dryland exercises for skiing

30 Minutes per Day Dryland Ski Training Plan

$29.00

  • 4 Weeks, 4 Days/Week
  •  30 Minutes/Day
  • Trains Eccentric Leg Strength, Leg Lactate Tolerance, Core and Upper Body
  • Equipment: Pair of Dumbbells (10# women, 20# men)
  • This training plan is one of the 450+ Plans included with an Athlete’s Subscription.

Description

Get ready to enhance your skiing performance with our 30-minute per day dryland ski training plan. Designed for skiers of all levels, this program has effective exercises for skiing that focuses on building the strength, flexibility, and endurance necessary to excel on the slopes. With quick, efficient workouts, you’ll target key muscle groups and improve your overall athleticism, helping you perform better and recover faster during ski season. Whether you’re training for competition or simply want to enjoy the slopes with more power and control, this plan has you covered.

PREPARING FOR ALPINE SKIING DEMANDS

This is a focused, intense, limited equipment, 4-week, training plan specifically designed to efficiently and effectively prepare athletes for lift-assisted alpine skiing. Complete this program the 4 weeks directly before your ski trip or season. Each training session should take approximately 30 Minutes.

This is Version 2 of the plan, created September 2025

Changes made from V1:
  • Replaced the Quadzilla Complex with MTI’s Leg Blaster Progression
  • Replaced TJT intervals to an assessment with follow on progressions

Lift-assisted, alpine skiing has very specific fitness demands.

First, Eccentric Leg Strength

When alpine skiing, gravity “bounces” you down the hill. From a strength perspective, your legs first fight gravity from being forced into the mountain, and then pop up, out of the hole, into the next turn.

Early in my coaching career I learned the hard way we can’t train eccentric leg strength with exercises like front squats and back squats. These train primarily “concentric” strength – the strength it takes to press out of the bottom of the squat.

This plan uses our Leg Blaster progression to train your eccentric leg strength. Leg Blasters are a more intense complex of lunges, jumping lunges and squat jumps. There is a lot of hopping and jumping in Leg Blasters, causing the athlete to land under the force of loaded gravity, and rapidly slow their deceleration. In this way we train eccentric leg strength.

You’ll complete Leg Blasters on Mondays and Thursdays in this plan and as you work through, the volume increases.

Beware …. eccentric leg strength training is intense and you’ll likely be quite sore. We give you Wednesday’s off in this plan to help with recovery.

The second specific fitness demand of alpine skiing is what I call “Leg Lactate Tolerance” – the “burn” you feel in your quads at the end of a long ski run or at the end of a full ski day.

This training plan deploys Touch Jump Touch to Box intervals on Tuesdays and Fridays to train your mind and body for this demand. You will be assessed on your max rep TJT to box reps in 2 minutes. You will perform a follow on progression based on your results that progresses throughout the training plan. You will re-assess your max rep TJT to box reps in 2 minutes in week 4 of the plan.

Third, alpine skiing demands solid rotational, anti-rotational and extension core strength.

This plan trains these also. On Monday’s and Thursdays, you’ll perform Scotty Bobs – an upper body strength exercise which has a solid rotational core component, and on Tuesdays and Fridays, you’ll perform a focused core circuit between sets of Touch/Jump/Touch intervals.

Here is your weekly schedule:

  • Monday: Leg Blaster Progression, Scotty Bobs
  • Tuesday: Touch/Jump/Touch, Core
  • Wednesday: Total Rest
  • Thursday: Leg Blaster Progression, Scotty Bobs
  • Friday: Touch/Jump/Touch, Core
  • Saturday: Total Rest or light recreation
  • Sunday: Total Rest or light recreation

The training sessions include a warm up, and are designed to be completed in 30 minutes. Work briskly, but not frantically through each day’s training.

Progression and focus are key to the design. Over the 4 weeks in this plan, we “progress” the volume of the Leg Blaster Progeression and Touch/Jump/Touch reps you complete. Same thing, only harder.

