A pain in the A__.

Yep, early last season I suffered pain in my, shall we say, derriere region. Otherwise known as my glutes.

Which I thought seemed rather odd, especially with all the working out I do. Just goes to show there's always something.

A fitness trainer I know suggested the following exercise to strengthen the area, before I started skiing this year:

Bent-leg raise
On hands and knees, lift one leg up, knee at a 90-degree angle throughout the movement. Keep lifting until the bottom of the foot faces the ceiling and the hip, thigh and knee are all in alignment and parallel to the floor. Don't arch the back and keep the neck straight. Lower back down and repeat for all reps before switching sides. Add ankle weights for more intensity or hold a light dumbbell behind the knee. Perform 1-3 sets of 10-16 reps according to your fitness level.

And here's a great stretch for apres ski (just don't do this on the floor of the lodge! Yuk!!):

Lie on floor or mat. Bend knees with feet on floor. Cross lower leg over thigh of other leg. Grasp back of thigh of lower leg with both hands. Pull leg toward torso. Hold stretch. Repeat with opposite leg.

After all, why should skiing be a pain in the A__?

Be sure to visit TheSkiDiva.com, an internet forum especially for women skiers, where women skiers can connect with one another to talk about everything and anything ski-related.