How to Train to Prepare for Winter Sports
A science based blueprint for skiing, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, winter hiking, fat biking and cold weather running
Winter rewards preparation. Cold and altitude change fuel use and breathing. Uneven terrain taxes reflexes and joint control. Reactive strength and trunk stiffness decide whether a turn on hardpack feels effortless or risky. Your training should therefore build aerobic capacity, eccentric leg strength, ankle hip and trunk stability, and cold specific resilience while keeping recovery and nutrition tuned to the season. This guide lays out the physiology and turns it into weekly plans you can actually use.
Why winter changes the load on your body
Cold shifts how the body produces heat and manages fluid. Shivering and non shivering thermogenesis raise energy use and alter fuel selection. Multiple lab and field studies report greater reliance on carbohydrate during cold stress and shivering, especially when the body is not fully glycogen replete. In controlled exposures, carbohydrate can supply roughly half or more of heat production during cold stress compared with neutral conditions where fat predominates. That pattern becomes even more pronounced when shivering is sustained. National Academies Press+1
Cold also blunts thirst and increases urine output through cold induced diuresis. Peripheral vasoconstriction shifts blood centrally, suppressing vasopressin and thirst even as osmolarity rises. The result is lower drive to drink despite mounting fluid losses from breathing very dry air and from clothing that traps sweat. In young adults, cold exposure reduced thirst perception by up to about forty percent at rest and during moderate exercise. For winter sport athletes this means dehydration can creep up even when you feel fine. PubMed+2NCBI+2
Altitude adds another stressor. Many ski areas in the Rocky Mountain West sit between two and three thousand meters where hypoxia raises ventilation and diuresis and increases the risk of acute mountain illness during the first one to three days. Recognized guidelines emphasize gradual ascent when possible, conservative exertion early, and attention to hydration and sleep. CDC
Finally, the musculoskeletal load is different in snow sports. Downhill turns, moguls and variable snow demand braking strength and joint stiffness that are primarily eccentric and isometric in the quadriceps, hamstrings and gluteals, along with rapid ankle and hip co contraction for edge control. Field work in recreational skiers shows pronounced eccentric fatigue of quadriceps and hamstrings after long ski days, a clue that preseason eccentric capacity deserves explicit training. Contemporary injury surveillance also highlights the knee and spine as common sites in alpine accidents, underscoring the value of neuromuscular and trunk control work. PMC+2PMC+2
The demands of common winter sports
Cross country skiing is one of the most aerobic sports measured, often linked with very high aerobic power. Uphill classic and skate techniques push whole body oxygen delivery and peripheral force production at the shoulder girdle and hips. The Compendium of Physical Activities situates cross country efforts from moderate to very high metabolic equivalents depending on speed and grade, with steep uphill work reaching vigorous to very vigorous domains. Snowshoeing and winter hiking in deep snow or on steep grades also rise quickly into high intensity territory. These data justify building both a large aerobic base and the ability to tolerate short spikes of high intensity. SAGE Journals+1
Downhill skiing and splitboarding are bursty. Chairlift rest alternates with runs that require rapid force absorption and direction change. Core bracing and hip knee ankle synchronization keep the center of mass over the skis while the legs absorb forces on compressions and turns. Eccentric leg strength and reactive stiffness are predictive for control in these settings. Physiology Journals
Winter running and cycling bring their own constraints. Cold dry air increases airway water loss and can provoke exercise induced bronchoconstriction in susceptible people. Heat and moisture exchange masks warm and humidify inhaled air and can reduce airway reactivity in cold, though they may slightly impair maximal running performance. This tradeoff matters for asthmatics and for hard efforts below freezing. PMC+1
Training architecture that works in winter
A successful winter build should combine three elements.
First, aerobic base with intensity discipline. Evidence comparing training intensity distributions favors either polarized or pyramidal patterns for improving aerobic capacity. In practice most total time is truly easy conversational work, with a modest dose of high intensity sessions and little time parked at threshold. That mix improves VO2 peak and preserves freshness for strength. PMC+1
Second, heavy strength and plyometrics to enhance economy and control. Multiple meta analyses show that adding heavy resistance and or explosive training to endurance programming improves economy and time trial performance. For mountain sports, prioritize lower body strength and trunk stiffness and include carefully progressed plyometrics. PubMed+2Lippincott Journals+2
Third, specific eccentric and balance work. Because winter descents punish braking tissues, dedicate work to eccentric quadriceps and hamstrings and to balance on unstable surfaces. Leg complexes that bias lengthening under load build resilience for prolonged runs. The literature demonstrates that prolonged skiing preferentially fatigues the eccentric function of the thigh muscles, which you can precondition. PMC
Twelve week preseason plan
This macrocycle assumes two to three strength sessions and three to five aerobic sessions weekly. If you live in the Mountain West including Idaho and Utah, plan weeks eight through twelve to overlap with your first on snow days at Bogus Basin, Brundage, Sun Valley, Snowbasin or Alta. If you live in New England, time those weeks for early openings at Killington, Sugarloaf or Stowe. The physiology does not change with geography. Your snow and altitude do.
