Your Ultimate Ski Season Prep Routine

It’s finally been snowing here in Denver and all I can think about is getting up to the mountains for skiing!

 As with all other sports, skiing uses a very specific set of muscles and movements. If we want to enhance our ski performance as well as keep ailments such as knee pain at bay, working the right areas of fascia before you hit the slopes is key!

The 3 top areas to release are:

1. The high, lateral calves: releasing this specific area of the calf promotes a LOT of blood flow into the knee, “greasing it” for prolonged bending as well as lessening the impact of bumps/moguls.

2. The quads: with your hips bent in that ideal skiing position, the hip flexors are shortened and your quads are working hard to control your speed. Releasing this tissue reduces stress on the knee, reduces the chance of low back pain later, and gives your quads the hydration and space needed for optimal performance.

3. The IT bands: carving and changing direction at varying speeds comes from the proprioceptive abilities of your hips. If we want ease and flow of hip movement (as well as the ability to activate more of our stabilizing hip muscles), free the IT bands from any stickiness!  

I showed the Alpine Ski team up in Steamboat how to release these areas this fall and I’ve heard they’ve been a game changer! Ready to give these three techniques a go for yourself? Follow along with this video:

Now get out there and shred!