How to Get Ski-Ready: A Pre-Season Training Plan to Reduce Injury Risk

Skiing places unique demands on the body. Long days on variable terrain require single-leg strength, lateral power, trunk stability, and fatigue resistance, qualities that traditional gym training often fails to address.

Every winter we see skiers who are generally “fit” but still pick up knee, back or shoulder injuries early in the season. In most cases, the issue isn’t lack of effort, it’s lack of specificity.

At Summit Rehabilitation, our aim is to help skiers Return to Play strong, confident and resilient. This blog outlines how to prepare your body properly before the season starts and why ski-specific training matters.

Why General Fitness Isn’t Enough for Skiing

Skiing is predominantly:

• Single-leg dominant

• Lateral and rotational

• Eccentrically loaded

• Performed under fatigue

  
  

Running, cycling, or bilateral gym work alone doesn’t adequately prepare the body for:

• Controlling knee valgus during turns

• Absorbing high forces on one leg

• Maintaining trunk control late in the day

• Reacting quickly to unpredictable terrain

  
  

This mismatch is a major contributor to non-contact ski injuries.

Key Physical Qualities for Injury Prevention

To reduce injury risk and ski more confidently, training should target the following areas:

1️⃣ Single-Leg Strength and Control

Strong quads, hamstrings, and glutes are essential for knee stability, particularly for protecting the ACL and MCL.

Examples:

• Split squats

• Single-leg Romanian deadlifts

• Step-downs with control

  
  

2️⃣ Lateral Strength and Power

Most ski injuries occur during edge catch or loss of lateral control, not straight-line movement.

Examples:

• Lateral lunges

• Skater jumps

• Side-to-side bounds with stick landings

  
  

3️⃣ Trunk and Pelvic Stability

Poor trunk control increases load through the knees and spine, especially when fatigued.

Examples:

• Pallof presses

• Dead bugs

• Anti-rotation cable holds

  
  

4️⃣ Proprioception and Balance

Improved neuromuscular control reduces injury risk during sudden perturbations or awkward landings.

Examples:

• Single-leg balance with perturbations

• BOSU squats

• Reactive hop-and-hold drills

  
  

5️⃣ Fatigue Resistance

Many ski injuries occur late in the day when strength and coordination decline.

Training should gradually expose the body to longer sets, reduced rest and ski-specific conditioning.

A Simple 6-Week Ski-Ready Structure

You don’t need complicated programming, just progression and intent.

Weeks 1–2: Foundation

• Focus on strength, control, and movement quality

• Emphasise slow, controlled single-leg work

• Build trunk endurance

  
  

Weeks 3–4: Strength + Power

• Introduce lateral power and plyometrics

• Increase load in split squats and deadlifts

• Add dynamic balance challenges

  
  

Weeks 5–6: Ski-Specific Conditioning

• Complex movements under fatigue

• Shorter rest periods

• Multi-directional drills simulating slope demands

  
  

This progression prepares both tissues and nervous system for skiing demands.

Common Mistakes When “Getting Fit” for Skiing

• Only training bilaterally (e.g. squats, leg press)

• Ignoring lateral and rotational movements

• No balance or proprioceptive work

• Arriving on the slopes without conditioning for fatigue

• Relying on skiing itself to “get fit”

  
  

Early-season skiing on an unprepared body is a common cause of preventable injury.

When to Seek a Ski Readiness Assessment

If you:

• Have a history of knee, back or shoulder injury

• Are returning to skiing after surgery

• Lack confidence after a previous fall

• Want to ski harder or longer this season

  
  

A Return to Play ski readiness assessment can identify strength asymmetries, balance deficits and movement patterns that increase injury risk.

At Summit Rehabilitation, our ski-specific programmes combine strength testing, movement analysis, and targeted training, helping you ski with confidence, not caution.

References

1. Ruedl G, Posch M, Greier K, Faulhaber M. Skill-specific differences in equipment-related risk factors for ACL injury in male and female recreational skiers. Am J Sports Med. 2023;51(2):522–529.

2. Posch M, Ruedl G, Greier K, et al. Association of personal and equipment-related factors on ACL injury risk in alpine skiers. AIMS Public Health. 2023;10(2):373–389.

3. Myer GD, Ford KR, Hewett TE. Neuromuscular training to target deficits associated with ACL injury risk. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2015;8(4):337–346.

4. LaStayo PC, Woolf JM, Lewek MD, et al. Eccentric muscle contractions: their contribution to injury prevention, rehabilitation, and sport. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2017;47(9):689–699.

5. Impellizzeri FM, Marcora SM, Coutts AJ. Internal and external training load: 15 years on. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2019;14(2):270–273.