Weeks 1 to 4: General capacity and tissue prep
Run or ride mostly easy with one short high intensity session per week. Build from one hundred fifty to one hundred eighty minutes total easy aerobic time. Strength days center on hinges, squats, split squats, row or pull up, press and carries with controlled eccentrics of three to four seconds on the lower body lifts. Finish with ten to twelve minutes of trunk stiffness work that is anti rotation and anti extension focused. Add foot intrinsic and ankle drills after easy sessions for proprioception.
Weeks 5 to 8: Max strength and aerobic tempo
Keep most aerobic work easy. Insert one steady climb or tempo run of twenty to thirty minutes at a pace you could sustain for about an hour. Strength sessions shift heavier at three to five sets of three to five reps for squat or trap bar deadlift, plus heavy step downs and Nordic hamstring or similar posterior chain work. Begin low volume plyometrics such as snap downs and small depth drops, focusing on quiet landings and knee alignment. Add one balance day weekly with single leg stance, star excursion and edge control drills.
Weeks 9 to 12: Power and specificity
Maintain easy mileage. Replace the tempo with one high intensity interval day such as five by three minutes very hard with three minute easy recoveries for cross country or snowshoe goals, or twenty second hill sprints for alpine agility. Strength sessions drop volume and move toward speed with loaded jumps and contrast sets. Add eccentric biased circuits once or twice per week in which you step down slowly or descend from a box, control the landing and keep hips stacked over feet. If you are a skier or boarder, these weeks are ideal for controlled leg complexes before rest days.
This structure respects the interference risk from concurrent strength and endurance work by separating hard lifting from long or intense aerobic days, an approach supported by recent work showing that order and spacing matter. Practically, lift heavy on days when aerobic work is easy or keep at least six to eight hours between intense bouts. PMC+1
Protocols for specific athletes
Endurance first athletes
Distance runners and cyclists transitioning to winter should keep their base and add lower body strength twice weekly. Heavy bilateral patterns and unilateral step downs with slow lowering build control for descents. Meta analyses in runners show that heavy strength and or plyometrics improve economy and performance without harming aerobic capacity when dosed carefully for ten or more weeks. Your high intensity run can live mid week while your heaviest lift sits forty eight hours from your long outing. PubMed+1
CrossFit and Hyrox athletes
Hybrid fitness events require sustained aerobic output with repeated high effort stations. The emerging research on Hyrox classifies the event as high intensity functional training with a strong endurance component, which means that long zone two base and running economy work are decisive while very heavy top end strength is less predictive. Program two runs at easy pace, one variable pace workout, one to two barbell sessions with heavy sets of three to five for squats and pulls, and one event specific mixed session. Keep eccentric leg strength in year round maintenance. PMC+1
Recreational gym goers
If you lift two to three days per week and do some cardio, you can be ready for ski trips with modest adjustments. Keep total weekly easy cardio above one hundred fifty minutes. Make one day strength dominant with bilateral lower body work and one day single leg and trunk dominant with step downs, split squats and anti rotation drills. Add short bouts of jump rope or low amplitude pogo hops after warm ups to wake up the tendons. Lighter loads can still be effective if you move with intent and maintain slow eccentric phases.
Outdoor generalists
Winter hikers, snowshoers and fat bikers in the Pacific Northwest or Northern New England need long duration stamina and steady joint control on slippery surfaces. Your anchor is a weekly long easy outing that climbs and descends. Strength repeats the same patterns as above with added attention to calf complexes and foot intrinsics. For stability, practice loaded carries over uneven ground and step downs on small boxes with a strict three second lower.
Eccentric preparation for downhill control
Downhill skiing and splitboarding hinge on the ability to absorb force while maintaining alignment. Build this with three families of work.
Step downs and negatives. Stand on a low box, shift weight to one leg and take three to four seconds to lower the heel of the free leg to the floor while keeping hips level and the knee tracking over the second toe. Progress height over weeks.
