Leg Day Before Lift Day

September 27, 2026 · By Dr. Elan Goldwaser

If your legs haven’t done a real workout since last season, you’re in good company. Fall gets busy, and leg day is usually the first thing to go.

Here’s the good news: opening day is about six weeks out, and that’s enough time.

Every ski season I see the same pattern. Skiers who stayed strong through the off-season tend to have a great winter. Skiers who go straight from the couch to the first powder day are the ones I see too often with a swollen knee. The fix isn’t complicated.

Why skiing is hard on your knees

Skiing asks your knees to do something unusual: absorb force while bent, over and over, with your feet locked to long levers. Every turn loads your legs a bit like a small squat, and a full day adds up to a lot of them, many in a forward-leaning stance. Strong quads and glutes help share that load. When they tire out or aren’t ready, more of the work shifts to the knee itself.

The plan: two moves, two habits

No gym, no fancy program. Do the exercises three days a week and the habits every day.

1. The split squat. One foot forward, one foot back. Lower straight down until your front thigh is close to parallel, then stand back up. Three sets of 10 per leg. It’s the closest thing to a ski stance you can train in your living room: one leg at a time, knee bent and under control.

2. The wall sit. Back flat against the wall, thighs parallel to the floor. Hold 30 to 60 seconds, rest, and do three rounds. Yes, it’s boring. That’s the point. A long run is your quads working quietly under load.

3. Take the stairs. Skip the elevator whenever you can. It’s easy leg work that sneaks into your day.

4. Brush your teeth on one foot. Thirty seconds on one leg, then switch. Balance helps you recover from the wobbly moments every skier has.

The bottom line

You don’t need to be an athlete in October. You need to show up in December with legs that have already practiced the job. Six weeks of split squats, wall sits, stairs, and one-foot tooth-brushing will do more for your ski days than a new pair of goggles.

When to get it checked

If your knee swells, catches, or gives way during the season, get it looked at before your next ski day instead of skiing through it. Catching a problem early can keep it from turning into a season-ending one.

Final thought

Opening day is coming either way. Give your legs the next six weeks, and they’ll be ready to meet it. See you on the hill.

Have a ski-training question you’d like covered in a future post? Send it to Ask Dr. G. Reader questions shape what I write next.

For education only - not medical advice.