"Dear Marilynn: I'm looking forward to some downhill skiing this winter. I've been running all summer and fall — averaging about 25 miles a week — and I feel pretty good. What else should I be doing to get ready for the slopes?"

Good question. The fact is running doesn't go very far in terms of getting your body ready for downhill skiing. Neither does bicycling. Swimming? Nope. To get into shape for skiing specifically, you need to strengthen your leg muscles in the position you'll use them on the slopes: hips and knees flexed, in the tuck position.

Running, cycling and swimming are excellent aerobic sports for general conditioning — repetitive, rhythmical — but if you want more control of your skis, more leg power and endurance, and less risk of injury, you need to include some sport-specific exercises in your training routine. It's called functional exercise, and here are three excellent ones for downhill skiing — no fancy equipment required. All you need is the will to do them, daily, with joyful anticipation:

THE 90-90 WALL LEAN. This gold standard exercise is a very effective way to strengthen your quadriceps (top thigh muscles). Stand facing away from the wall, and slide your back down the wall until your feet are about 15 inches from the base. You want your hips and knees bent to a 90 degree angle. Now hold still ... and breathe! Focus your awareness on your quads and your calf muscles. Feel them working and, after while, fatiguing.

Don't overreact to that sensation. Just take it as feedback, and hold the position as long as you can. When you're ready to release, take another two to three deep breaths and try to hold for another five to 10 seconds. Go to the point of muscle exhaustion ... and release. Keep track of the time, and hold the position a few seconds longer every day. (To increase the challenge, try this raised on your tiptoes.)

THE STEP UP. I like to do this one listening to the news. Put one foot on a stable 15-20 inch high stool, block or step. (Whatever you use, make sure it's anchored securely and won't slide around.) Then step up. Be precise about the movement. Make sure you fully extend your knee each time you step up. Let yourself down slowly, with control. The work you do as you let yourself down —resisting as you go — is just as important as the work you do pushing yourself up. Alternate legs until you feel exhausted. Do it daily, and step up the total number as your strength allows.

THE SIDE JUMP. I'm keen on this not just because moguls — a few, not icy — really can be fun, but because you're not alone out there. Is that a tree just ahead? Do I hear the delirious cry of a snowboarder behind me? Skiing down a mountain requires agility and coordination — and balance, because learning to change direction swiftly is not just for politicians, it can be a lifesaver.

Begin by building a 8 inch to 12 inch inch tower of books, just tall enough so you can jump over it sideways, feet together. (You can also use a small stool or box.) Land lightly, with bent knees, and jump back to your starting place.

Consider that one jump. Repeat, coordinating with your breath, until you can do 10 jumps in a row. Gradually build up to 20 or 25. This kind of training will make you a more fluid and flexible skier, and do wonders for your confidence too.

REMEMBER: Functional exercise to strengthen your leg muscles is only a part of your training for the best ski trip of your life. Get your whole body stronger! Work on flexibility, relaxed concentration and visualization. And please read the classic "Inner Skiing" by W. Timothy Gallwey and Robert Kriegel.

ENERGY EXPRESS-O! THIS ISN'T A SNOW JOB

"The purpose of Inner Skiing is to increase the magic of skiing ... to learn how to reach that state of mind in which we not only appreciate the sport but perform at our best." — Gallwey and Kriegel

Marilynn Preston — fitness expert, personal trainer and speaker on healthy lifestyle issues — is the creator of Energy Express, the longest-running syndicated fitness column in the country. She has a website, http://marilynnpreston.com and welcomes reader questions, which can be sent to MyEnergyExpress@aol.com.