In a perfect world of athletic conditioning, you started training in October to get ready for skiing and snowboarding. Reality is more like this: You're carving Big Bear, Steamboat or Chamonix next week and you haven't done as much as a lateral hop to prepare for your favorite winter sport.

Are you doomed to feel like the oil-less Tin Man 24 hours after a day on black-diamond runs?

No.

Sports-specific drills can improve muscle endurance and reduce your risk of injury. Most injuries on the slopes occur in the later part of the day, when muscles are fatigued or tired.

A little conditioning is better than nothing. Here are some reconditioning exercises to help prepare your muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones for action.

They're designed by Randall Gargan, an American Council on Exercise-certified personal fitness trainer, for his snow-bound clients. These are for people who are already active -- they have a regular regimen of cardio, strength-training and flexibility.

Warm up for at least five minutes or until you're breaking a sweat before doing these drills.

· Wall sit: Stand with your back flat against a wall. Lower yourself to a sitting position and move your feet forward so that you look like a chair with 90-degree angles, as if you were balancing a tray on your lap. Keep your feet apart about hip width if you're a skier, a little wider if you are a snowboarder. Hold this position for 15-30 seconds. Intermediate and advanced skiers/boarders, hold for several minutes. Repeat twice.

· Standing squat press: Stand with arms raised parallel to the floor. Squat 12 to 15 times, counting to five as you lower your buttocks and another five as you return to the start position. Repeat three times.

· Straddle jump: Place a string or strip of tape on the ground. Stand on one side of the string. With knees and feet together, hop to the other side quickly for 15 seconds. Intermediate and advanced skiers/boarders, continue up to 30 seconds. Think of your lower body as a coiled spring, but minimize the up and down movement of your upper body. Disconnect your two halves, as you would when going over moguls.

· Tibia flex: Sit on a chair and point your toes away from you, then back toward you. Take your time with each repetition. Repeat 12-15 times. Intermediate to advanced skiers/boarders, do 20-25 repetitions. Do three sets.

· Oblique twist. Lie on your back with arms outstretched at your sides, palms facing the floor. Raise your legs so your calves are parallel to the floor and your knees are bent 90 degrees. While keeping your knees together and contracting your abs, slowly bring your legs down to your right. Try to keep your torso still. Bring your legs up and over to the other side. Repeat for 16 seconds. Intermediate and advanced skiers/boarders, repeat for 32 seconds.

· Superman: Assume the Superman position -- lie face-down on the floor with your arms extended on either side of your head. Raise your arms and legs a few inches, squeeze your glutes, and lower your limbs. Do three sets of 10 reps.

Stretch after these drills. Remember to stretch on the slopes, too.