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Exercises

Apple Watch skiing: the strength workouts that get your legs ready

Published November 7, 2026

Apple's Workout app records a ski day with its Skiing workouts, downhill or cross-country, and its Snowboarding workout, and ski apps such as Slopes show your vertical, distance and speed on your wrist. The strength that carries your legs through the season is built in the gym before it. RIRLift runs those sessions on the Watch: weight, reps and reps left for every set, the rest timer on your wrist, and the session saved to Apple Health as Traditional Strength Training.

  1. Front Squat Quads, Glutes, Adductors
  2. Dumbbell Lateral Lunge Quads, Glutes, Adductors
  3. Single-Leg RDL Hamstrings, Glutes
  4. Wall Sit Quads
  5. Skater Hop Glutes, Quads, Abductors
  6. Ski Erg Shoulders, Upper Back

Quads for long runs

Skiing loads the quads for minutes at a time in a bent-knee stance. Heavy squats, slow leg extensions and a timed wall sit build that.

Quads, heavy

Front Squat

Quads, Glutes, Adductors

The upright squat closest to a ski stance. Heavy sets in the weeks before the season.

How to do it

  1. Rest the bar across the front of your shoulders, close to your throat, elbows pointing forward.
  2. Stand with feet about shoulder-width and brace your trunk.
  3. Bend your knees and hips and sit down between your heels, elbows high, until your thighs are about parallel.
  4. Stand back up while keeping the bar over the middle of your feet.

Cues

  • Elbows forward and up
  • Chest proud
  • Knees track over toes

Common mistakes

  • Dropping the elbows so the bar slides forward: lift them before each rep.
  • Knees caving in on the way up: push them out over the little toes.

Swap for: Goblet Squat, Barbell Back Squat, Leg Press

Build a session with Front Squat
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Quads, deep knee bend

Heels-Elevated Goblet Squat

Quads

Heels raised puts more of the work on the quads, with one dumbbell and no rack.

How to do it

  1. Set your heels on a small plate or wedge, feet close together, and hold one dumbbell upright against your chest.
  2. Sit straight down, letting your knees travel forward over your toes.
  3. Go as deep as you can with your chest up, ideally until your hamstrings touch your calves.
  4. Stand back up without letting the heels leave the wedge.

Cues

  • Knees forward, like in boots
  • Chest stays up
  • Slow on the way down

Common mistakes

  • Leaning forward over the dumbbell: hold it high against your chest and stay upright.
  • Cutting the depth short: lower the load and use the full range.

Swap for: Goblet Squat, Sissy Squat, Leg Extension

Build a session with Heels-Elevated Goblet Squat
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Quads, slow lowering

Leg Extension

Quads

Three seconds down on each rep trains the quads the way long downhill runs load them.

How to do it

  1. Sit with your knees at the pivot and the pad on your lower shins.
  2. Straighten both knees until your legs are level.
  3. Lower slowly. Build up the weight over 2 lighter sets.

Cues

  • Squeeze at the top
  • Control the drop

Common mistakes

  • Letting the stack slam between reps: keep tension on.

Swap for: Single-Leg Leg Extension, Sissy Squat

Build a session with Leg Extension
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Quads, timed hold

Wall Sit

Quads

A tuck held against a wall. Time each set and work toward a minute.

How to do it

  1. Rest your shoulder blades and hips on a wall and walk your feet out in front of you, hip-width apart.
  2. Slide down until your knees are bent to roughly a right angle.
  3. Hold, with your weight spread over your whole foot and your arms relaxed.
  4. Slide back up when the time is done.

Cues

  • Knees over ankles
  • Back stays on the wall
  • Breathe through the burn

Common mistakes

  • Sitting too high to make it easier: get your thighs near level with the floor.
  • Pushing on your thighs with your hands: let your arms hang.

Swap for: Heels-Elevated Goblet Squat, Goblet Squat, Leg Press

Build a session with Wall Sit
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Side to side

Turns push you sideways. Lateral lunges and Cossack squats build the strength; skater hops and lateral box jumps teach the landings.

Side-to-side strength

Dumbbell Lateral Lunge

Quads, Glutes, Adductors

Sideways strength for the outside ski. Log the reps for one side and keep both even.

