Get stronger, improve your control, and build the endurance you need for a full day on the mountain.
For Denver skiers, ski season is never far away. Whether you're chasing powder at Breckenridge, carving groomers at Copper Mountain, navigating bumps at Winter Park, or exploring the steeps at Arapahoe Basin, Colorado's mountains offer plenty of reasons to look forward to winter.
But there's one thing that can turn an exciting first day on the slopes into a frustrating one: realizing your body isn't quite ready for the demands of skiing.
Skiing requires more than strong quadriceps. It challenges your hips, hamstrings, core, balance, coordination, and cardiovascular endurance, often for hours at a time. Add variable snow conditions, moguls, unexpected terrain changes, and fatigue late in the day, and it's easy to see why preparation matters.
At Revo Physiotherapy & Sports Performance Denver, we believe the best ski season starts before you reach the lift line. A focused training program can help you build the strength, control, and stamina needed to enjoy more of the mountain.
Here are five of the most important exercises to include in your preseason ski training.
1. Bulgarian Split Squats: Build Single-Leg Strength
Why they matter: Skiing demands strength and control from each leg independently. During turns, your weight shifts between your skis, and each leg must help manage force while keeping your body balanced.
Bulgarian split squats develop the quadriceps, glutes, and hip stabilizers while challenging your balance and control. They are particularly useful for identifying and addressing differences in strength between your left and right legs.
Stand in a split stance with your back foot elevated on a bench behind you.
Keep your front foot planted and your torso comfortably upright.
Bend your front knee and lower your back knee toward the floor.
Keep your front knee tracking in line with your toes.
Push through your front foot to return to standing.
Recommended dosage: 3 sets of 6–10 repetitions per leg.
Make it more challenging: Hold dumbbells at your sides or use a slower lowering phase to increase the strength demand.
Revo tip: Focus on controlling the entire movement rather than simply getting lower. If your knee collapses inward, your pelvis shifts, or you lose balance, reduce the depth or load until you can perform the exercise with consistent control.
2. Romanian Deadlifts: Strengthen Your Hamstrings and Glutes
Why they matter: Skiers need strong muscles on both the front and back of their legs. Your quadriceps help manage knee flexion and absorb forces, while your hamstrings and glutes contribute to hip control, deceleration, and overall lower-body stability.
Romanian deadlifts strengthen the posterior chain—the muscles along the back of your body—and complement the knee-dominant work of squats and split squats.
Stand with your feet approximately hip-width apart, holding dumbbells or a barbell.
Soften your knees and push your hips backward.
Lower the weights along the front of your legs while keeping your back neutral.
Stop when you feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings without losing your position.
Drive your hips forward to return to standing.
Recommended dosage: 3 sets of 8–10 repetitions.
Make it more challenging: Progress the load gradually or introduce single-leg Romanian deadlifts once you have mastered the bilateral version.
Revo tip: Think about moving from your hips rather than rounding your back to reach the weights toward the floor. Good technique allows you to train the muscles you want to strengthen without adding unnecessary stress.
3. Lateral Lunges: Prepare for Side-to-Side Movement
Why they matter: Skiing isn't just a forward-and-backward activity. Every turn requires you to manage forces across your body, shift pressure between your skis, and control movement through your hips and knees.
Lateral lunges train the adductors, glutes, quadriceps, and other muscles involved in side-to-side movement. They also help develop strength in positions that traditional forward lunges may not adequately address.
Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart.
Shift your weight toward one side as you bend that knee and push your hips backward.
Keep the opposite leg relatively straight and your entire foot in contact with the floor.
Lower only as far as you can maintain control and comfortable mobility.
Push through the bent leg to return to the starting position.
Repeat on the opposite side.
Recommended dosage: 3 sets of 6–8 repetitions per side.
Make it more challenging: Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in front of your chest. Later, progress to controlled lateral bounds if you have the strength and landing mechanics to perform them safely.
Revo tip: Pay attention to how each hip and ankle moves. Differences in mobility or control from side to side may affect your ability to get into and out of demanding skiing positions.
4. Lateral Skater Hops: Develop Power and Landing Control
Why they matter: Skiing requires you to react quickly and control your body as forces change from turn to turn. Strength is important, but so is the ability to produce force, absorb it, and stabilize yourself efficiently.
Lateral skater hops introduce a dynamic, side-to-side challenge. They train single-leg power, balance, and the coordination needed to decelerate and control your landing.
Stand with your feet about hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
Push off one leg and hop laterally onto the opposite leg.
Land softly with your knee and hip slightly bent.
Hold the landing briefly and regain your balance before hopping back.
Keep the movement controlled rather than chasing maximum distance.
Recommended dosage: 2–3 sets of 4–6 controlled hops per side.
Make it more challenging: Gradually increase the distance or speed of your hops once you can land quietly and maintain good alignment.
Revo tip: This is a progression, not a starting point for everyone. If you have a history of knee or ankle injuries, current joint pain, or limited single-leg control, build strength with split squats and lateral lunges before introducing jumping.
5. Side Planks: Improve Core and Pelvic Stability
Why they matter: Your core helps transfer force between your upper and lower body while you maintain balance over your skis. Your trunk also needs to resist unwanted movement as you navigate turns and uneven terrain.
Side planks train the obliques, lateral trunk muscles, and hip stabilizers that contribute to this control. They are a simple way to build foundational strength without needing specialized equipment.
Lie on your side with your elbow directly beneath your shoulder.
Stack your legs or place your top foot in front of the bottom foot for additional stability.
Lift your hips until your shoulders, hips, and legs form a straight line.
Keep your pelvis level and breathe normally.
Hold the position, then lower with control and repeat on the other side.
Recommended dosage: 3 sets of 20–40 seconds per side.
Make it more challenging: Progress to a longer hold, a side plank with your top leg elevated, or controlled dynamic variations.
Revo tip: Prioritize a stable position over a long hold. If your hips sag or your trunk rotates, shorten the duration or use a modified version with your knees bent.