Remember when you were a kid and you could get up off the couch and go skiing all day long and the only residual you experienced the next day was a sunburned face? If you're like most people over the age of 18, you probably realize that those days are long gone, and if you're not careful, the day after your first ski day of the season can be a Bataan death march of sore muscles. Not only that, but you may have a sense of your own mortality and realize that going into a ski season out of shape will increase your risk of injuries. It's a well-described epidemiologic fact that most ACL tears in skiers happen in the late afternoon - the "one more run" syndrome can actually place you at risk of hurting yourself when you're fatigued. So what can you do to ease the transition into ski season?

Participating in a well-designed fitness program for 8 to 12 weeks prior to skiing can give your body the baseline endurance and strength necessary to handle the physiologic load that skiing imparts. To decrease your risk of injury, avoid some common training errors. A sudden increase in the intensity of workouts can lead to injuries. If you are changing your training regimen, be careful not to increase your workout duration/intensity without allowing for adequate recovery and building time. If you haven't been exercising regularly, now is a good time to start. A balanced program of aerobic and resistance training is easy and can get you on the way to skiing fitness.

The American College of Sports Medicine has some specific recommendations for starting an exercise program. All Americans should accumulate at least 30, and preferably 60, minutes of activity most day of the week. To focus this towards skiing, adding some specific exercises geared at strengthening your legs and core are helpful. Find 2 to 3 days each week that you can use for your skiing program, and keep workouts 48 hours apart to allow your muscles time to recover. Start and end each session with at least 10 minutes of light aerobic activity, such as riding an exercise bike or jogging, to warm up and warm down. Do one or two different exercises focusing on major muscle groups of the lower extremities at each workout. An example would be to do exercises for your quads, hamstrings, gluteals, and core during each workout. Certain exercises will target all muscles of the lower extremities. Some examples are listed below:

Wall sits: stand with your back against a wall, and slowly let your back slide down the wall until you are in a sitting position, pushing your back up against the wall with your legs. Hold this for 30 seconds. Rest for one to two minutes, and repeat one or two times. This works your quads and glutes.

Elevated heel squats: Essentially a standard squat exercise performed while standing with your heels on a 1-2 inch lift. This places you on your toes to work muscles similar to a skiing position. Like all squats, start in a squat rack with another person there to spot you. Begin with a light weight on your shoulders, stand with your legs shoulder width apart, keep your back straight. Initially, only squat down about 30 degrees or so until you become more comfortable with the exercise and weight. Rest for one to two minutes, and repeat one or two times

Lateral hops: This is a dynamic exercise that is excellent at working most every muscle group used in skiing. Place a jump rope or stick on the ground to your side, bend your knees into a tuck and hop sideways over the line and back 10 - 15 times. Rest and repeat. Add more jumps as you can tolerate for two or three sets.

Offset squats: Use a short (4-6 inch) step in the squat rack. Place one foot on the step and keep the other on the ground. Perform a standard squat exercise with one leg elevated. This helps selectively work one leg at a time. Alternate the leg that is on the step with each set so they are each worked equally.

These are all simplified descriptions of helpful exercises for skiers, so if you are not familiar or comfortable lifting weights or are unsure of the proper technique, ask for help. Most gyms are staffed with trainers who have completed at least basic educational programs on proper exercise technique - don't be afraid to use their services. Many trainers are Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists (CSCS) who have completed fairly extensive training at setting up exercise programs for individuals. They can be invaluable at planning your workouts prior to ski season and can create an individualized program for you. Ask at your gym if these services are available and take advantage of them. With a well-planned preseason routine, you can start skiing with a baseline of fitness to make the season safer and a lot more fun.