Six Exercises for Strong Balance for Skiing & Snowboarding
Hey Snow Men & Women, We are rolling out a continuing series of ski and snowboard fitness topics this winter, and here’s another one coming your way. I’ve gotten increasingly interested in balance skills over the past couple of years, deepening my knowledge through continuing education. This week, we are taking a look at how balance skills help your skiing and snowboarding, and a progression of balance challenges you can do to get ready to ride.
When it comes to dynamic balance for these sports, flexion in ankles, knees, hips is an essential element. So you don’t just want to stand on a straight leg as your balance practice. That can be a good starting point and a warm up, but ultimately you want to develop the ability to balance with constant dynamic movement, varying instability and the ability to have strength for level changes while remaining balanced.
A couple of basics:
- For snow sports, you want your weight over the ball of foot and front of heel–having your weight back on your heels can lead to your skis/board slipping out from under you.
- Also key to balance on the snow, focus on using your lower legs, hips and core, rather than upper body, so the arms, chest and torso stay relatively still.
The video below includes a progression of six balance exercises. They start with two great warm ups–Nested Feet stance and Tightrope stance. Don’t let that second one fool you–it’s challenging! Once comfortable with those, introduce dynamic leg movement and then instability by standing on a cushion, wobble board or Bosu that require more work from your feet, ankles and lower legs. As you’re taking these on, also notice how engaging your hips and core make a difference. They are the firm foundation that your lower legs and feet need to stabilize when you are on slippery, bumpy, unpredictable snow.
After you build a good facility with static stance, limb movement and unstable surfaces, add level changes and hops-to-balance.
Here’s the full progression shown in the video. Give them a try, and get yourself ready to be a ninja on the snow.
- Nested Feet with visual challenges
- Tightrope stance with visual challenge and arms across chest
- Single leg, work up to 2:00 per leg, adding dynamic leg gestures
- Single leg with unstable surface: cushion, wobble, Bosu
- Step Up, Sit to Stand, Walking Lunges with hold
- Hop and hold, skate and hold.
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