This training program is specifically designed to be completed the 4 weeks directly before your ski season or ski vacation begins.

Overall, this training is efficiently designed to get you to the slopes sport-specifically fit, strong and stable – so you can get the most out of your turns at the beginning of the season, or enjoy your ski vacation to the fullest.

COMMON QUESTIONS

What if I miss a day?
Begin where you left off when you return to training. This program is progressed – each session builds upon the prior session – so don’t skip a session or skip around. Follow the training sessions in order, regardless.

Where do I find unfamiliar exercises for skiing?
See our Exercise Library HERE. The Run/Ruck Calculator is listed as an exercise.

What about nutrition?
See our Nutritional Guidelines HERE.

Can I see sample training?
Yes. Click the “Sample Training” tab to see the entire first week of programming.

How do I access the plan?
Access is online, via username and password. You can log in either through our website or through our app (Mtn Tactical Fitness) available for IOS and Android.

Can I print out sessions to take to the gym?
Yes – you can print a week of programming at a time.

More Questions? Email: coach@mtntactical.com

 

DISCLAIMER

Before beginning any exercise program or performing any exercises for skiing, consult with your physician to ensure that you are in proper health. Physical training contains inherent risks including, but not limited to, muscle strains, tears, physical and bodily injury up to and including death. This training program is not meant to provide medical advice; you should obtain medical advice from your private health care practitioner. If you are unable to assume these risks then you should not engage in this training program. No liability is assumed by Mountain Tactical Institute, Inc, its owners or employees, and you train at your own risk. Mountain Tactical Institute makes no warranty, express or implied, of any kind in connection with this training program.

Required Equipment

Pair of Dumbbells:

Men - Pair of 20# Dumbbells
Women - Pair of 10# Dumbbells

Sample Training

MONDAY

SESSION 1
Obj: Eccentric Leg Strength, Upper Body Strength

Warm up:
3 Rounds
5x In-Place Lunges
5x Push Ups
5x Sit Ups
Instep Stretch

Training:
(1) 8 Rounds
Mini Leg Blaster
3x Scotty Bob – 15/25#
Hip Flexor Stretch

(2) 1 Round
Foam Roll Complex

TUESDAY

SESSION 2
Obj: Leg Lactate Tolerance, Core

Warm up:
3 Rounds
8x Air Squats
4x Squat Jumps
8x Sit Ups
4x Push Ups
Instep Stretch

Training:
(1) TJT To Box Assessment
Max Reps in 2 Minutes Touch Jump Touch To Box
RECORD RESULTS

(2) 2 Rounds
2x 1-Arm Weigthed Sit up – 10/20# Dumbbell
5x Slashers – 10/20# Dumbbell
10x Good Mornings – 10/20# Dumbbell held to Chest
2x 1-Arm Weighted Sit up = 2x Each Arm, 4x Total

(3) 10 Rounds, EMOM
25% Max Rep Touch Jump Touch To Box – From Session 2's TJT Assessment
"EMOM" = Every Minute On the Minute

So if you completed 50 Reps in Session 2's Assessment, you will complete 13 Reps (50 x .25 =12.5, round up to 13).

The faster you finish, the more rest you get.

(4) 2 Rounds
Ham Hip Mobility Drill
Pigeon Stretch

WEDNESDAY

SESSION 3
Obj: Total Rest

Warm up:

Training:

THURSDAY

SESSION 4
Obj: Eccentric Leg Strength, Upper Body Strength

Warm up:
3 Rounds
5x In-Place Lunges
5x Push Ups
5x Sit Ups
Instep Stretch

Training:
(1) 8 Rounds
Mini Leg Blaster
3x Scotty Bob – 15/25#
Hip Flexor Stretch

(2) 1 Round
Foam Roll Complex

FRIDAY

SESSION 5
Obj: Leg Lactate Tolerance, Core

Warm up:
3 Rounds
8x Air Squats
4x Squat Jumps
8x Sit Ups
4x Push Ups
Instep Stretch

Training:
(1) 10 Rounds, EMOM
25% Max Rep Touch Jump Touch To Box – From Session 2's TJT Assessment
"EMOM" = Every Minute On the Minute

So if you completed 50 Reps in Session 2's Assessment, you will complete 13 Reps (50 x .25 =12.5, round up to 13).

