Being active outdoors in natural, snowy settings can lower stress, anxiety and improve mood. Snow sports like skiing, downhill or cross country, snowboarding or skating are particularly good for strengthening the legs and the core stomach muscles. They can help with flexibility, balance and agility too.
Winter sports can be a fun, varied and exhilarating way to get active and spend time outdoors. There are lots of sports to choose from.
If you are out and about on the snow and ice, make sure your shoes don’t slip and carry poles for additional stability if you need it.
Moving around in the snow and ice is harder work than normal. So even walking in snow shoes is great for your cardio fitness.
All types of skiing and snowboarding are fantastic for leg and core strength.
All types of snow and ice sports will challenge and improve balance.
Snow sports can certainly make you feel unstable. So, if you want to have the experience of skiing, skating or boarding, you could try a video game from the comfort of your own home. There are lots of games available on different consoles, so you can experience the thrill without the terror.
No. If you do decide to take a trip, you can hire or borrow all the kit you need. For a visit to an ice rink, a pair of gloves and thicker socks will do.
It’s true, skills can be easier to learn when we’re young, but there can be a joyful challenge in learning new capabilities later in life. A good teacher will help you develop safely and enjoyably.
It can be hard to know where to start when trying to move more. Everyone begins at a different point, depending on how active they are, how easily they move, and how strong they feel.
To get started, choose the option that best matches what you usually do on an average day in each column below. Look at your daily activities, mobility, and strength to find a sensible place to begin. Then click on the ‘see results’ button to reveal where you should start.
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Try moving around at home whilst watching your favourite snow sports. March on the spot, do a few bicep curls with light weights, or sit-to-stand exercises in between races. Every bit of movement helps. Want more ideas? Try some easy chair-based exercises!
Not ready to get out to the slopes yet? That’s okay. Doing gentle strength or balance exercises while watching sports can keep your body strong. Try some video games to get a feel of the movements, whilst keeping nice and warm at home.
Visit your local ice rink. If you’re not ready to skate, use a skating aid to help you balance. Visit an indoor local snow dome and sign up to lessons
Visit your local ice rink and use a skate aid if you’re feeling unsteady. Visit an indoor snow dome or even book a trip to the mountains. One step at a time.
There are lots of different snow sports to try so think about what you might enjoy the most. Is it speeding down a hill, or walking up it? Perhaps it’s skating on an indoor or outdoor rink. Or you might prefer to stick to the video games from the comfort and warmth of home.
Yes! Here are some useful links:
DSUK is a charity dedicated to making snowsports accessible for everyone, empowering disabled people through adaptive skiing and snowboarding across the UK.
British Ice Skating is the national governing body for ice skating in the UK, supporting disciplines from figure and speed skating to synchronized and dance, and nurturing talent through performance squads and community programmes.
The Ski Club of Great Britain is a not-for-profit members’ club offering expert advice, holidays, discounts, and community support to help skiers discover better skiing.
This site has been put together by specialists in exercise medicine and supported and funded by Nuffield Health Charity. In collaboration with academic experts, specialists in behavioural change, medics across a wide spectrum of specialties, physiotherapists, nurses and most importantly, people living with the symptoms of long term conditions. Through our rigorous academic process we have carefully ensured that all the information on this website is trustworthy and evidence based.
The following organisations have contributed to and endorsed the content of this website.
