Generally, the Winter Olympics is filled with extreme sports, like bobsled and luge. However, there’s few, if any, sport more extreme or more dangerous than skeleton in the Winter Olympics. Skeleton athletes accelerate headfirst at speeds over 130 km per hour and experience G-force up to 5 times the normal amount.

It isn’t easy for beginners looking to get into this sport, but nothing worth doing ever is! Here are some of my top tips for any beginner looking to get into skeleton.

Holistic Training

Skeleton seems pretty simple but requires training in several different areas. To get truly good at skeleton, you’ll have to improve your sprinting, train with weights, and include all sorts of plyometric exercises in your training routine.

Many Skeleton athletes, like myself, were previously sprinters themselves. That helps with the run-up and launch aspect of skeleton. However, other than just the run-up, your body needs to be able to withstand the pressure of simply feeling the G force exerted on it while going through the track. Gaining muscle mass and strengthening your body helps you withstand the force and go down the track faster.

Fix your Form

With any sport or exercise having the right form is extremely important. It’s even more important when you’re on a small sled going over 100 km per hour. Practice your positioning and form on it before you actually get on a skeleton sled and go down a track.

The correct pose will require you to lie completely flat on your stomach with your head facing forward. You’ll want to make sure your chin is up, your knees aren’t bent, and your toes should be pointing backward with a slight incline. Get your positioning down before giving the track a shot.

Stay Still in the Start

When you’re still a beginner, the small nuances of skeleton that make you go faster or give you better control come much later in your training. Initially, you need to stay still while on the sled and going through the track. While it may sound simple, it’s easier said than done. When moving at high speeds and feeling intense pressure, people naturally react and move around. Once you have your pose down, make sure you train to keep it while going through the track.

Starting skeleton is difficult but not impossible! I went from representing Ghana at the Olympics as a sprinter to a skeleton slider. I hope to use my story to encourage more young kids to know that they can also become Olympic-level athletes representing Ghana in whatever sport they choose. I am Akwasi Frimpong, and I am working for more African representation in the Winter Olympics. Learn more about it here.