The faster you finish, the more rest you get.

(2) 2 Rounds
2x 1-Arm Weigthed Sit up – 10/20# Dumbbell
5x Slashers – 10/20# Dumbbell
10x Good Mornings – 10/20# Dumbbell held to Chest
2x 1-Arm Weighted Sit up = 2x Each Arm, 4x Total

(3) 2 Rounds
Frog Stretch
Hip Flexor Stretch

Testimonials

"Just wanted to drop you a note that I completed the ski plan prior to our annual family trip to Winter Park. At 51 years young, I am acutely aware of the importance of staying active and proper training. Being from the flat plains of Kansas I have always struggled at the end of the second and third day skiing; no matter my training. This year, I prepped with this training and I felt BETTER after the second day of hard skiing! Legs were fresh, strong, and never got weak on me. Thanks for the programming; keep on pursuing results!!"

"I wanted to let you know how happy I am with your lift-assisted ski program. I tore my ACL three years ago, and have not had the easiest road back to being athletic. Mentally, I just didn’t know what would happen when I went back to skiing, but I felt like if I didn’t ski this year, i would never do it again. So, I completed your 30 minute dryland program, pairing it with spinning three times a week.

I just finished three days at Alta, my favorite spot. Each day had different conditions, and my knee was great! Even better; the countless quadzillas, scotty bobs, and jump squats meant that my core and thighs were in amazing shape! The only sore parts on me are my calves and ankles, from flexing and working on my technique.

I could not be happier. I am just a recreational skier, but I am really thrilled with the results of the program."

*******************************

 

"Just have to say, I started to dread Quadzilla complexes as I progressed in the Dryland Ski training, but holy shiitakes! I have never felt so strong on the mountain! You really helped elevate my skiing experience and I’ve been telling everyone I know who enjoys skiing about this program. Now I embrace the Quadzillas!  My husband has been using your programs for years and finally convinced me last year to start. Not going to lie, I was intimidated at first even with some CrossFit experience, but I’m so glad I started because I haven’t been able to experience such improvement in strength and endurance that carries over so well in my every day life and outdoor adventures. He’s happy too, since it’s a rare occasion when I admit he’s right. ;)  Thanks again for your awesome customer service, recommendations and all the work you guys do!!"

1)  Mission Direct

Gym numbers mean nothing. All that matters is mission performance. 

To this end, MTI’s fitness solutions and programming are not boxed in by convention, tradition, orthodoxy, public opinion or any other artificial constraint driven by inside or outside forces.

We begin with the raw fitness demands of the mission and build a fitness solution which directly prepares the athlete for those demands.

 

2) Fitness Solutions Built from the Ground Up

MTI’s programming is not “re-tread” bodybuilding, football, CrossFit, kettlebell, strength or general fitness programming. We’ve built our fitness programming for mountain and tactical athletes from the ground up.

The Fluid Periodization methodology we deploy to concurrently train multiple fitness attributes is completely original and has continued to evolve and improve over the years.

Our mid-section training methodology, Chassis Integrity, is also original, as is our endurance programming, 7 strength training progressions, tactical agility, and work capacity programming.

Our mountain sports pre-season training plans, tactical PFT, selection, school, course, and fitness improvement training plans across military, LE and Fire Rescue are MTI-developed, tested and athlete-proven.

Over the years hundreds of athletes and coaches have taken our advanced programming and unit fitness leader programming courses and MTI is widely recognized within the mountain and tactical professions and fitness media as a thought leader in fitness programming for military and tactical athletes.

