Lactate tolerance sessions, which prime Ski Teamers for intense activity, run as follows: Athletes perform four or five 40- to 60-second intervals of high-intensity plyometrics, such as squat jumps. Next, they jump on the QuadMill (above) for five 60-second intervals. Finally, they move to spinning bikes for recovery sessions that flush out the lactic acid left in their muscles.

Why They Do It: Every skier is familiar with lactic acid buildup, a.k.a. quad burn. When muscles work, they produce a by-product called lactic acid, which the body naturally flushes out. As you work harder, you hit your lactate threshold: the point at which lactic acid accumulates faster than your muscles can process it, leading to fatigue and the dreaded burn. Lactate tolerance workouts increase your threshold, so you can ski longer and harder before hitting the wall.

Try This Instead: Side shuffles. Start in a half-squat: knees bent, glutes back, chest lifted, abs tight and arms in front of you for balance. Shuffle sideways 15 to 20 feet; then, without breaking form, shuffle back to the starting position. Do three 45-second intervals, resting 45 seconds between each. Then hop on a spinning bike. After an easy three-minute warm-up, increase the resistance level to a 6 or 7 on a scale from 1 to 10. Spin at a moderately fast pace (80 or 90 revolutions per minute) for four minutes. You should be breathing hard but not be exhausted. Reduce the resistance level to 3, and spin for two minutes. Do five intervals.