Normally I’m on my bike at least three days a week through the summer months, just enough riding to keep my body in some kind of ski-adjacent shape without thinking too hard about it. This year was different. We were traveling constantly, the bike sat in the garage collecting dust and a faint layer of guilt, and I can tell it’s going to take some serious extra effort if I’m going to be ready by opening day.
So let’s not waste any time. We’ve got roughly three months, which is more than enough to get there if we’re actually consistent about it, and not so much time that we can afford to dawdle through October pretending we’ll “start Monday.” This is part one of a three-part series on how I’m getting my body back into ski shape from something closer to zero than I’d like to admit. No vague “stay active” advice, just the moves that work, broken down one at a time so you can watch the form, steal a little of my motivation, and enjoy the view while you’re at it. I certainly do.
Move 1: Bulgarian Split Squats
Every turn you make on snow is shifting weight from one leg to the other, and most women train both legs together their whole lives and then wonder why one side feels wobbly on the mountain. Rear foot up on a bench, front leg doing all the work, chest up, hips square. This one shows off exactly what it’s supposed to, and I’m not going to pretend I don’t notice the mirror while I do it. Lower until your back knee almost kisses the floor, then press through the front heel to stand, keeping your front knee tracking over your toes instead of caving in. You’ll notice within the first set which leg has been coasting off the other one, which is exactly the point, and it’s a little humbling in the best way.
How to: 3 sets of 8 to 10 per leg, controlled on the way down, no bouncing at the bottom. Common mistake: leaning too far forward and turning it into a hip hinge instead of a squat, keep that torso proud and tall.
Move 2: Lateral Lunges
This is the one people skip completely, and it’s the one that matters most. Chairs and couches never ask your body to move sideways, but skiing lives in that plane of motion, so we’re teaching it here, one long, deliberate step at a time. Step wide, sink into the working leg while keeping the other leg straight and your toes pointed forward, push through the heel to return to center. There’s a deep stretch through the inner thigh at the bottom of this one that feels a little indulgent for something that’s technically homework, and I’d be lying if I said that wasn’t part of why I like it.
How to: 3 sets of 10 per side, slow and controlled, no rushing the return. Common mistake: letting the knee drift past the toes, sit back into your hips instead of just bending forward.
Move 3: Skater Jumps
If lateral lunges teach the pattern, skater jumps teach the power, and they’re the most fun of the three by a wide margin. Explosive side-to-side hops, landing soft on one leg with a slight bend in the knee before pushing off to the other side, arms swinging for momentum like you’re actually carving. This is the move that keeps you upright when a turn gets a little more aggressive than planned, and it’s also the move that leaves me flushed, breathing hard, and fairly pleased with how I look doing it, cute leggings fully earning their keep.
How to: 3 sets of 30 seconds, rest a full minute between sets, this one earns the rest and the selfie after. Common mistake: landing flat-footed and stiff, aim for a soft, quiet landing that absorbs the impact through your whole leg.
Part 2 covers core and the exercise everyone loves to hate. See you there, and yes, wear something you don’t mind sweating through, or don’t, I won’t tell.
