Balance Drills

1. Single-Leg Balance Hold

   • Stand on one leg with a slight knee bend, lifting the other knee to hip level. Hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute on each leg. Increase difficulty by closing your eyes or adding small movements with your arms to mimic poling.

2. Single-Leg Deadlift

   • Standing on one leg, hinge forward at the hips, extending your opposite leg behind you until your torso and leg are nearly parallel to the floor. Slowly return to standing. Repeat 8-10 times per leg to improve balance and coordination.

3. Toe Taps Around the Clock

   • Balance on one leg and lightly tap your other foot around an imaginary clock face (12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock). Complete two rounds on each leg to develop stability and core strength.

Strength Drills

4. Lateral Ski Jumps

   • Stand on one leg and jump side-to-side as if mimicking ski strides, landing softly on the opposite leg each time. Focus on maintaining control and balance. Perform 20 jumps total.

5. Wall Sit with Arm Swings

   • Hold a wall sit and move your arms in a skiing motion, as if poling. Hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute, aiming to build endurance in leg and core muscles.

6. Diagonal Reach Lunge

   • From a lunge position, reach your arms diagonally forward to simulate the extension in a ski stride. Return to starting position and switch legs. Repeat 10 times per side, focusing on balance and strength.

Mobility/Flexibility Drills

7. Dynamic Hip Flexor Stretch

   • Begin in a kneeling lunge and gently press your hips forward, stretching the hip flexors. Add a slight torso twist in each direction for better hip and lower back mobility. Hold for 20 seconds per side.

8. Standing Figure Four Stretch

   • Balance on one leg and cross your opposite ankle over the standing knee. Sit back into a squat to stretch the glutes and hips. Hold for 30 seconds per side to improve flexibility and hip mobility.

Dynamic Drills

9. Fast Feet Drill

   • Stand with feet hip-width apart and lift your knees alternately in quick succession, as if running in place. Aim for 30-60 seconds. This drill builds agility and coordination for transitioning between strides.

10. Forward and Backward Lunges

• Step forward into a lunge and then push back into a reverse lunge on the same leg. Repeat 10 times per side. This strengthens glutes, quads, and core muscles, essential for ski control and power.

Practicing these drills a few times per week can support the core components of skiing—balance, strength, and flexibility—while increasing body awareness, control, and resilience!