Spring is just around the corner, so if you are a snow-lover this might be your last chance to hit the slopes. Downhill skiing is a great aerobic workout that improves muscular strength particularly in your hamstrings, quadriceps, gluteus, abdominals, calves and triceps. Plus you can have fun while burning a lot of calories. A person weighing 150 pounds burns approximately 420 calories in one hour of skiing. Pretty amazing!
The great thing about skiing is that you can bring your whole family. One ski resort can have smaller slopes for beginner skiers and larger slopes for those more advanced. For beginners, most ski resorts offer lessons as well. During the lesson, qualified ski instructors teach proper skiing techniques, including how to stop and turn properly. If a child is skiing for the first time, it would be a great idea to take a lesson before skiing to avoid injury.
Something that everyone should do to avoid injury is a proper warm up and cool down. Before skiing, warm up your muscles and get your heart rate up by walking around for five to 10 minutes. If it is really cold, you might want to walk around a bit longer. When you are ready for your first run down the slope, remember to take it slow. It is also a good idea to take it slow on your last run as well. Your body is really tired at this point, and this is when injuries are likely to occur. As always, remember to proceed down the mountain (or hill if you live in Iowa) with caution at all times.
After you have made it down the hill for the last time, do some muscle stretches, stretching out your calves, gluteus muscles, hamstrings, quadriceps, and triceps.
Adapted from: Yahoo Health http://health.yahoo.com/health/centers/fitness/4007