Improve Agility: The Step-Up Exercise

"In a workout of any duration, do the agility drills first, followed by weight lifting, and then cardio exercises," says tough-girl trainer Emily Miller, who was responsible for getting freestyle skier Jonny Mosley in shape to take the gold at the Nagano Winter Olympics. "People usually do the trickiest stuff when they're the most fatigued. Reversing that order can improve your performance."

The Drill: Stand in front of a thick phone book. In rapid succession, tap the top of the book with one foot, then the other. Tag it as quickly as you can while staying as light on your feet as possible. Do this for 30 seconds, and count how many times you can step up without losing form. If you toss your foot up instead of tapping it, you're fatigued.

Improve Flexibility: The Hip-Flexor Stretch

In skiing, legs are everything. Your legs have to be strong enough to do the work and limber enough to help you recover from those bumps and turns. You probably already stretch your quads, but how about those hip flexors?

"Almost no one pays enough attention to their hips, and they pay for it when their legs won't bend enough," says exercise physiologist Emily Miller. "No matter how strong your legs are, if they're too stiff, they won't work right."

The Drill: Lie on your back, and bend your right knee while keeping your right foot flat on the floor. Place your left ankle against the front (not the top) of your right knee. Gently push your left knee away from you. You should feel the stretch at the spot where your leg meets your torso. Do this for three minutes; then switch legs.

Build Balance: The Single-Leg Squat

The importance of balance in skiing is obvious. "That's why it's doubly unfortunate," says trainer-to-the-pros Emily Miller, "that our sense of balance deteriorates as we grow older."

The Drill: Stand on a step so that one leg can hang over it and your hips are level. Hold your arms in a skiing position. Raise one foot several inches off the ground, as if you've just finished kicking a ball. Keeping your abdominals tight, squat as if you're about to sit on a chair. The bend in your knee should form a 90-degree angle. Dip down as far as you can without losing your form. Hold that position for 5 seconds, then forcefully push yourself up to the beginning position. Do this 10 times; then switch legs and repeat.

Sidebar: Put Your Season on the Fast Track

These days, smart skiers aren't just getting their skis tuned up, they're also getting themselves tuned up. Lessons are now called clinics. Instructors are coaches. And you, believe it or not, are an athlete. Here are three schools that will give you a jump on the season.

Beaver Creek, Colorado

Cory Carlson, head of Technique Week at Beaver Creek and a former member of the U.S. Ski Team, can help you start the season on the right ski, no matter what your level of ability is. Carlson and his team of top-flight instructors rely on small classes, individual instruction, and après-ski video analyses to help you develop sound technical habits that you can build on throughout the season.

Coordinates: Double rooms start at $1,650, including instruction and some meals. Hyatt Regency, Beaver Creek, Colorado, 970-845-2849, www.beavercreek.hyatt.com

Sugarloaf USA, Maine

The chairlifts begin running in mid-November at Sugarloaf, and the resort's Perfect Turn Ski School, for beginners on up, features packages for both group and private instruction. Sugarloaf also offers women-only clinics that are taught by female instructors. You can also throw in some dryland training at the resort's on-site health club.

Coordinates: Weeklong ski packages start at $250, which includes instruction and lift tickets. Sugarloaf USA, 800-843-5623, www.sugarloaf.com

Truckee, California

The North American Ski Training Center's multiday, total-immersion clinics run from August to April on some of the very best slopes on the planet. NASTC's professional ski instructors guide intermediate and advanced skiers down some of the world's most challenging terrain, including Portillo, Chile, and Whistler-Blackcomb in British Columbia. NASTC provides one-on-one instruction all along the way.

Coordinates: The six-day program at Whistler-Blackcomb costs $1,295, including airfare from San Francisco and accommodations. NASTC, 530-582-4772, www.skinastc.com