Bump Skier Fitness: Get Light for the Moguls
Chances are, the single best thing you can do for your mogul skiing this summer, fitness-wise, is to lose extra weight, to get light for the moguls.
A lot of skiers spend a lot of time thinking and talking about skiing-specific exercises, the latest conditioning techniques of world-class skiers, the newest gym gadgets or machines that are supposed to condition skiing muscles, and so forth. For skiers who are already in world-class shape, these things might provide a conditioning edge. For most recreational skiers, though, this stuff is just a silly distraction.
The average recreational skier carries extra weight. (I know I’ve carried extra pounds, at various times!) How many pounds could you stand to lose this summer? Ten? Twenty? Thirty?
Think about how this extra weight affects your skiing. If you said “ten pounds,” pick up a ten pound dumbbell and imagine skiing around all day with that much weight in a backpack. Are you 20 pounds overweight? Imagine carrying around two dumbbells then. It's a lot of weight to carry, isn't it?
Now imagine carrying, supporting, that much extra weight, with your legs, with your knees, through every mogul absorption, for a full day of skiing. The results? Greater fatigue; more wear on your knees, hips and back; slower reaction times; and a greater chance of injury.
If you’re carrying extra weight, don’t waste time worrying about World Cup workouts or new gym toys. Set a simple, straightforward conditioning goal for yourself this summer: lose the extra pounds, however you can do it. Get light for the bumps! You’ll ski better, and your body will thank you this winter with fewer aches and pains at the end of each ski day.
Hope you bumpers are all having a great summer!
A lot of skiers spend a lot of time thinking and talking about skiing-specific exercises, the latest conditioning techniques of world-class skiers, the newest gym gadgets or machines that are supposed to condition skiing muscles, and so forth. For skiers who are already in world-class shape, these things might provide a conditioning edge. For most recreational skiers, though, this stuff is just a silly distraction.
The average recreational skier carries extra weight. (I know I’ve carried extra pounds, at various times!) How many pounds could you stand to lose this summer? Ten? Twenty? Thirty?
Think about how this extra weight affects your skiing. If you said “ten pounds,” pick up a ten pound dumbbell and imagine skiing around all day with that much weight in a backpack. Are you 20 pounds overweight? Imagine carrying around two dumbbells then. It's a lot of weight to carry, isn't it?
Now imagine carrying, supporting, that much extra weight, with your legs, with your knees, through every mogul absorption, for a full day of skiing. The results? Greater fatigue; more wear on your knees, hips and back; slower reaction times; and a greater chance of injury.
If you’re carrying extra weight, don’t waste time worrying about World Cup workouts or new gym toys. Set a simple, straightforward conditioning goal for yourself this summer: lose the extra pounds, however you can do it. Get light for the bumps! You’ll ski better, and your body will thank you this winter with fewer aches and pains at the end of each ski day.
Hope you bumpers are all having a great summer!
posted by Dan DiPiro at 6:56 AM
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