Get ready for the 2026/27 winter season with SCHLOSS Zermatt
The first ski day of the season is a good one. Boots back on. Skis out of storage. That first chairlift ride. Then, around lunchtime, your legs ask for a break.
We know the feeling. That’s why SCHLOSS Zermatt is big on building strength, improving mobility and doing some prep before the season starts.
There’s plenty at our spa hotel to help you do just that, including free daily yoga and fitness sessions and a 180 m² Technogym fitness zone. And when you’re ready to put it all into practice, the mountain railways are a short walk away.
To get your 2026/27 season off on the right ski, here are six things to do before hitting the slopes.
1. Start with yoga
Skiing asks a lot of your body. Your thighs work hard to control turns, your ankles and hips need room to move, and your core helps keep everything steady. That’s where yoga helps.
At SCHLOSS Zermatt, free yoga sessions are included for all hotel guests, with instructors ready to help you improve the mobility, stability and balance you need for skiing.
Before you get here though, here are four yoga poses to try and incorporate into your day:
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Chair pose: bend your knees and lower your hips as though sitting into a chair. Good for building awareness and strength in the thighs and glutes.
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Low lunge: step one foot forward, lower the opposite knee and ease your hips forwards. This helps open up the hip flexors.
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Downward-facing dog: lift your hips into an inverted V shape, keeping your knees slightly bent if needed. Good for calf and hamstring flexibility.
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Figure-four stretch: lie on your back, cross one ankle over the opposite thigh and gently draw your legs towards you. This improves hip flexibility for smoother turns and better control.
2. Put the hotel’s fitness zone to work
If you want to build more strength before the season, SCHLOSS Zermatt’s 180 m² gym is a good place to start as it’s stocked with Technogym equipment, TRX suspension trainers, cardio machines, weights and space for functional movement.
For ski-specific training, a few exercises are particularly useful. Squats and step-ups work the thighs and glutes that control your skiing position. Side lunges build strength for lateral movement. Planks challenge the core. A bike or cross-trainer session helps build stamina.
The trick is to start building strength several weeks before your trip. In the final days before skiing, keep sessions manageable so you arrive at the chairlifts feeling fresh.
Side note: our daily fitness programme includes sessions such as HIIT, Pilates and TRX, all free for guests. You can also book a personal training session if you’d like a programme tailored to your week’s goals.
3. Give your equipment a proper check
Start with your boots. Try them on before travelling, especially if they’ve spent the summer in storage. Check the fit, buckles and liners.
Next, get your skis or snowboard serviced. Edges, bases and bindings all deserve attention, with bindings checked by a qualified technician.
Then consider the smaller things: helmet condition, goggles, gloves, spare lenses, ski socks and layers. Early-season Zermatt can give you bright sunshine, sharp winds and cold temperatures in the same day.
If you’re thinking of changing your skis, Zermatt has a good selection of equipment shops. Our team can recommend trusted local rental partners and even try to arrange a discount.
4. Don’t judge Zermatt’s ski weather from the village
Zermatt village sits at around 1,620 metres. You might wake up to rain and grey skies, while several hundred metres higher, fresh snow is falling. Equally, the village can be sitting under cloud while the upper slopes enjoy blue skies.
Our tip? Check the mountain webcams before making your ski plans.
You can see what’s happening at different altitudes, compare visibility and check which lifts and pistes are operating. Weather and wind can affect lift operations, so it’s worth checking those too.
5. The 10-minute pre-ski warm-up
Cold muscles need time to get moving, particularly when you’re heading into a sport involving quick turns, balance and constant changes in pressure.
Here’s SCHLOSS Zermatt’s simple 10-minute sequence to try before you head up the mountain…
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Minutes 1-2: walk/march briskly on the spot, swing your arms and get the heart rate up.
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Minutes 3-4: wake up your ankles by rotating them in circles and doing heel raises.
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Minutes 5-6: open the hips. Alternate between forward and sideways leg swings, followed by a few hip circles.
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Minutes 7-8: activate the legs with controlled bodyweight squats and alternating reverse lunges.
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Minutes 9-10: find your balance. Stand on one leg for 20-30 seconds, switch sides and finish with gentle standing torso rotations.
6. Stay close to the mountain railways
Early ski mornings are easier when everything is within reach.
SCHLOSS Zermatt is around two minutes on foot from the Gornergrat Railway, five minutes from the Sunnegga-Rothorn funicular and one minute from the nearest bus stop serving the Matterhorn Glacier Paradise direction.
You’re also two minutes from the village’s main railway station, making arriving with all your luggage straightforward.
Back at the hotel, our secure ski room has everything you need to store and look after your equipment, including boot-drying facilities and a tool workbench for basic maintenance.
Ready for the 2026/27 ski season?
With your body warmed up, kit sorted and mountain conditions checked, it’s time to get up those mountains. And when the day’s done, SCHLOSS Zermatt has plenty waiting: a swim, sauna, CBD massage or a drink at the bar before dinner.
We look forward to welcoming you back for another great season.
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