The trick to skiing is, of course, to keep yourself balanced on a slippery slope. Engaging your stomach muscles this way boosts core stability and compresses the lower abdomen (which means a flatter tummy). Plus, it promotes overall flexibility and coordination. Your leg muscles will also thank you: the general stance of a skier is a slight crouch which strengthens the large quadriceps and glutes muscle groups.
Hitting the slopes is also a fantastic cardiovascular workout. It elevates your heart rate which promotes blood circulation and brings more nutrients and oxygen to your tissues. The immersive experience of skiing also boosts endorphins and adrenaline, providing an overall feeling of wellness.
If those sugary pastries you gorged on back at the lodge are weighing on your conscious, take solace in the fact that skiing is a solid way to keep trim over the winter months. Most experts agree that an average day on the slopes burns serious calories, up to 3000, far more than an average gym session. Cold temperatures also force your body to raise its own temperature, burning even more calories. Need proof? Trace Snow, a free comprehensive ski and snowboard app, helps you track your day at the mountain. It measures calories burned, speed, distance and much more.
Falling temperatures and exaggerations of a polar vortex can deter many from hitting the slopes, but the many advantages of skiing are undeniable. Try it out at Blue Mountain, Ontario’s largest ski and snowboard Resort.
