Slide show: Downhill skiing: Exercises to enhance your endurance

Want to avoid fatigue, muscle pain and possible injury when downhill skiing this season? Start training with floor exercises to target the muscles that keep your body in control as you ski.

In addition to these exercises, you can benefit from other strength training exercises. Leg presses will help you strengthen your leg muscles, and triceps extension exercises will help you strengthen your upper arms and the muscles you use for poling.

You'll enjoy the rewards that training for downhill skiing will bring. You'll feel more confident and maintain greater control as you swoosh through the snow.

Ready? Start by strengthening your core.

Strong core muscles help you shift your weight properly from a stable position and use your arms and legs more effectively. This exercise works many of your core muscles in combination.

• Lie on your back with your knees bent (A). Keep your back in a neutral position — not overly arched and not pressed into the floor. Avoid tilting your hips up.
• Cough to activate your transversus abdominis. Holding the contraction in your abdominal muscles, raise your hips off the floor (B).
• Align your hips with your knees and shoulders. Hold this position for about five to eight seconds — about as long it takes to take three deep breaths
• Return to the start position and repeat. To start, do this exercise five times. Gradually increase to 10 to 15 repetitions.

Side planks challenge your stability and work the muscles along the side of your trunk.

• Starting on your left side, raise yourself onto your left forearm. Tighten your core muscles to keep your shoulders, hips and knees in alignment (A). Align your left shoulder directly above your left elbow. Rest your right arm along the side of your body.
• Hold this position for three deep breaths before relaxing. Repeat this exercise on your right side. One repetition on each side is enough.
• For an added challenge, balance on your left hand, raise your hips off the floor and extend your right hand toward the ceiling (B). Hold for three deep breaths, relax and switch sides.

This exercise will improve your balance and stability.

• Stand and balance yourself on one leg about five to 10 feet from a wall. Keep your other leg bent at the knee.
• Toss a medium-sized ball against the wall while you maintain your balance. Try for a greater challenge, alternating the arm you throw with.
• Aim for about 10 throws or make it a game. See how many times you can throw and catch the ball and still maintain your balance.
• Repeat using your other leg and arm.

This exercise stretches your quadriceps — the muscle on the front of your thigh. Stretch this muscle before and after your workout, and before you put on your boots and skis.

• Stand near a wall or a piece of equipment for support. Grasp your ankle and gently pull your heel up and back until you feel a stretch in the front of your thigh. Tighten your stomach muscles to maintain an upright posture.
• Keep the knee of the leg being stretched close to your other knee.
• Maintain a constant, gentle stretch. If the stretch lessens, pull your heel back until you feel a stretch again.
• Hold the stretch for 30 to 60 seconds. Repeat using your opposite leg.

A slide board provides you an opportunity to get a low-impact aerobic workout as you work on balance and leg strength. You can purchase a slide board and special nylon booties for your feet from a sporting goods store. You can also improvise and slide with thick socks on a finished hardwood floor.

• Start by standing at one side of the board. Raise your leg and push off toward the other side of the board as if you were skating.
• Repeat in the opposite direction.
• To improve ski-specific endurance, slowly build up to 20 to 30 minutes each time you use the slide board.

This exercise works the muscles of your thighs and lower legs while helping you gain stability. But it's more difficult than it looks.

• Find an exercise partner. Place the exercise ball between the two of you so that your hip and torso can lean into the ball.
• Bend your elbows and raise your hands to chest level as if you were holding your ski poles. Lean inward toward each other as you stand on your outer leg.
• Maintain your balance as long as you can. Switch sides to work your other leg. You can do this exercise without a partner by placing the ball against a wall and pushing on it.
• Repeat this exercise until you're moderately fatigued.

This exercise strengthens your leg muscles and helps you develop stability and balance.

• Stand on one leg. Make sure you contract your abdominal muscles and keep your back straight.
• Bend your elbows and place your hands at midchest as if you were holding your ski poles.
• Slowly lower your body toward the ground. Keep your other leg slightly flexed at the knee without touching the floor. Then raise yourself to the starting position.
• Continue for a total of 10 repetitions. Repeat using the opposite leg.

Lateral jumps strengthen your legs and simulate the shift in weight you experience as you ski. Do these exercises until you're moderately fatigued. As you get stronger, gradually increase the number of jumps.

• Place a piece of tape on the floor.
• Stand on one leg about a foot from the line. Jump to the other side of the tape, landing on your other foot. After you balance yourself, jump back to the other side, landing on the foot you started with (A).
• Stand on both feet about a foot from the tape. Jump to the other side of the tape, landing on both feet. Quickly jump back to the other side, landing on both feet (B).