You just spent an hour in the car coming up Highway 26, another twenty minutes wrestling boots on in the parking lot, and now you're about to point your skis down the first run with hips that have been folded at 90 degrees since Happy Valley. That first run is where a lot of ski days go sideways. A good warm-up before skiing takes about eight minutes, and it's the easiest thing you can do to show up to the chairlift with legs that are actually ready. Below is the routine I recommend to skiers and snowboarders heading up the mountain, why I still do it even though the research is thinner than you'd expect, and what to watch for if something doesn't feel right once the season starts. I work with Mt. Hood skiers and snowboarders every winter, and the parking lot is where I'd start with almost all of them.
What a Ski Warm-Up Actually Is
A warm-up isn't a long stretching session. It's a short, progressive routine that raises your body temperature, moves your hips, knees, ankles, and trunk through the ranges skiing asks for, and wakes up the muscles that have to absorb every turn. Think "rehearsal," not "flexibility work." Long static holds belong after your last run, not before your first one.
Why Your First Run on Mt. Hood Deserves a Warm-Up
Here's the honest version: nobody has run a large trial proving that a parking-lot warm-up prevents ski injuries in recreational skiers. In 2025, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) published a consensus statement on warm-up and cool-down for competitive skiers and snowboarders and noted that while warm-ups are effective in many sports, scientific evidence is "widely lacking in snow sports" (Sporri et al., BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 2025). One Swiss survey even found injured skiers were more likely to report warming up than uninjured ones (Hasler et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2009), which says more about who tends to warm up (often newer, more cautious skiers) than about warm-ups causing injury. That's what an association study can and can't tell you.
So why do I still do it every time? Because the FIS panel of physicians, physiotherapists, and coaches still recommends one, because elite skiers and their staff describe warm-up as how they get physically and mentally ready to ski (Beck et al., BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 2024), and because I see what cold, car-stiff legs do on hard early-season snow. Mt. Hood mornings are often icy until the sun hits the groomers. That's a bad time to ask cold quads to do their hardest work.
The Timber and Iron Mt. Hood Warm-Up (8 Minutes)
Do the first two before you boot up, the rest in boots next to your car or at the base area.
March it out (2 minutes). Brisk walk around the lot or march in place, driving your knees up. You want to feel slightly warm, not winded.
World's greatest stretch (5 per side). Step into a long lunge, put the same-side hand down, rotate your top arm toward the sky. Opens the hips and upper back that the car ride just locked up. (Bring a mat for your hands on the snow)
Leg swings (10 forward/back, 10 side to side, each leg). Hold your car or a ski pole for balance. Keep it loose and controlled.
Ski-stance squats (10 slow reps). Feet hip-width, sink into your athletic stance, then stand. Go a little deeper each rep. Maintaining knee width, not caving in.
Lateral weight shifts (10 each way). Stay in your stance and shift your weight from one boot to the other, like linking turns on the spot.
Trunk rotations and arm circles (10 each). Snowboarders, add slow wrist circles here. Your wrists take most of the falls.
Make your first run a warm-up run. Pick a groomed green or easy blue and ski it at 70%. This is the most skipped step and the one I care about most.
When to See a PT
A warm-up doesn't fix an underlying problem. It's worth getting evaluated if:
Your knee feels unstable, gives way, or swells after a ski day
You've had a previous ACL injury or knee surgery and haven't done a return-to-sport assessment
Pain (not normal soreness) lingers more than a couple of days after skiing
Something from last season still bugs you when you squat, lunge, or land from a small jump
How PT Can Help Before the Season
Depending on snowfall, Mt. Hood Meadows, Timberline Lodge, and Mt. Hood Skibowl usually open sometime in December or January, so the best time to deal with a cranky knee or a stiff hip is now, not the week after opening day. At Timber and Iron in Happy Valley, a pre-season visit usually starts with a Strength & Movement Assessment: single-leg control, hip and ankle mobility, and how your knees behave when you land and change direction. From there, you get a plan built for your body and your goals on the mountain, whether that's lapping Heather Canyon or getting your kids through their first season. For the 8-12 week strength side of things, see our skiing and snowboarding injury prevention exercises.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should I warm up before skiing?
About 5-10 minutes is a practical target for recreational skiers. Enough to feel warm and loose, not tired.
Should I stretch before skiing?
Save long, static stretches for after skiing. Before your first run, dynamic movement like leg swings, lunges, and squats does a better job of getting you ready.
Can I warm up in my ski boots?
Yes. Squats, weight shifts, and trunk rotations work fine in boots. Do lunges and walking drills before you buckle up.
Do snowboarders need a different warm-up?
Mostly the same, with extra attention to wrists, shoulders, and trunk rotation, since upper-body injuries are more common in snowboarding.
Does warming up prevent ski injuries?
There isn't strong research proving a warm-up alone prevents injuries in recreational skiers. It's still a low-cost way to get your body ready for cold, hard early-season snow, and the International Ski and Snowboard Federation recommends one for competitive athletes.
Ready to go into the season with a plan? You don't need a referral in Oregon. Schedule online at HERE.
This content is for educational purposes only and doesn't constitute medical advice. For guidance specific to your situation, schedule a consultation with Dr. Ryan Eckert at Timber and Iron Physical Therapy.