The drop in temperature is the first sign ushering in the ski season.  There are many ways you can prepare yourself for this seasons frosty adventures to make them safer and more enjoyable. Strengthening the musculature around the knee is very important.  There are many exercises you can do at home or in the gym to help strengthen these muscles for greater knee stability.  One of these exercises is the wall sit.  Begin by standing with your back against a wall.  With your feet out in front of you, squat down while keeping your back flat against the wall.  Only go as low as the point where your thighs are parallel with the floor.  Hold this position for 30 to 90 seconds.  Repeat 3 times. Your hip adductors and abductors enable you to move side to side and carve your way down the slopes.  To condition these muscles, mark two points on the floor

3 to 4 feet apart.  Hop side to side from one point to the next as if you were skiing.  This exercise is also tremendous for conditioning your cardio respiratory system.  You can perform this exercise in multiple bouts of 2 to 5 minutes to mimic ski runs. Your abdominal and low back muscles also play a vital role in balance and trunk stability while skiing.  To strengthen your abdominals, lie with you back flat an  feet flat on the floor with your legs bent. 

While maintaining contact between the small of your back and the floor, slowly raise your head and shoulders up towards the ceiling.  You can use your finger tips to lightly support your head, while keeping plenty of space between your chin and your chest.  Slowly lower

your shoulders back down to the ground.  Perform as many crunches as you can while maintaining correct form.  Perform a this exercise a total of three times.

In between sets of crunches you can strengthen your low back by rolling over onto your stomach.