Skiing works the front thigh muscles (quadriceps), back thigh muscles (hamstrings), glutes and inner thigh (adductor) muscles most. In a study measuring muscle activity (EMG), these muscles worked at more than half of their maximum force in snowplough, parallel and giant slalom turns alike, and activity increased from the snowplough to parallel turns and from there to racing turns. What sets skiing apart is eccentric work (braking while the muscle lengthens): according to one study, the braking phase in giant slalom lasts about twice as long as the push phase. In recreational skiing, too, the outside leg works much harder than the inside leg, and the load increases as the slope gets steeper. The research base for snowboarding is more limited.
Front thigh muscles (quadriceps; vastus medialis and lateralis)
Stabilising the knee, carrying the load in the turn, braking
More than 50% of maximum force in all turn types (1997)
Back thigh muscles (biceps femoris)
Protecting the knee, balancing together with the front muscles
More than 50% in all turn types (1997)
Glutes (gluteus maximus)
Stance, hip position, transferring power
More than 50% in all turn types (1997)
Inner thigh (adductors)
Holding the skis together, edge control
More than 50% in all turn types (1997)
Trunk (core)
Keeping the upper body quiet, balance
Limited direct measurement; needed for balance
Calves and ankles
Pressure control inside the boot
Limited direct measurement
These findings come from studies that measure muscle activity with electrodes placed on the skin (EMG).
Muscle load by turn type
Two studies measured muscle activity in different turns:
In the first study, with racers (1995), the average activity of 12 muscles was between 58% and 112% of maximum voluntary contraction; the front and back muscles contracted at the same time (co-contraction) to stabilise the knee.
In the second study (1997), muscle activity increased from the snowplough to parallel turns, and from parallel turns to giant slalom; the front and back thigh muscles, glutes and inner thigh muscles worked at more than half of their maximum force in all turn types.
So even though the snowplough is a tiring movement too, the load on your muscles increases as you progress.
Eccentric work: the signature of skiing
When a muscle produces force while it is lengthening, this is called an eccentric contraction, like the work your thigh muscles do when you walk down stairs. According to a study with giant slalom racers (1995), the braking (eccentric) phase of a giant slalom turn lasted about 1 second and the push phase about 0.5 seconds; the researchers wrote that giant slalom is a movement dominated by slow eccentric contractions at near-maximal force. According to a review, these repeated high-force contractions restrict blood flow within the muscle, which is linked to how quickly your legs tire when skiing.
This unfamiliar eccentric load is also one reason why the aching muscles of the first few days (muscle soreness) are so noticeable.
The outside leg in recreational skiing
A study with recreational skiers (2010) showed that in a turn, front thigh muscle activity in the inside leg was 54% lower than in the outside leg, and that muscle activity increased as the slope got steeper. This also explains why good technique requires putting your weight on the outside ski: the outside leg carries the load. For the parallel turn, see our guide From Snowplough to Parallel Skiing.
Which muscles work in snowboarding?
There is less physiological research on snowboarding; a preliminary review from 2018 also notes that the research base is limited. In practice, the thigh, hip and trunk muscles provide stance and edge control in snowboarding too; the ankles and calves work in the transition between heelside and toeside. In a study with elite alpine snowboarders, the back leg was about 10% stronger than the front leg; this finding cannot be generalised to recreational riders.
What does this mean for preparation?
These findings show what to work on when preparing for skiing:
Thigh and glute strength: Squats, lunges, wall sits.
Eccentric control: Squats with a slow lowering phase, or stepping down from a step.
Inner thigh and balance: Side lunges, balancing on one leg.
Trunk: Planks and bridges.
A word of caution: there is not enough evidence that exercise programmes reduce injuries in recreational skiers; the main benefit of preparation is reducing fatigue. For a sample four-week plan, see our guide Physical Preparation for Skiing and Snowboarding.
Getting to know your muscles on an activity holiday
The fatigue you feel in your legs on the evening of your first ski day is proof of the research in this article. On an activity holiday, the day is divided accordingly: lessons in the morning, practice in the afternoon, rest when you get tired. On Doğadayız winter programmes, the evenings spent with the group let you share the day while your legs recover; that is why our programmes are each a social adventure holiday.
Doğadayız Packages
Doğadayız packages for your level
Winter activity holidays with accommodation, ski pass and equipment included, shared with a group.
The easiest way to learn to ski: a winter activity holiday
An activity holiday puts a sport at the heart of your trip: transport, accommodation and meals are planned, so you can focus on learning on the slopes. On Doğadayız winter activity holidays, accommodation, ski pass and ski or snowboard equipment are included in every package; course packages include basic lessons with instructors affiliated with the Turkish Ski Federation, while experience packages let you practise on the slopes at your own level.
What makes the programme different is the group: sharing the slopes with people at a similar level, dinners and nights out together, and a group leader by your side at all times. Solo travellers become part of this social adventure holiday from day one. That is why we describe our programmes as a social adventure holiday.
Mostly the front thigh muscles (quadriceps), back thigh muscles, glutes and inner thigh muscles. According to EMG research, these muscles work at more than half of their maximum force in snowplough, parallel and giant slalom turns alike.
Why does skiing tire your legs so much?
In skiing, the muscles mostly work eccentrically (braking while they lengthen), and these contractions are repeated and high-force. According to a review, these contractions restrict blood flow within the muscle; the muscle soreness of the first few days also comes from this unfamiliar load.
Which leg works harder when skiing?
The outside leg in the turn. In a study with recreational skiers, front thigh muscle activity in the inside leg was 54% lower than in the outside leg; the outside leg carries the load.
Physical preparation for skiing and snowboarding gives you two things: less fatigue in the first few days and keeping control at the end of the day. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) recommends arriving in good condition, stopping when you get tired, and warming up for 3–5 minutes before skiing and starting with a few slow runs; many skiing injuries happen at the end of the day. To be honest, though, according to a systematic review there is not enough evidence that fitness training reduces injuries in recreational skiers; the evidence is strongest for knee injury awareness training and, in snowboarding, for wrist guards.
The knee is the most commonly injured body part in skiing: according to a clinical review of skiing injuries, 27–41% of all injuries affect the knee. The most common knee injuries are sprains of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and the medial collateral ligament (MCL); in an 18-season study in the US state of Vermont, the ACL was the single most common injury among skiers (17.2%). There are two typical mechanisms: phantom foot (falling backwards off balance so that your weight goes onto the tail of the downhill ski) and boot-induced injury (landing a jump with a straight leg). For prevention, the right binding setting, stopping when you are tired, not sitting back and not fighting a fall all matter; an awareness training programme given to ski staff reduced serious knee sprains by 62%.
The move to parallel skiing does not happen in one step but with an intermediate stage: snowplough → wedge christie → basic parallel turn. In a wedge christie you start the turn in a snowplough and, during the turn, finish parallel by bringing the inside ski alongside the outside ski. According to the American instructors' association PSIA, what makes matching easier is relaxing the inside leg and pressing on the outside ski; as you gain experience, the matching moves closer to the start of the turn. In a true parallel turn, your weight is transferred to the new outside ski before the turn begins, and this movement comes from the legs, beneath a calm upper body.