 

3) The MTI Method

→ Research: MTI begins program design with extensive research of the fitness demands of the mission, sport or event, identifies the exercises and progressions which sport-specifically meet those demands, chose end-of-cycle goals, and program backward to design the training plan.

→ Deploy & Assess: We deploy the training plan “Lab Rats” at our Wyoming facility. Training session and cycle issues are identified and fixed as we work through the training plan. Post cycle we assess the programming’s effectiveness and efficiency. We keep the stuff that works, and fix or toss the stuff that doesn’t.

→ Publish & Assess Again: Plan is published for purchase as an individual training plan and made available to our subscribers. Feedback/results are assessed.

→ Iterate: We take what we learn from lab rats and athletes, re-visit, update and improve already published training plans. Several of our individual training plans are on their 4th or 5th version.

 

4) Mission-Direct Research

MTI exists to “Improve Mountain and Tactical Athletes mission performance and keep them safe.” To that end, we have developed a unique research methodology aimed at identifying real world areas of improvement and identifying immediately deployable mission-direct solutions. Click HERE to learn more about MTI’s Mission-Direct Research methodology, and Here to read about just few of our research efforts.

 

5) Field Proven

Our stuff works. Weekly we receive unsolicited reviews of our programming and testimonials to its effectiveness.

 

6) Programming Breadth

MTI’s library of 200+ sport-specific fitness plans for mountain and tactical athletes is unmatched. Resources range from specific programming for tactical special forces selections, to specific plans for climbing Rainier and Denali, to general fitness solutions such as running improvement, to post-rehab from injury.

Over the past decade, MTI has partnered with hundreds of athletes throughout their individual mountain and tactical careers, and provided fitness solutions as they face new mountain objectives, tactical schools, selections, PFTs and deployments, and came back from injury.

 

7) Worldwide Influence

Our work is not limited to US Athletes.

We’ve developed selection-specific training plans for Canadian, UK, Australian and German Special Forces Selections and worked with individual military personnel from Scandinavia, South, and Central America.

Canadian, Australian, UK and western European law enforcement and fire/rescue athletes have used MTI programming for mission-direct fitness.

On the mountain side, Alpinists from Japan to Slovakia have consulted with MTI and used MTI’s programming to prepare for mountain objectives.

 

8) Mission Performance beyond Fitness

MTI’s exists is to improve Mission Performance for mountain and tactical athletes and keep them safe. 

This focus on “mission direct” solutions, enhancements and improvements drives our work and research and extends beyond fitness solutions to include training, leadership, gear, team culture, and safety. 

Fitness is just one area of our work.

Our non-fitness research has included tactical cultures, combat uniforms, and gore-tex performance, and effect of stress on marksmanship.

Our work on defining what it means to be a Quiet Professional has had penetrating influence and driven healthy conversations with both mountain and tactical professionals.

 

9) Direct, Honest, Clear Answers

Since 2007 we’ve taken and answered dozens of questions weekly from mountain and tactical athletes. We’ve saved these individual Q&A’s and now thousands are archived on our site.

We’re not salesmen, and our answers are noted for their directness, honesty, and clarity. Our stuff isn’t for everyone. If we can help, we’ll let you know. If we can’t, we’ll let you know that, too.

– Rob Shaul, Founder

 

All of the Above is Backed Up By Our Promise: Our Stuff Works. Guaranteed.

Our Stuff Works. Guaranteed.

By Rob Shaul

I received notes frequently from athletes hesitant to purchase a subscription or training plans asking me to sell them on why they should make the purchase.

While I understand the question, I’m not a salesman – so I can’t put a hard sale on anyone for our programming.

I can tell them the process we go through to design our programming.

We begin with extensive research on the fitness demands of the event, identify the exercises and progressions which sport specifically meet those demands, chose end-of-cycle goals, and program backward to design the plan.

Then we test the cycle on ourselves and our lab rats here in Wyoming. We document, note what works and doesn’t work, re-assess, and make changes and modifications.