How to do it

  1. Stand with feet together, holding two dumbbells by your hips.
  2. Take a wide step out to one side and sit your hips back over that foot, keeping the other leg straight.
  3. Lower until the bent thigh is close to level with the floor, chest up.
  4. Push off the bent leg back to the start, then step to the other side.

Cues

  • Sit back, not down
  • Trailing leg straight
  • Push back to center

Common mistakes

  • Letting the bent knee cave inward: point the knee over the toes of that foot.
  • Stepping too narrow to sink: widen the step until you can sit your hips back.

Swap for: Kettlebell Lateral Lunge, Cossack Squat, Landmine Lateral Lunge

Build a session with Dumbbell Lateral Lunge
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Deep side lunge, bodyweight

Cossack Squat

Quads, Adductors

Hip and groin range for wide stances and recoveries. Bodyweight first, add a dumbbell later.

How to do it

  1. Stand with your feet very wide, toes slightly out.
  2. Shift your weight to one side and sit down over that heel while the other leg stays straight with its toes lifted to the ceiling.
  3. Go as deep as you can with the bent heel down and the chest up.
  4. Push back up to the middle and shift to the other side.

Cues

  • Heel of the bent leg stays down
  • Straight leg toes up
  • Move slowly

Common mistakes

  • Lifting the heel of the working foot: limit the depth until it stays flat.
  • Collapsing forward: hold your arms out in front to counterbalance.

Swap for: Dumbbell Lateral Lunge, Kettlebell Lateral Lunge, Goblet Squat

Build a session with Cossack Squat
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Lateral landings

Skater Hop

Glutes, Quads, Abductors

Jump sideways and stick the landing on one leg, like the edge change in a turn.

How to do it

  1. Stand on one leg with the knee bent.
  2. Push off sideways and jump to land on the other foot.
  3. Absorb the landing by bending the knee and hip, letting the free leg swing behind.
  4. Hold for a moment, then hop back the other way.

Cues

  • Land soft and hold
  • Knee over toes on landing
  • Distance before speed

Common mistakes

  • Landing on a straight leg: bend into each landing and stick it for a second.
  • Knee falling inward on landing: shorten the hop until it stays in line.

Swap for: Lateral Box Jump, Dumbbell Lateral Lunge, Jump Squat

Build a session with Skater Hop
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Lateral power

Lateral Box Jump

Quads, Glutes, Abductors

Sideways jumps onto a box, for quick feet in moguls and trees. Few reps, full rest.

How to do it

  1. Stand side-on next to a low box, feet hip-width.
  2. Dip into a quarter squat and swing your arms.
  3. Jump sideways onto the box, landing with both feet and soft knees.
  4. Step down on the far side or back to the start, and jump from the other side next.

Cues

  • Low box, fast feet
  • Land soft
  • Both sides equally

Common mistakes

  • Using a box that is too high: choose one you can land on without tucking.
  • Rushing: reset fully between reps.

Swap for: Skater Hop, Box Jump, Jump Squat

Build a session with Lateral Box Jump
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One leg at a time

Each turn puts most of your weight on one ski. These train each leg on its own.

One leg, hip and knee

Step-Up

Quads, Glutes

Single-leg strength with a slow lowering, for legs that still work on the last run of the day.

How to do it

  1. Stand facing the bench with two dumbbells.
  2. Place one whole foot on the bench.
  3. Lean forward a little and push through the top foot to stand up on the bench.
  4. Bring the other foot up only to touch, then lower it back to the floor.
  5. Finish all reps on one leg before switching.

Cues

  • Whole foot on the bench
  • Push through the top heel
  • Lower slowly, do not drop

Common mistakes

  • Pushing off the floor with the back foot: that halves the work. Keep the trailing foot light.
  • Using a bench so high that your knee is far above your hip: you will rock instead of step.

Swap for: Barbell Step-Up

Build a session with Step-Up
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Hamstrings and balance

Single-Leg RDL

Hamstrings, Glutes

Hamstrings and balance on one leg, the backside that protects the knee.

How to do it

  1. Stand on one leg holding a dumbbell in the opposite hand, standing knee slightly bent.
  2. Tip forward from the hip while the free leg extends straight behind you.
  3. Keep your hips level until you feel a strong pull in the back of the standing leg.
  4. Return to standing by pushing the standing foot into the floor.

Cues

  • Level hips
  • Long line from head to back heel
  • Stand tall to finish

Common mistakes

  • Rotating the hips open toward the ceiling: keep the back foot's toes pointing down.
  • Rushing to stay balanced: slow down and touch down the free foot between reps if you need to.

