How to train for skiing: A pro skier’s guide with Bruce Oldham

I’m always chasing progress and consistency, and I know what I do off the mountain affects how I perform on it. So, I’ve pulled together the key areas of ski training, my top eight exercises, a workout plan, and some mistakes to avoid.

The biggest lesson I wish I’d learned sooner? Consistency beats going all-in once in a while. I used to have huge training weeks followed by days of doing nothing. Once I started training consistently, even with shorter sessions every day, I improved faster, stayed healthier, and felt much more prepared for ski season.

Start training 6 to 8 weeks before ski season kicks off to give your body time to adapt and feel the benefits. Aim for two or three strength sessions a week alongside cardio and mobility work. So, let’s see how we can get you there, too.

Get ski-ready with Bruce Oldham

Which areas should ski training focus on?

My off-season training mixes gym workouts, airbag training, trampoline sessions, and daily mobility. To hit the snow feeling strong and ready, focus on these five areas:

8 exercises to prepare for skiing

Skiing-focused exercises build muscle power and endurance so you can shred longer and harder. I’ve compiled eight exercises for the gym or at home. But always check with your doctor or certified trainer before beginning a new workout. Once you’re good to go, it’s time to start the first set…

1. Squats

Squats mimic the low stance held for most of your time on skis and work your quads, glutes, and hamstrings:

Looking to level up? Add a weighted bar across your back, grab a kettlebell for a goblet squat, or grab some dumbbells.

2. Single-leg stands

Single-leg stands massively boost your balance training by isolating one leg and firing the stabilizing muscles in your foot, ankle, knee, and hip. They’re super effective for training all the stabilizing muscles you use when turning on skis.

Progress to head turns, reaching your arms forward or to the side, or single-leg Romanian deadlifts (RDLs). These add counterbalances and reactive components that really challenge your balancing skills.

3. Hip mobility stretches

Hip mobility is so, so key for skiing, helping boost performance when turning. Strengthening your hips also helps you keep your knees outward and absorb shock. I love the couch stretch. This stretch is particularly effective at relieving tight hip flexors:

You can do this couch stretch daily. Over time, it should help lengthen any tight hip flexors and quads. You can also do other hip stretches, such as pigeon stretch, 90-90 hip rotations, and hip airplane rotations.

4. Walking lunges

Walking lunges target your quads, glutes, hamstrings, and core, while also honing your balance. So, pretty much everything you need for skiing!

Want to make things harder? Incorporate a torso twist to improve balance, or grab dumbbells to up the intensity.

5. Wall sits

Like squats, wall sits mimic the tension in your legs when skiing. Wall sits are great for building endurance and are just what you need to power through those trails:

Want to make wall sits harder? Increase the time as you become stronger.

6. Lateral ski jumps

Lateral ski jumps are an explosive move that builds leg power while sharpening coordination and balance. These work your quads, glutes, and hamstrings and mimic the fast, precise side-to-side motion you use on the mountain:

Feel too easy? Touch the floor with the opposite hand to the leg you’re landing on. This deeper movement will activate your hips more (just what you need for steep descents).

7. Planks

A strong core is essential for skiing, and planks help you stay steady and balanced. Don’t worry if 60 seconds in plank seems like a lifetime. It’s totally normal, I swear:

As you progress, try a side plank. You can then level up with a side plank leg raise: lift your top leg straight up or crunch it toward your waist.

8. Russian twists

Twisting is an inevitable part of skiing (especially when carving). Russian twists provide plenty of prep by targeting the obliques, helping you build rotational strength for smooth, controlled movements:

I mentioned weight in those steps because you can add dumbbells, kettlebells, or weight plates to your Russian twists.

Riding style vs. training prep

The prep foundations are the same for all riding styles: strength, mobility, balance, and endurance. The biggest difference is the emphasis. For freestyle skiing in the park, I spend more time on airbags and trampolines, learning tricks and improving body awareness. Backcountry or all-mountain skiing shifts focus toward building muscular endurance and strength, so you’re prepared for long days, variable terrain, and hiking.

A sample 7-day ski training plan

Use this sample 7-day full-body ski training plan as inspiration, with a few extra moves alongside the eight above. Session lengths vary, so build up as ski season nears, adjusting for your fitness level or any injuries. Start with a 5–10-minute warm-up on a bike, stair machine, or rowing machine, followed by dynamic mobility. Finish with a 10-minute cool-down, including stretches such as child’s pose, cat-cow, and hip flexor stretches.

3 common ski training mistakes to avoid

I regularly see three common ski-training mistakes that keep people from being where they want to be pre-season or hold them back once on the snow.

Signing off

I hope you now have what you need to get ready for the mountain this season! Remember: building strength, mobility, balance, and endurance are key. And you can work on these even if you only have 15 minutes a day! Just don’t forget the importance of recovery time, too. Pair your fitness work with these ski tips for intermediate skiers to keep progressing on snow.