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Why Skiing is a Great Workout

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of downhill skiing. (If you’re yet to experience it for yourself, you’ll have to take our word for it, but be sure to add it to your bucket list!). The whoosh of wind as you glide gracefully (or not so) across the snow can’t be beaten. However, it got us wondering if skiing is as good for us as it feels. In the following feature, we will explore why skiing is such a great workout.

Like most workouts, the benefits to your health will be dependent on how hard you push yourself throughout the activity. Additionally, the harder the challenge in terms of terrain will ultimately have an impact on the results of the workout. (Readers should note that it is recommended you stick to slopes and tricks that are in your skill range. Lessons can be arranged to help you progress while you stay with us). But skiers of all abilities have noted how great they’ve felt after skiing.

What are the Health Benefits of Skiing?

What are the Health Benefits of Skiing?

Let’s investigate the health benefits a little further and see what skiing does to us physiologically.

According to the director of the Institute for Molecular Sports and Rehabilitation Medicine at the Paracelsus Medical University in Austria, Dr Josef Niebauer: “Alpine skiing is a mix of endurance and resistance training. It has positive effects on the heart and circulation, as well as peripheral muscles – predominantly the legs.”

Skiing, above all, provides cardio-metabolic benefits which help to lower blood pressure and improve insulin resistance and metabolism. What’s more, skiing has been linked with reinvigorating blood vessels, improved cell health, and eliminating arterial stiffness that can factor into heart disease and Alzheimer’s.

Another bonus is that a little exposure to the cold can also help to burn fat.

What Type of Workout is Skiing?

Downhill skiing is comparable to cycling or rowing in terms of its workout ‘magic’, but it will up your heart rate more due to the surge of adrenaline from the nature of this fast-paced activity. Skiing can classify as a type of interval training which is popular in the fitness world. A single skiing activity can last for several minutes before you rest on the ski lift going back up the hill to do it all again! Interval training has been known to improve your fitness levels. (We won’t blame you if you use this as the perfect excuse for a cheap ski holiday!)

Skiing also seriously works out the muscles in your lower body through a combination of coordinated movements that work out the muscles around your knees and hips, as well as the thigh muscles. Research indicates that exercising these muscles which support the body can improve your balance. This exercise can also reduce the chances of repetitive-motion injuries because studies show that it can enhance the range of motion.

What Type of Workout is Skiing?
Why Should I Do a Skiing Workout?

Why Should I Do a Skiing Workout?

Alongside the physical health benefits and skiing being a great form of interval training, it also is beneficial for your wellbeing. We all know that spending time outdoors is good for mental health with countless research linking the two. According to Dr Niebauer: “Skiing is more than just a sport – it comes with lots of positive effects on the skier’s wellbeing and quality of life.”
And where could you find more beautiful settings to workout than in the French Alps? We can’t think of anything better for fitness enthusiasts, who can combine a great workout with a fantastic holiday.

If you’re looking to mix up your workout regimes, why not consider skiing? With plenty of availability over Winter 2019/20, you could be jet setting to the ultimate workout soon enough.

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Customer Reviews

By dispensing with things such as towels and complimentary toiletries (bring your own) and guaranteed en suite bathrooms, Hucksters has managed to create accommodation that is definitely communal and cheap but in that no-frills way that makes you feel pretty smug at the money you are saving. It has ...

The Guardian - Top 10 Affordable Ski Lodges

You don't have to buy the snowshoes, ice grippers and trekking poles you'll need on mountain walks. If you don't have the necessary kit for hiking, Evolution 2 offer kit for hire.

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