Your core isn’t just your six pack abs. Instead they are a group of muscles that help to stabilize your spine and pelvis. Your core is also crucial for allowing your upper and lower body to function in harmony. In skiing and snowboarding in particular, your core is constantly working to stabilize against movement. Strengthening your core not only improves your movements and stamina, but also reduces injury. 

If you are thinking of hitting the slopes this year, now is the time to start strengthening your core. Here are three of our essential core exercises for skiers and snowboarders.

Leg Lifts

As the core region is central to proper movement and stability of your body. A strong core protects your spine from injury, helps power your movement and keeps your body resilient.⁠ Leg Lifts target your lower abdominal muscles and the movement from your legs helps to create a load instability that your core has to work against.⁠

  1. Start by laying on your back with one knee bent and the other extended.

  2. With your core engaged, slowly lift the extended leg up and down.

  3. Make sure your back does not arch.⁠

  4. To make it more challenging, lift your neck and shoulders off the ground as you tap your heels to the ground.⁠

Shoulder Taps 

Shoulder Taps is an advanced abdominal exercise which also adds a level of instability to challenge your abdominal muscles and their ability to resist rotation.⁠ It is really important to do this exercise correctly and may not be for everyone. If it is too difficult, drop down to your knees.⁠

  1. Start in a high plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders.⁠

  2. Your feet should be hip width apart. To make this exercise a bit easier, you can step your feet out a bit wider.⁠

  3. Actively engage your abdominal muscles.⁠

  4. Lift one hand and tap the opposite shoulder, then lift the other hand and tap the opposite shoulder.⁠

  5. The key is to focus on keeping your hips and abdomen stable and not shift your weight back and forth.

Weighted Dead Bug

The Weighted Dead Bug will definitely fire up those core muscles, which stabilize the spine as well as transfer movement between the upper and lower body. Although the weighted version of this exercise is a more advanced variation, the Dead Bug is a safe and accessible exercise for most individuals, regardless of their fitness level. 

  1. Lie face-up with your arms extended toward the ceiling, directly over your shoulders, and knees bent 90 degrees over hips. 

  2. Keep your core stable and breathe into your lower abdominal and back regions while you slowly extend your opposite arm and leg away from your body. 

  3. While holding a 5-10 lbs weight in your hands, extend your arms away from your body. 

  4. Focus on keeping your arms shoulder width apart and avoid arching your low back. 

  5. The further you angle your arms back, the harder your core has to stabilize.