Mini depth drops and soft landings. Step off a low box and land quietly with knees and hips flexed, trunk tall and shins near vertical. Hold the landing for one to two seconds to extinguish bounce.
Leg complexes that bias eccentric load. Popularized in mountain athlete training, these complexes combine squats and lunges with controlled descents and can be progressed cautiously. The key is to start small and respect soreness because eccentric training is potent. Research in recreational skiers confirms that eccentric quadriceps and hamstrings fatigue substantially after long ski sessions, so prehab is protective as well as performance enhancing. PMC
Breathing and airway protection in the cold
Cold and very dry air increase airway water loss. In susceptible athletes this can trigger exercise induced bronchoconstriction. Several controlled trials and reviews show that heat and moisture exchange masks can mitigate airway narrowing during high intensity work in subzero air, though a small performance decrement can occur at maximal efforts. Strategy wise, keep the mask for very cold days and for individuals with known reactivity and use open face on mild days when you are chasing times. Always follow clinician guidance if you have asthma. PMC+1
Hydration and fueling when it is cold
Do not wait for thirst. Cold exposure dampens thirst by about forty percent and increases diuresis, a combination that quietly erodes performance. Weigh yourself before and after long sessions to calibrate intake. For sessions longer than ninety minutes, aim for thirty to sixty grams of carbohydrate per hour from drink mix, gel or real food. For very long outings in the backcountry, you can push toward ninety grams per hour if your gut is trained and you tolerate multiple carbohydrate types. These ranges are consistent with ACSM guidance and subsequent reviews on carbohydrate during endurance exercise. In very cold environments, warm liquids improve palatability and help maintain core temperature. drugfreesport.org.za+3PubMed+3PubMed+3
Winter also increases respiratory water loss and may raise energy expenditure on long days. Plan snacks that combine carbohydrate with some protein to support shivering and later recovery. Carry salted options to match your preferences and remember that sodium losses can remain relevant under winter layers even when sweat rate feels low.
Recovery, sleep and winter light
Sleep quality often drifts in winter with shorter daylight and more time indoors. Morning bright light exposure is a reliable anchor for circadian phase and alertness and can be paired with brief outdoor walks or a light box. Expert consensus and clinical studies show that daylight or bright light in the morning advances circadian timing and supports sleep at night. Keep screens dim in the last hour before bed and aim to standardize wake time, especially before big weekends in the mountains. NHLBI, NIH+2PMC+2
Safety basics you should never skip
Know the signs of hypothermia and frostbite and respect wind chill. Federal guidance outlines early symptoms and time to skin freezing at different wind speed and temperature combinations. If you venture into the backcountry, adopt conservative turnaround rules and carry redundant warmth. The basics save more days than small adjustments in training. CDC+2CDC+2
Nutrition and supplementation for the season
Keep energy availability high during heavy blocks. Carbohydrate and protein recommendations from sports nutrition position stands remain your baseline. For strength and power support, creatine monohydrate is safe and effective for most healthy adults and can be valuable for mixed sport athletes who lift and ski or ride. If you use beta alanine to support high intensity tolerance, understand that the ergogenic effect appears in time to exhaustion and repeated hard efforts rather than long aerobic days and that the evidence base is mixed across tasks. In northern latitudes, vitamin D status can fall in winter. Use food first, get a blood test if indicated, and follow established intake ranges with an upper limit for adults of about four thousand international units per day unless your clinician directs otherwise. This is general information, not medical advice. Office of Dietary Supplements+3BioMed Central+3PMC+3
Putting it together for real places and seasons
If you are in Boise and planning long weekends at Bogus Basin or Brundage, treat week one on snow like a training camp rather than a proving ground. Keep day one easy with many green to blue runs, take long breaks and end early. If you travel to higher resorts such as Sun Valley or Colorado Front Range areas, remember that the first one to three days at altitude are the riskiest for overexertion and poor sleep. Emphasize hydration and easy aerobic volume early, then gradually add intensity and technical goals. CDC
If you are in New England and splitting time between touring in Vermont and running wooded roads near Boston, use your weekday training for eccentric strength and easy base and your weekend for skill. If you are in the Pacific Northwest where snow can be deep and heavy, devote more time to trunk stiffness and single leg balance on unstable surfaces. This improves control when the skis dive in dense snow and when wind slabs change the feel of the surface mid turn.
