If you enjoy alpine skiing, strong leg muscles protect your bones, ligaments and joints from injury, and may even improve your technique. Elastic resistance bands provide a versatile means of strengthening your leg muscles in different planes of movement. Manufacturers color-code their bands according to their level of resistance. Their low cost and light weight makes it economical to purchase a bunch of bands and take them with you when you travel.
Muscles Used in Skiing
All of your leg muscles activate during alpine skiing, but imbalances between the muscle groups may impede your technique. An imbalance between the hamstrings and quadriceps --- the back and front of your thighs, respectively --- distorts your on-slope alignment and technique. The hamstrings bend your knees and absorb shock during a jump. Weak hamstrings coupled with overly strong quadriceps causes you to ski in a locked-knee position, which minimizes your directional control. Your outer and inner thighs support your medial and lateral knee ligaments during carving movements. Imbalances or weaknesses in these muscle groups make you susceptible to medial collateral or lateral collateral ligament injuries. Local gyms usually have an ample selection of leg training equipment, but some centers favor quadriceps equipment, at the expense of other muscle groups. Resistance bands facilitate a wider variety of leg exercises.
Squat
The squat bears a close resemblance to the skier's tuck --- a position used when maintaining top speed is essential. Tube-type bands, with handles on each end, are most efficient for squat exercises. Stand on the tubing with your feet hip-width apart. Hold each handle on top of each shoulder. Slowly bend both knees and sit back as if you were about to sit on a chair. Straighten your legs with control. Perform 10 repetitions, and keep your knees bent on the last rep.
Ski-specific Squat
To make the squat more ski specific, tilt your pelvis, rounding your lower back. If you used this position on the slopes, you would create a small wind tunnel, making your body aerodynamic and resistant to the wind drag that may slow you down. Remain in position and perform tiny bending and straightening movements, emphasizing the bending more than the straightening. Perform as many repetitions as possible. The exercise works the hamstrings and quadriceps. Use this position the next time you have a a steep downhill followed by a flat or an uphill slope. It will maintain your speed, preventing the need for walking the slope.
Hamstring Exercise
Some people, especially women, have a hamstring/quadriceps muscle imbalance, which they exacerbate in the gym by using much more weight on the leg extension than on the leg curl. Machine design is often at fault, because some leg machines do not accommodate different leg-length-to-torso-length ratios. Resistance bands level the playing field. Place a circular band around your ankles. Stand in an upright position, with your working leg slightly behind your standing leg. Slowly bend your working leg, bringing your heel toward your buttocks. Straighten your leg with control. Improve your ski-specific balance by performing this exercise without holding onto a stabilizing object.
Abductor/Adductor
While your gym may have an abductor/adductor machine, it uses a seated position. You don't ski in a seated position. The ankle band facilitates ski specific inner and outer thigh exercise. Place the band around your ankles, and take a big step to the right. Then, bring your left leg in to meet it. Take eight steps to the right and eight to the left, and perform the sequence four times. To work your inner thighs, step to the side, and cross your opposite leg in front of your lead leg.
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