Now's the time to get fit for ski season

The temperature's dropping, there's snow on the ground and the mountain resorts look ready for the ski and snowboard season.

But how prepared - at least physically - are you?

Snowboarding - or skiing - "doesn't look like an endurance sport," says U.S. Olympic team snowboarder Elena Hight of South Lake Tahoe, "but if you want to take long runs and be able to turn and ride all day long, it really helps to stay in shape."

Adds veteran Olympic ski racer Daron Rahlves of Truckee: "You should be relatively well-conditioned ... so you don't feel like you have to head to the lodge too early (in the day)."

But though the season is fast approaching, you still have plenty of time to get fit for it. Six to eight weeks of preparation should do the trick.

"It's never too late to get in shape for the season; you can't use that as an excuse," Rahlves says. "But since most skiers and snowboarders are (physically) active anyway, now is the time to get more specific for the winter season."

"It all depends when the snow starts falling, but 1 1/2 to two months before the season begins is a good time," adds Hight. "But the best time (to start ski and snowboard fitness training) is right now."

There are three basic essentials in getting physically prepared to hit the slopes: flexibility, strength and aerobic fitness. "You can't shortchange any of those things," Rahlves says.

The first item can be ticked off by simply stretching for 15 to 20 minutes per day; skiers should concentrate on the lower extremities, while snowboarders should target both upper and lower extremities. Ten minutes of yoga sun salutations daily is another good route to help obtain and maintain flexibility.

Strength comes from hitting the gym two or three times a week for weight work that builds up endurance in the quads and hamstrings and also targets the core muscles, which are an important element in maintaining proper balance on skis and boards.

"If you want to get serious about it," says Rahlves, "get into a gym and get your core and legs strong."

Rahlves, who says that all the off-hill training he does incorporates core-strengthening exercises, says that squats and dead lifts are proven weight-work regimens, and exercises using kettlebells (cast-iron weights with handles) are "really good for your hips, legs and core."

Adds Hight: "It's super important that you do squats, lunges, anything that gets the quads engaged. Also leg curls keep your hamstrings strong. ... Equal strength in your quads and hamstrings will help cut down on ACL injuries and keep your knees intact."

Aerobic fitness comes in the form of a regular regimen of running, cycling (either mountain biking or road riding or both), jumping rope or anything that elevates your heart rate and keeps it up there for 15 minutes or more.

"There are all kinds of stuff you can do," Rahlves says. "But you should have a good aerobic base, a good endurance base."

Getting fit for the ski and snowboard season pays off in many ways: It not only will help keep you on your feet much longer into the day and elevate your on-slope fun factor, it can help cut down on injuries - such as ACL tears and those associated with fatigue, such as falling and poor judgment - the bane of all skiers and snowboarders, no matter what age, gender or ability.

It's the shape of things to come.

E-mail Dan Giesin at datebookletters@sfchronicle.com.

This article appeared on page E - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle