You may think that youre just gliding along the smooth snow when youre skiing, and Im almost inclined to agree with you. Skimming along the snowy ridges and curves of the mountainside almost feels like youre effortlessly sailing, but this is just a misconception. Experienced skiers know that underneath the surface, your leg muscles and your upper body are getting a tough workout.
You want proof? How about taking a gander at all those skiers who just dive in right away, then return several minutes later, moaning and groaning about how their legs hurt. You know that next day youll see them walking around with aching muscles all over their body. This is what usually happens every time a skier forgets to maintain his skiing muscles during the summer. Come wintertime, the muscles that you need for your favorite sport will definitely fall apart on you before long.
Hiking can play a valuable role in keeping your muscles healthy and strong, the same muscles that you need for skiing. Now how would you develop those muscles? Go up. Include hills into your hiking itinerary as much as possible. Start slowly, but do more intense uphill hikes as the summer draws to...