Tag Archive for: conditioning for skiing

Pat McCloskey

Can You Ski Yourself Into Shape?

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There Are Other, Fun Ways To Get Ready Besides Hitting The Gym.

Sure, you can do the gym thing. It’s not too late to hit the trails, too.

One of the myths I hear from people at the beginning of the ski season is that they can “ski themselves into shape.”  They have not really done any preparation for the ski season and feel that they just have to start skiing, and their ski legs will eventually come back.  If I ever heard fake news, this is it.  Skiing is a dynamic sport and in order to effectively execute a turn, your legs need to be in good shape before the first turn of the season.  I can’t tell you how many times I have see folks whose “legs are killing them” after the first and second day of a ski trip.  They ski defensively, because they are not in good shape and all the money that they have spent on a ski trip is for naught. That’s because they failed to get in shape before they got on that airplane.  The same is true for local skiers who make their way to their local ski area and have the same experience.

So why not start thinking about this now if you have not done so?  There are a lot of articles popping up in the ski periodicals and web sites about exercises that you can do in the gym.  But how many of us really want to spend time in the gym day in and day out to prepare for ski season?  How many times can we pretend to sit in an invisible chair with our backs to the wall to strengthen our legs?  On the other hand, there are outdoor activities that can be engaged to get the legs in shape but are also fun and allow us to be in the outdoors which is where we all want to be in the first place.

With the flaming leaves coming in to view, the trails in our mountains and parks are available for mountain biking, hiking, and trail running.  Hiking and trail running uphill prepare the legs for sure as well as providing an excellent outdoor fresh air activity.  Mountain biking ramps that up a bit by strengthening the legs on climbs, as well as simulating skiing skills like looking ahead and picking a path through varied terrain.

Lots of folks mountain bike, hike, and run during the summer season when the weather is cooperative, but when the time change looms—Nov. 4 this year, by the way—and the days get shorter, the motivation for these activities starts to wane.  If you want to be prepared for ski season, I would strongly suggest that you continue these activities as long as you can during the fall and into the winter if conditions allow.

A good friend of mine says there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing choices. So why not buy a good Gore-Tex suit for running or hiking and also one to ride in the winter if you can do it.  Night riding is a favorite of mine, and there are a lot of options for rechargeable light and battery systems. I have used a lot of expensive lighting  options in the past but with the advance of lighting technology, you can now purchase systems for a fraction of the cost of the traditional main stream lighting systems.  Cree Mountain Bike Lights found on Amazon are an excellent choice for around $32.00 and provide three mode LED lighting with a rechargeable battery that can provide up to two hours of excellent light on high mode.  I use these lights on my handlebar with another one on my helmet.  I store the battery for the helmet light in my hydration pack and also the battery for the handlebar light can be attached to the top tube of the mountain bike.  I also purchase spare batteries and store them in my pack in the event that there are any issues with the primary battery.

It is not too late to get back on that bike, lace up the trail running shoes or hiking boots, and get moving.  Your legs will appreciate your diligence now in the early fall season, and you will enjoy your turns and ski outings much better if you take the time to be in shape when the first flakes start to fly in the mountains.

High tech bike lights allow you to ride into the evening hours when the clock changes back to Standard Time. Credit: MountainRides.com

 

Rose Marie Cleese

Seniors: Don’t Hit The Snow Without Preparation

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Here’s a Must-Read for Seniors Before They Head for the Slopes.

Paul Petersen, who begins his 38th season running Bear Valley Cross-Country in California this winter, is 56 years old and comes with the kind of credentials that should make you sit up and take note of what he has to say! He’s been a certified alpine and cross-country ski instructor for nearly four decades. He’s also the former coach of the national nordic team of the Professional Ski Instructors of America and is currently on its education advisory committee.

“I’m a fully addicted skiaholic, and I don’t see that getting better any time soon,” avows Petersen. “It’s one of the most fun things you can do in life outdoors.”

Long-time coach Paul Petersen has wise words about physically preparing for the season.

Long-time coach Paul Petersen has wise words about physically preparing for the season.

He’s made “staying in the game of skiing a life goal,” and he’d like to help you do the same. First and foremost, plan ahead. You can’t just hit the slopes or trails without any preparation after several months of not skiing. Start with exercises that simulate the movements you make when you ski or snowboard. Here are Petersen’s four cornerstones to focus on in the weeks before the wintersports season begins:

  • BALANCE: Stand on one foot, moving from foot to foot every 15 seconds or so multiple times; look for other balance-focused exercises you can do easily anywhere, any time.
  • STRENGTH: Simulate a chair—every skier’s “go to” thigh-strengthening exercise! Slide your back down a wall so that your hips and knees are at right angles. Hold for as long as you can stand it, slide back up, and repeat! Check out other leg and trunk strengthening exercises, such as lunges and squats.
  • FLEXIBILITY: Streeeeetch! Do yoga, or any other stretching exercises you’re comfortable doing.
  • CARDIO: Take the stairs. Park in the farthest parking space in parking lots. Walk around two or three blocks several times a week. Run in place.

What about fitness classes? Paul recommends aerobics for cross-country skiers to enhance cardio and yoga for downhill skiers/boarders to stretch out tight muscles and loosen joints.

And don’t forget about pre-season equipment safety. What good will it do you to plop your fit-as-a-fiddle body atop skis that negate all the prep? It’s worth the money to get your skis tuned up ahead of time, getting the edges sharpened, and most importantly, having your binding settings checked to be in sync with your age, current weight, and ability—all of which might have changed since the last time you had your bindings checked.

Not a big fan of helmets? After all, you’ve skied unencumbered by headgear for eons without any ill effects. Petersen says, “It’s a no-brainer [pun not intended]…wear a helmet! It keeps you warmer, and it doesn’t affect your balance or equilibrium. It’s not so much that you might hit a tree, but rather that some out-of-control newbie snowboarder can come crashing into you.” Petersen also suggests buying some of the incredibly well-designed sports padding that’s available today, such as padded shorts that protect one’s hips, which are particularly vulnerable as we age, and wrist guards for snowboarders.

Editor Note: Petersen also has a lot of excellent tips for the day before you ski and things that are very important to do the morning of. But that’s another whole article for another day…watch for it coming soon!