Then we publish the programming in the form of one of our plans or as part of our subscription daily training sessions for tactical and mountain athletes.
We don’t stop there – our daily programming is the “tip of the spear” for our programming evolution. We use these sessions to learn and make continuous improvement.

As we learn more and improve, we go back, and update the sport-specific training plans on the website. For example, we’re currently on Version 5 of our Ruck Based Selection Training Plan and Version 3 of our Dryland Ski Training Plan and Version 4 of our Big Game Back Country Hunting Training Plan.

We understand our programing isn’t cheap, but we believe it’s a great value. The $79 for the Ruck Based Selection Training Plan, and $39 for the Dryland Ski Training Plan reflect the, research, work, innovative theory, iteration, testing and feedback we’ve put in and received to make these plans effective.

All that matters for us is outside performance, and we feel strongly that Our Stuff Works in the real world.

Here’s our guarantee:

1) Individual Training Plan Purchase:
If you purchase an individual training plan, follow it as prescribed before your season/event/pft/selection, and if you don’t feel you were physically ready for your season/event/pft/selection, and/or didn’t see dramatic improvements in your early season performance, we’ll refund your money, no questions asked.

2) Athlete’s Subscription
If you purchase an Athletes’ Subscription, follow the training sessions as prescribed, and are not satisfied with the quality of the programming, notify us within 30 days of purchase, and we’ll refund your money, no questions asked.

Questions?
Email: rob@mtntactical.com

COMMON QUESTIONS:

Do you have any reviews or testimonials from athletes who have used your Athlete’s Subscription
Yes. Click HERE.

Is it true you guarantee your stuff works?
Yes. If you purchase an Athletes’ Subscription, follow the training sessions as prescribed, and are not satisfied with the quality of the programming, notify us within 30 days of purchase, and we’ll refund your money, no questions asked.

How is MTI programming different than CrossFit?
This is a common question. Read our answer HERE.

You have a lot of competitors. Why should I choose MTI?
MTI is driven to improve mountain and tactical athletes’ mission performance and keep them safe. This emphasis and focus on mission performance sets us apart. Read about more that sets us apart HERE.

If I purchase a plan or subscription, how do I access the programming?
All of our plans are online, accessible via username and password.
You can log in through our →Website  or Mobile App →IOS and Android.

Do you have downloadable .pdf’s of the training plans?
No. But you can print the programming, by week, from your browser. You access individual training plans online via a username and password.

Do you have a mobile app?
Yes, we do. Available for IOS and Android.

What is the difference between purchasing an individual training plan, packet of plans or an Athlete’s Subscription?

  • Plan – Like purchasing the DVD of the first Star Wars movie. You own it forever, including any updates we make to the plan.
  • Packet – Like purchasing the DVD’s of all the Star Wars movies. You own them forever, including any updates we make to the plans.
  • Athlete’s Subscription – Like subscribing to Netflix. You get access to all 200+ plan in our library, but lose access if you unsubscribe.

If I purchase an Athletes Subscription Can I cancel on my own, anytime?
Yes.

Do I have to contact MTI to cancel or can I do it myself?
You can do it yourself. Instructions HERE.

If I purchase a subscription and have questions about where to start or what plans(s) to use for my goals, will you help?
Yes. We answer dozens of training questions from athletes weekly. Email coach@mtntactical.com.

If you add new plans or update existing plans after I subscribe will I have access to them?
Yes. We are continuously adding training plans and packets (2-5/month) and updating plans. With your subscription you’ll have access to all new plans, new courses and plan updates.

What Equipment is Required?
Click the “Required Equipment” tab to find out what equipment is required for the specific plan you are interested in.

Where do I find unfamiliar exercises?
See our Exercise Library HERE. The Run and Ruck Calculators are listed as exercises.

What about nutrition?
See our Nutritional Guidelines HERE.

Can I see sample training?
Click the “Sample Training” tab to see the entire first week of programming. You are encouraged to do it before purchasing.

What if I have more questions?
Email rob@mtntactical.com

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