Although it feels like summer has just ended, ski/snowboard season is just around the corner! Make this season one of your best by prehabing your body for hitting the slopes. 

Dynamic stability is the body’s ability to stabilize itself when in motion. Think about skiing or snowboarding downhill, your body is continually balancing as you move over the varying terrain. Or, if you are landing a jump, your body uses its muscles to absorb the impact of the landing and stay in control of your movements. As a result, you are able to better protect your body from injury.

Here are three Dynamic Stability Drills for Skiers and Snowboarders:

Drop and Stops 

Doing Drop and Stops will help develop proper mechanics for jumping, landing and navigating uneven terrain. Focus on hinging from the hips and activating your glutes. This motion should be quick, fluid and controlled.

  1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and toes slightly turned out.

  2. With your core engaged, go up on your tiptoes and reach high over your head with your arms. 

  3. As you drive your arms down, sit your hips down and back to land in a semi-squat position. 

  4. Quickly push yourself back up to the starting position, mimicking a jumping motion without leaving the ground. 

  5. Repeat 2-3 sets x 8-10 reps.

Single Leg Toe Touches

Single Leg Toe Touches activates the posterior chain (the muscles on the back of the leg) while also challenging your balance. To do this exercise correctly, really focus on stabilizing through the standing leg and engage your core.

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  1. Start by standing on your right leg and your left leg bent in front of you.

  2. With a long spine, hinge from the hips and reach forward as you bend your knee and touch your left fingers to your right toes.

  3. As you bend forward, send your left leg straight back behind you for balance.

  4. Complete 12-15 reps and then repeat on the other leg.

Skater Jumps

Skater Jumps is a dynamic exercise which involves propelling your body laterally while also stabilizing in your standing leg as you shift your weight from side to side. The lateral muscles of the hip are important for knee stabilization. 

To do this exercise correctly, you really need to focus on stabilizing your leg after you land the jump.

  1. Start by standing on one leg 

  2. Engage your core, load into your hip of the standing leg and jump over to the other leg.

  3. Alternate jumping from one leg to the other and focus on pushing of the stance leg instead of reaching with the floating leg. 

  4. Complete 2-3 Sets for 12-16 reps total.