8-Week Telemark Workout Program
Cascade Telemark Ski Conditioning Program
Some crazy early snow already hitting the local hills is a good reminder that it’s time to get ready for the season.
I wanted to remind you about the telemark ski workout program that Molly and Brian of CascadeTele developed and filmed last year.
This training is designed to prepare your body for the unique challenges of telemark skiing. Structured into four progressive two-week blocks, the program takes you step by step from foundational balance to strength, jump power, and top season performance.
Follow the links to watch the workout videos on the Cascade Telemark YouTube channel for exercise demonstrations, sets, and reps! Download the PDFs for your exercise lists.
Why this works?
This conditioning program works because it trains your body for the specific demands of telemark skiing, not just general fitness.
Here’s why it helps:
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Builds strength and endurance for the telemark stance - Helps you stay controlled in a tele turn without your legs burning out quickly.
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Improves core strength and body position - Teaches you to keep your upper body calm while your legs move independently through the tele turn.
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Strengthens each leg individually - Trains each leg for the unique pressure demands of the tele stance and for a smooth lead change.
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Prepares your knees, hips, and ankles for rough terrain - Builds stability to better handle bumps, refrozen chop, and hard charging.
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Improves balance, coordination, and reaction time - Helps you react faster and stay in control in variable terrain and snow conditions.
Preseason Training Calendar
Part 1: Weeks 1 & 2 - Building the Foundation
Focus: Getting your body balanced and steady in every direction - forward, sideways, and twisting - so your knees, hips, and core are ready for the slopes.
Important! Always start with a Warm Up!
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Day |
Training Focus |
What You're Training & Target Gains |
Video Link |
|---|---|---|---|
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Day 1 |
Twisting Control & Keeping Chest Downhill |
Teaches your chest to face straight down the mountain while your legs turn underneath you; builds side-hip and waist stability. |
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Day 2 |
Hip Control & Back-of-Leg Strength |
Keeps your knees and hips from buckling inward, challenges your balance, and prepares your hamstrings for smooth knee drops. |
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Day 3 |
Thighs, Glutes & Ankle Support |
Builds thigh stamina for long holds, strengthens each leg on its own, and protects your ankles and Achilles tendons in stiff ski boots. |
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Day 4 |
Optional: Cardio & Speed Control |
Builds heart and lung stamina while shifting your weight smoothly and practicing controlled lunge drops. |
PDF: Download PDF for weeks 1 & 2 here
Part 2: Weeks 3 & 4 - Building Strength & Adding Weight
Focus: Adding weights and tougher exercises to build single-leg power and make swapping lead legs feel effortless.
Important! Always start with a Warm Up!
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Day |
Training Focus |
What You're Training & Target Gains |
Video Link |
|---|---|---|---|
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Day 1 |
Single-Leg Strength & Core Bracing |
Works your lower abs to protect your back while pushing each leg to drive full power on its own. |
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Day 2 |
Twist-Resisting Core & Quick Feet |
Teaches your core to stay solid against unexpected twists, loads up your main leg muscles, and builds fast footwork for mogul lines. |
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Day 3 |
Back-of-Leg Power & Shock Absorption |
Strengthens your glutes and hamstrings using slow lowering moves, while training your joints to safely absorb hard landings. |
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Day 4 |
Optional: Jumping Power & Heart-Rate Finishers |
Combines core work with fast jump drills and high-energy conditioning to finish strong. |
PDF: Download PDF for weeks 3 & 4 here
Part 3: Weeks 5 & 6 - Power, Balance & Fast Edge Changes
Focus: Build quick explosive power, speed up your turn changes, and fix any strength differences between your left and right legs.
Important! Always start with a Warm Up!
|
Day |
Training Focus |
What You're Training & Target Gains |
Video Link |
|---|---|---|---|
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Day 1 |
Side-Hip Strength & Uneven Loads |
Fires up your outer glutes to protect your knees and challenges your core with uneven weight holds. |
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Day 2 |
Heavy Leg Drives & Upright Posture |
Builds deep hamstring strength with heavier weights and strengthens your upper back so your chest stays up and poles stay ready. |
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Day 3 |
Wide-Stance Power & Core Pulls |
Builds power from a wide stance, opens up tight hips, and balances out strength between your left and right legs. |
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Day 4 |
Optional: Jump & Freeze Drills |
Combines single-leg hops with frozen landings to protect your joints, pushing your leg stamina to the limit. |
PDF: Download PDF for weeks 5 & 6 here
Part 4: Weeks 7 & 8 - Peak Power, Side-to-Side Speed & Final Prep
Focus: Reach top-mountain readiness with jump-and-land drills, fast core-and-leg coordination, and joint tuning right before opening day.
Important! Always start with a Warm Up!
|
Day |
Training Focus |
What You're Training & Target Gains |
Video Link |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Day 1 |
Fast Turn Switches & Side-to-Side Balance |
Builds explosive turn-switching power with sticky landing holds, mimicking fast front-to-back lunge changes. |
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Day 2 |
Twisting Endurance & Level Hips |
Builds thigh and glute stamina for non-stop downhill runs while keeping your hips level as your legs move. |
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Day 3 |
Side-to-Side Jumps & Off-Center Weights |
Builds side-to-side bounce for carving turns and trains your core and hips to twist together as one unit. |
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Day 4 |
Optional: Mogul Shock Prep & Core Power |
Uses weighted crawling and hip drives to simulate the sudden shocks and bumps of riding rough moguls. |
Workout Video Playlist
If you prefer to bookmark the complete video playlist, we saved it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnkZXioDz-o&list=PLNtzXwnNSoQc
Tips for Telemark Conditioning
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Don't Skip the Warmup: Warm up your joints before every session to get blood flowing and prevent injuries on the snow.
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Lower Down Slowly: On strength moves, take 6 to 8 seconds to lower yourself down. This slow lowering builds the deep thigh control you need when dropping into deep tele turns.
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Keep Your Back Flat & Core Tucked: Keep your lower back flat against the floor during core work (like Dead Bugs) to build a solid torso that handles twisting without straining your back.
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Add Weight Gradually: Start with bodyweight, then slowly add dumbbells or bands as moves get easier. Making things slightly harder over time is what keeps you getting stronger!
Brought to you by Cascade Telemark. Have a strong, safe, and incredible ski season!
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