A perfectly groomed slope in front of you, the sun’s rays warm the tip of your nose and the fresh snow crunches under your ski boots. Understandably, you want to carve off right away. But a cold start when skiing is anything but advisable, because after all, your body should be able to cope with the strain without injury. But why should we do a warm-up in the first place? What’s actually happening in your body? And what has the downhill position got to do with the warm-up? 3, 2, 1 and let’s go!
Why warm up at all?
Warm-up training prepares the body for the activity ahead. With targeted exercises, you raise your pulse, body temperature and breathing rate and bring your body up to the perfect working temperature. This promotes blood circulation and supplies your muscles with oxygen and nutrients. The more flexible your muscles are, the better you can absorb shocks and prevent injuries. And your joints, tendons and ligaments will also thank you if you get them moving a little before making your first descent.
Warming up also benefits you mentally: the movement signals to your brain that you’re about to start so it’s time to concentrate. You will notice that you are more attentive and proactive on the skis.
Laying the foundation..
The perfect preparation for a strong and injury-free ski season already starts in summer. With regular endurance training, such as jogging, cycling, swimming or rollerblading, you increase your fitness levels and get your muscles fit for skiing. Light stretching exercises before and after sports not only increase your flexibility, but also reduce the risk of injury when skiing.
By the way: going on regular hikes is a wonderful preparation for winter. Walking on a (slight) incline is a natural way to train your leg muscles and build endurance. It’s particularly effective from around 1,200 metres above sea level because at altitude, the body has to absorb more oxygen. This refreshes your senses, gets your cardiovascular system going and makes you feel happy.
5 tips for warming up on the slopes.
Of course, we also have a few exercises ready that can be done anywhere without much effort before you make your first descent. You can still enjoy the magnificent panoramic view at the mountain stations in the skiing area Bad Kleinkirchheim.
1. The jumping jack. Or jumping jane.
Start your warm-up with a few active jumps. This wakes up the brain and gets the circulation going. You certainly won’t feel cold after that.
2. The chair pose.
To warm up the muscles before heading off on your first ski run, stimulate the blood circulation and mobilise the joints, the chair pose is a good exercise – a yoga move that’s very similar to the downhill position.
3. The leg swing.
To get your upper legs going, support yourself with your hands on the ski poles and swing your legs alternately from back to front. The weight of the ski boots will help to loosen your muscles a little more.
4. Arm circles..
To make sure that using your ski poles doesn't become a disaster, you should also mobilise your shoulders and arms well before setting off. To do this, stretch your arms far out in front of you and circle them first forwards, then backwards. To challenge your coordination skills, you can also circle your arms in opposite directions. By the way: this exercise stimulates the blood circulation in the entire arm and helps agains cold fingers
5. Don’t forget to have fun.
Even our smallest little skiing penguins should learn that the right warm-up is an important part of the ski day. A group snowball fight or race is not just fun, but also gets the whole family up to the perfect temperature for skiing.
Been a long time since your last ride?
The right preparation is particularly important for inexperienced and occasional skiers, but also if you’re just getting back on your skis after a longer break. Your body is not yet or no longer used to the movements and stresses of skiing, which significantly increases the risk of injury. And let’s be honest: injuries and sore muscles have absolutely no place on holiday. A few weeks before your skiing trip, you should prepare yourself for the movements with regular and targeted training sessions for flexibility and coordination.
All warmed up? Then let’s hit the slopes at the skiing area Bad Kleinkirchheim. By doing a few stretching and movement exercises after skiing, you can get your legs back into shape for the next day. And guess what? … A visit to the Thermal Römerbad spa area also works wonders!
