Forget about bad technique or the wrong kind of skis. More than anything, it's a lack of fitness which holds back recreational skiers when they hit the slopes. So here, in association with tour operator Inghams, we've put together a complete ski fitness exercise programme to get you into shape for your next trip.

Photography by Don Wales

It's been compiled by Dr Steve Ingham, a physiologist at the English Institute of Sport, who has advised athletes at Olympic level across a range of sports, and perhaps its greatest strength is its flexibility.

It's split into five phases, building from phase one (early days) to phase five (the final weeks before the trip), and you can spend more or less time on each one depending on how long you've got left before your trip.

You can also miss out phases altogether. As a result, it'll help you whether you have twelve weeks prepare yourself, or two.

To find out what to do when, consult our ski fitness planner.

And if you're new to exercise programmes, check with your GP first to see if it's okay for you to try one.

Click on the phases below to go straight to the exercise programme you need.

Ski Fitness - Phase 1

Ski Fitness -Phase 2

Ski Fitness - Phase 3

Ski Fitness - Phase 4

Ski Fitness - Phase 5