If you haven’t heard of Mikaela Shiffrin by now, you must be living under a snow-deprived rock. At just 22, Mikaela is dominating the ski slopes—so much so that she won the overall Alpine World Cup title (a.k.a. the largest international ski competition next to the Olympics) on March 17, 2017. (Truth be told, some consider the prize more prestigious than a gold medal at the Games, because the champ has to excel in four disciplines, instead of just one. Talk about impressive!)
And while Mikaela’s win makes her the fifth American—and third American woman—ever to earn the honor (represent!), we’re just as googly-eyed with her balls-to-the-wall, no-holds-barred workout routine.
Mikaela likes to keep it real—and definitely interesting—when it comes to fitness. Take a look at her Instagram and you’ll see her juggle while skipping between balance disks (like we said, balls to the wall!), walk on top of standing dumbbells, and triple-step jump up the stairs. All things to improve her balance (crucial on the downhill) and develop serious glute strength to power her turns.
Want the strength, stability, and sexiness of skier legs, without the holy-sh*t moves? Stick to Mikaela’s go-to lower-body circuit from her trainer, U.S. Ski Team assistant coach Jeff Lackie. Once a week (or if you really want to be like Mikaela, every five days), perform these five exercises in order, starting with the first move. For the weighted exercises, choose a resistance that’ll have you barely able to eke out the last rep. (Need a new routine? Women’s Health’s Slim, Sexy, Strong Workout DVD is the fast, flexible workout you’ve been waiting for!)