Pat Sharples is an icon in freestyle skiing and coaches the Salomon and Oakley free skiing teams as well as the British World Cup Half-Pipe Team. He knows better than most the physical demands of free skiing, and not only because he won the British Masters Freestyle Championships in Laax this year.

'One of my worst ever injuries was snapping my cruciate ligament in my knee but the rehab I did taught me some great conditioning exercises that all skiers should do to stay healthy and fit for the slopes,' Sharples says.

So how do you train for the dizzying 360°s and off-piste runs? 'Remember that skiing strength isn't really all about the legs - it goes through the core,' he says. 'Another mistake is to look at the ground and lose your centre of balance.'

Sharples gets his skiers to do core, joint and muscle-conditioning exercises, along with trampoline work to get them used to centring their vision. He says that if you do this workout for just one month before your holiday, you'll be fully prepared to push your limits without fear on the snow.

Workout for skiing strength:

• Dumb-bell step-ups
• Decline press-up
• One-legged dub-bell squat
• Curl to press

Workout for skiing form:

• Aquaman plank
• Vision anchor
• Ski bridge

Before you start this workout get your heart pumping and legs ready with some high-knee jogging followed by bodyweight squats.

Pat Sharples runs Grom Freestyle Camps for skiers of all ages. For more info email patsharples@hotmail.com.