Frequently asked questions
How many days per week should I lift in winter build up
Two sessions are sufficient if you choose big lower body movements, posterior chain, trunk stiffness and one or two eccentric biased patterns. A third short session can live on a technically easy day.
How hard should my aerobic base feel
You should be able to breathe through your nose and speak in full sentences. Use a heart rate cap if you like, but the conversational test is robust and keeps easy days truly easy in a polarized model. PMC
Do I need plyometrics if I only snowshoe and hike
Low amplitude hopping and short hill strides improve tendon health and reactive stiffness even if you never leave groomers. Keep the volume low and progress gradually.
What about heat and moisture exchange masks for running below freezing
They can reduce airway stress in subzero conditions and for those with reactive airways, with a small cost to top end performance. Use them on the coldest days or if you have a history of symptoms. PMC+1
How do I hydrate on very cold days when my bottle freezes
Carry an insulated bottle inside your jacket and choose warm drink mix you like. Pre hydrate, drink to a plan rather than thirst, and check body mass change as your audit. PubMed
A sample week during the specific phase
Monday easy aerobic forty five to sixty minutes on varied terrain. Ten minutes trunk stiffness and foot intrinsics.
Tuesday heavy lower body three by five trap bar deadlift or back squat, three by six step downs with three second lower each side, two by six Nordic hamstring or equivalent, loaded carry.
Wednesday easy aerobic forty five minutes, finish with balance and ankle drills.
Thursday high intensity intervals five by three minutes hard on hills or ski erg with three minutes easy between.
Friday off or walk and mobility.
Saturday long snow outing. Pace easy, stop for warm drinks, end with short technique focus laps.
Sunday low volume plyometrics and trunk stiffness then sauna or warm bath and early bedtime.
That template scales up or down. If you are CrossFit or Hyrox focused, make Thursday your mixed session and slide intervals to Tuesday while keeping heavy lifting away from your longest aerobic day to reduce interference. PMC
The bottom line
Winter rewards those who respect the physics. Cold changes fluid balance and fuel use, altitude multiplies the stress, and descents demand eccentric control. Build a big easy aerobic base with small precise doses of high intensity. Lift heavy and include slow eccentrics and quiet landings. Protect your airways on frigid days. Hydrate to a plan, fuel long sessions and keep sleep and morning light consistent. Do this across twelve weeks and you will step onto snow or frozen trail with strength, control and confidence.
References
- Augsburger GR et al. Circadian regulation for optimizing sport and exercise performance. 2025. PMC
- Blume C et al. Effects of light on human circadian rhythms. 2019. PMC
Casa DJ et al. Fluid needs for training, competition and recovery. 2019. Human Kinetics Journals - CDC. Preventing hypothermia and frostbite resources. 2024. CDC+1
- Jeukendrup AE. Carbohydrate intake during exercise. 2014. PMC
- Kenefick RW et al. Thirst and AVP responses in cold. 2004. PubMed
- Koller A et al. Eccentric quadriceps and hamstring fatigue after skiing. 2015. PMC
- Llanos-Lagos C et al. Strength training and running economy. 2024. PubMed
NIH ODS. Vitamin D fact sheet for professionals. 2025. Office of Dietary Supplements
- Oliveira PS et al. Polarized training improves VO2 peak. 2024. PMC
- Pérez-Kreider RB et al. ISSN position stand on creatine. 2017. BioMed Central
- Rivera-Kofler T et al. Polarized training vs other models. 2024. Fisiología del Ejercicio
- Sawka MN et al. Environmental impacts on hydration. 2015. PubMed
- Seiler S. Best practice for training intensity and duration. 2010. PubMed
- US CDC Travelers Health. High altitude illness guidance. 2019. CDC
- US National Weather Service. Wind chill and frostbite timelines. 2023 to 2024. National Weather Service
- Wilderness Medical Society. Frostbite prevention and treatment guidelines. 2019. PubMed
- WMS and related altitude guidance. 2019. WMS
- Compendium of Physical Activities 2011 update. 2011. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
- Hanstock HG et al. Exercise in subzero temperatures and airway health. 2020. Frontiers
- Jackson AR et al. HME mask and bronchoconstriction. 2020. PMC
- Tutt AS et al. HME use and maximal performance. 2021. PMC
- FIS injury mechanisms and prevention. 2025. PMC
Medical and safety disclaimer
The information here is educational and general. Speak with your clinician before changing training or nutrition, especially if you have asthma, cardiovascular disease, bone joint conditions or a history of altitude illness.
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