Swap for: Romanian Deadlift, Dumbbell B-Stance RDL, Single-Leg Glute Bridge

Build a session with Single-Leg RDL
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Inner thighs and trunk

Inner thighs keep the skis together; an anti-rotation press keeps the upper body quiet while the legs turn.

Inner thighs, hold

Copenhagen Plank

Adductors, Abs

Strong inner thighs keep your skis from drifting apart. Time each side.

How to do it

  1. Lie on your side next to a bench and place the inside of your top knee or ankle on it.
  2. Prop yourself on your forearm, elbow under your shoulder.
  3. Lift your hips until your body is straight, letting the bottom leg hang or lift toward the bench.
  4. Hold for the time, lower, then switch sides.

Cues

  • Knee on the bench is the easier version
  • Hips up and forward
  • Breathe and hold

Common mistakes

  • Hips sagging toward the floor: lower your hips and lift again, and shorten the hold if they drop.
  • Starting with the ankle on the bench: begin with the knee, which is easier.

Swap for: Side Plank, Hip Adduction Machine, Band Hip Adduction

Build a session with Copenhagen Plank
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Trunk, anti-rotation

Pallof Press

Abs

Keeps the upper body quiet while the legs turn under it.

How to do it

  1. Stand side-on to a cable set at chest height, holding the handle at your sternum.
  2. Step away until there is tension and set your feet hip-width, knees soft.
  3. Press the handle straight forward and hold for a second without turning.
  4. Pull it back to your chest and repeat, then switch sides.

Cues

  • Square to the front
  • Press and pause
  • Soft knees, like a ski stance

Common mistakes

  • Twisting toward the stack: move closer to the machine.
  • Holding your breath: breathe out as you press.

Swap for: Side Plank, Dead Bug, Cable Woodchop

Build a session with Pallof Press
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Cross-country poling

For cross-country and touring skiers: the ski erg copies the double pole, and the straight-arm pulldown builds the lats behind it.

Double pole, conditioning

Ski Erg

Shoulders, Upper Back

The double-pole motion on a machine. Log each bout as time with an effort level.

How to do it

  1. Stand facing the machine with the handles above your head and arms straight.
  2. Pull the handles down toward your thighs, hinging your hips back and bending your knees slightly.
  3. Finish with the hands beside your thighs and your torso leaning forward.
  4. Rise back up and reach high for the next stroke, keeping a steady rhythm.

Cues

  • Reach tall at the top
  • Pull with lats, not just arms
  • Hinge into each stroke

Common mistakes

  • Pulling only with the arms: drive the handles down with your lats and a hip hinge.
  • Going too hard on the first interval: pace so the last one is as strong.

Swap for: Rowing Machine, Battle Rope Wave, Air Bike

Build a session with Ski Erg
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Lats, the poling pull

Straight-Arm Pulldown

Lats

The straight-arm pull of a pole plant and push, with a cable you can load.

How to do it

  1. Attach a straight bar to a high pulley, take it palms down about shoulder width, and step back a couple of feet.
  2. Hinge forward slightly and hold the bar at about shoulder height with your arms long, a small fixed bend in your elbows, and brace your abs.
  3. Sweep the bar down in an arc until it reaches your thighs, squeezing your lats at the bottom.
  4. Let it rise back up under control until your arms are at shoulder height again, then repeat.

Cues

  • Arms long, elbows fixed
  • Bar to the thighs
  • Torso angle never changes

Common mistakes

  • Bending the elbows and turning it into a triceps pushdown: lighten the stack and keep the arms long.
  • Bobbing the torso up and down to move the weight: lock your hinge and move only the arms.

Swap for: Single-Arm Lat Pulldown, Dumbbell Lat Pullover, Lat Pulldown

Build a session with Straight-Arm Pulldown
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Put them together: example sessions

Each session below picks from the exercises above for one situation, with the sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in.

Session 1

Preseason in the gym, eight weeks before your trip

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets28 a week
  • Per workout~35 min
  • EquipmentBarbells, Dumbbells, Flat Bench, Leg Extension

You ski one or two weeks a year and want your legs ready for full days. You have a gym and two evenings a week.

A heavy quad day and a side-to-side day. 13 working sets on Day A and 15 on Day B, with the jumps early while you are fresh.

