Core

Core and Skiing

• Skiing requires a strong and stable core to maintain balance, control, and proper stance.

• Engaging your core muscles should be a progressive action that adapts to your movements and the terrain and should not be a constant, rigid contraction.

• One action to engage your core is to draw your navel toward your spine without holding your breath.

Strengthen Your Core

• To improve core strength for skiing, work with your personal trainer to incorporate exercises like planks, bicycle crunches, and leg raises into your fitness routine.

• Practising balance and stability drills on unstable surfaces, such as a balance disk or BOSU ball, can further enhance your core strength and skiing performance.

This video demonstrates core exercises you can do at home.

Video by E3 Ski Academy

Core Muscles Used For Skiing

While several core muscles come into play during skiing, three of the most important ones are:

Abdominal Muscles

• In skiing, two key abdominal muscles play distinct roles in supporting stability and movement. The Rectus Abdominis, often referred to as the “six-pack” muscles, is responsible for flexing the spine. These muscles come into play when skiers bend their upper bodies forward or tilt at the waist.

• The Transverse Abdominis (TVA), a deep abdominal muscle, acts as a natural corset by providing essential stability to the spine and pelvis. This muscle is particularly vital, where maintaining core stability is crucial, especially when exerting pressure on the outside ski.

Latissimus Dorsi (Lat) Muscles

• The lat muscles span a broad area of the back and attach to the upper arm. They play a pivotal role in stabilizing the torso and spine.

• The lats help skiers maintain an athletic stance preventing excessive forward or backward leaning.

• The lat muscles are also engaged to generate power, such as when initiating turns or skiing through challenging conditions like steep icy race courses.

Oblique Muscles

• The obliques provide a solid foundation for the rest of the body’s movements. They are responsible for trunk rotation which is critical when moving the upper body over your feet and down the hill. The oblique muscles also assist in coordinating the arm movements required for effective pole planting.

• The oblique muscles are a group of muscles located on the sides of the human torso. The External Obliques run diagonally downward and inward from the lower ribs to the pelvis.

• The Internal Obliques are located just beneath the external obliques, running in the opposite direction, diagonally upward and inward from the pelvis to the lower ribs.