Driving up the mountain for the first time since last ski or snowboard season is like a long overdue visit with an old friend – it’s full of excitement and promise. There’s nothing like speeding down that mountain with the wind in your face and the people flying by as you pass them on your way down. There’s also nothing like the pain of that first big wipeout, or the knee soreness after a day on the slopes. No one wants to plan a three day weekend to be down for the count by the second day or plan a weeklong trip with the kids to have to tell them, “Mommy/Daddy can’t do this today – let’s sit in the lodge instead.” Many people dream about the slopes all summer just to bite it on the first day and be out until next year.
Don’t let that be you.
Here are KinetikChain’s tips for being faster, stronger, and safer in the mountains this winter:Ramp Your Activity Level Back Up Slowly: Summer is a great time for adventuring – kids are out of school and the weather is nice. Maybe you spent your summer in the mountains, or maybe you spent it sipping margarita’s by the pool.
Only one of those is going to keep your cardiovascular system primed for skiing the back bowls of Vail.
If you have been enjoying a nice break from your skiing workouts put your drink down, and trade lounging for whatever type of exercise you like to do to get your heart rate up.
Be Specific: If you spent your summer in the mountains, hiking, biking, and climbing, you’re ahead of the curve for getting back to the mountains this winter. However, none of those things will prepare you for the demand of skiing (basically a prolonged moving squat into a partial lunge over and over again) or landing a jump. Get exercises into your routine that are similar to the way you use your body for skiing – lunges and box jumps (up and down) in your gym are, sadly, not as fun as shredding pow, but your knees will thank you for the preparation.
Learn to Recognize Fatigue: As we do things for longer, we get tired. It happens whether it’s skiing, snowboarding, lifting in the gym, or speaking with our in-laws 😉 As we get tired and fatigued, our form is what begins to suffer, and that is when we are most likely to get injured. Remember that the season is a marathon – not a sprint. You want to be able to shred all season, so if you start to feel tired or notice yourself falling more often, give yourself a break.
Don’t Save the Best For Last: For that same fatigue reason, don’t plan to do your most technical run as the last run of your day. Doing so increases your chance for injury when you’re asking your body to do something it’s too tired to do correctly.
Get Ahead: If you are having pain or discomfort – in your knees, hips, back, ankles, shoulders, don’t wait until you have to miss an epic snow day to get checked out. At KinetikChain we specialize in snow sport injuries and frequently they could have been prevented with earlier care and preparation.
If you want more information on skiing, download our free skiing report – “9 Top Tips to Never Miss a Powder Day Because of Pain” by clicking the picture below.
If you want more than just tips to get your ready please consider coming to our Skiing Injury Prevention and Optimal Performance class 11/28 at 6PM. Click here to learn more about it. If you would rather start with a Free Discovery Visit to get a personalized approach to getting rid of your pain and getting you back on the mountain then click the “Free Discovery Visit” button below.