Day A: Quads
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Front Squat 4 × 5–8 2 2:30 min
Step-UpPer leg. 3 s down. 3 × 8–10 2 90 s
Leg Extension3 s down. 3 × 10–15 2 1 min
Wall Sit 3 × 30–60 s 1 1 min

Open Day A: Quads in the session builder

Day B: Side to side
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Skater HopPer side. Stick each landing. 3 × 6–8 3 1 min
Heels-Elevated Goblet Squat 3 × 8–12 2 90 s
Dumbbell Lateral LungePer side. 3 × 8–10 2 90 s
Single-Leg RDLPer leg. 3 × 8–10 2 1 min
Copenhagen PlankPer side. 3 × 15–30 s 2 45 s

Open Day B: Side to side in the session builder

How to run it
Two days a week with a day between, for the eight weeks before the trip. Import the program, switch to it in My Programs, and both days appear on the Watch. Start the day there and log each set before you rest.
How to progress
Front squat at 135 lb for 8, 8, 8 tops the 5 to 8 range, so the next Day A opens at 140 lb for 5. Lateral lunges with 30 lb dumbbells for 10, 9, 8 against a target of 8: the weakest set hit it, so the weight holds and the target becomes 9. Wall sits keep the time the routine sets.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

Cross-country or touring skier: ski erg and single legs

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets28 a week
  • Per workout~45 min
  • EquipmentSki Ergometer, Lat Pulldown, Dumbbells, Flat Bench +1

You skate, classic ski or tour uphill, so your arms pole as much as your legs push. You have a gym with a ski erg.

Three-minute ski erg bouts for the double pole, a loaded lat pull, slow step-ups and an anti-rotation press. 14 working sets, twice a week through the fall.

Pole and push
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Ski ErgSteady, hard pace. 5 × 3 min 2 90 s
Straight-Arm Pulldown 3 × 10–15 2 1 min
Step-UpPer leg. 3 s down. 3 × 8–10 2 75 s
Pallof PressPer side. 3 × 10–12 2 45 s
How to run it
Twice a week with a day between. Log each ski erg bout as time with an effort level; if you want the meters kept, type them in on the iPhone afterward.
How to progress
Straight-arm pulldown at 50 lb for 15, 15, 15 tops the 10 to 15 range, so next time it is 60 lb for 10, one step on most cable stacks. Step-ups with 35 lb dumbbells for 10, 9, 9 against a target of 9: the weakest set hit it, so the weight holds and the target becomes 10. The ski erg bouts keep the three minutes you set.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

Weekend skier in season: one midweek session

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts1× a week
  • Working sets11 a week
  • Per workout~30 min
  • EquipmentPlyo Box, Dumbbells, Adjustable Cable

You ski most weekends and want to hold your leg strength from Tuesday to Thursday without arriving on Saturday sore.

Two or three sets of each, three reps short of failure on the leg lifts. 11 working sets in about 30 minutes, early in the week.

Midweek
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Lateral Box JumpPer side. Step down. 3 × 4–6 3 90 s
Heels-Elevated Goblet Squat 2 × 6–10 3 90 s
Cossack SquatPer side. 2 × 6–8 3 1 min
Single-Leg RDLPer leg. 2 × 6–8 3 1 min
Pallof PressPer side. 2 × 10–12 2 45 s
How to run it
Once a week, on Tuesday or Wednesday. Set weights to Ask first in RIRLift if you want to approve every increase during the season.
How to progress
Cossack squats are bodyweight, so they move by reps: 8, 7 against a target of 7 earns a target of 8. Heels-elevated goblet squat with a 45 lb dumbbell for 10, 10 tops the 6 to 10 range, so next week it is 50 lb for 6.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

Can Apple Watch track skiing?

Yes. Apple's Workout app lists Skiing, downhill or cross-country, and Snowboarding, and ski apps such as Slopes add vertical, distance and speed on the wrist.

How do I track a ski workout in the gym on Apple Watch?

Start the routine in RIRLift on the Watch and log weight, reps and reps left after each set. Heart rate is recorded while it runs and the session is saved as Traditional Strength Training.

When should I start training for ski season?

Six to eight weeks before your first day gives two sessions a week enough time to build strength. The preseason plan above is eight weeks.

Is it free?

Logging, the rest timer and the next weight on the Watch are free on iPhone and Apple Watch.