of winter. But I do love to play on the revolution balance board!

Hannah:

I ride snow with: All Mountain Skis

Favorite terrain: The soft fluffy stuff

I like to focus on staying active year-round with a mix of strength training a few times a week, yoga, and stretching. In the summer, I regularly bike and hike which also helps my endurance and strength. It still takes a couple of weeks to fully get into a good rhythm once the season starts, but staying active helps me hit the slopes feeling stronger.

Take some time to get that ski workout in before the season starts – trust us, it makes all the difference! And while you’re prepping, don’t forget to lock in your lodging. Early bookings mean the best deals and the perfect spot to enjoy easy access to fresh powder, early morning runs, and après-ski relaxation. Check out lodging deals in Breckenridge here.