The same benefits
Downhill skiing is a sport that strengthens the heart and improves lung capacity because so may muscles are working and the heart's capacity to pump blood is increased. As this is occurring, the lungs work to bring in all the oxygen required by your body and expel all the carbon dioxide produced. Downhill ski simulators try to match this experience by providing an intensive training session to reinforce the cardiovascular system and provide enough oxygen for the blood. The only thing they cannot match is the snow-capped mountain background. However, the plus side is that you can do the same exercise at home, saving the time and money needed to travel up the mountains in search of snow.

Easy to use machines
The Body-Trek requires coordinating the arms and legs as you build up practice. Downhill ski simulators have as many levels of resistance for arms as they do for legs.

In both cases, movement must be gentle. The fact that you are moving so many muscles means you should give your body time to adapt. Begin with a 10 minute session, including 5 to warm up. When you become more experienced, you can gradually increase the training time until you reach 20 or 30 minutes (with a 5 to 10 minute warm up).

Step by step
- Begin without any resistance to adapt. Do not incorporate the arm exercise until you control the leg movement.
- Hold the hand grip well and begin sliding your legs gently. Move the weight from one leg to another, as in traditional skiing. First let the front foot take the weight, and lift up the heel when you reach the end of the extension, allowing the other foot to take the weight, keeping up a steady speed.
- As soon as your feet are skilled enough to ski with a high resistance, you can start working the arms. When your left foot is extended forward, your left arm should be extended backwards and vice-versa. Do not forget that arms and legs move at once, slowly and rhythmically.

Train to ski without stiffness
If you arrive at the ski station desperate to ski without any physical preparation, you are certain to end the first day in pain and stiffness. To avoid this you need to prepare in advance to enjoy the snow without the risk of pain or injury. The solution: a downhill ski simulator. With this you not only train the lower body (the legs take the brunt of alpine skiing) but the upper body too (very important in downhill skiing). To enjoy the winter sport par excellence, you simply need to spend 15 to 30 minutes a week training at home for a few weeks before setting off on your skiing trip.