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
13 Comments:
Hi jsul,
As much as I loved the WV mogul coaching last season, it was more work than my schedule will be able to handle this season. Need to keep my weekends free this year.
No worries, though, about Nick leaving WV... he's the one constant in the program, I think. It's his program, his baby.
I think those Old T bumps last year were set up only for a special occasion -- a PSIA clinic, I believe -- so I wouldn't expect them back again this season. It's sad, I know.
You guys ever consider Sunappee? The mountain isn't as challenging as Loon or WV or Cannon, but they do have a good, fairly steep bump course much of the season (Flying Goose trail), as well as an easier one in the back bowl, and they do maintain the bumps very well, so far as I've seen.
You and Joe will remain mid-weekers this winter, eh? Heard some Almanac rumor about this being a snowy season... wouldn't that be nice? ...I'd love to ski some good, natural-snow, skier-made bumps this year.
-Dan
s.
Update this blog please, it is out dated, and I know you are fit!..
jsul,
So you guys are still renting in Lincoln. Well, maybe I'll get a midweek day this season and see you on Flume or Rumruner. No, not sure about Okemo. Have never skied there, actually.
Hey Joe,
Welcome back. Hope your summer was a good one. Yeah, I'm getting psyched, too. I've been running a lot this off-season. Did the Bretton-Woods-to-Hampton-Beach relay last week. 10 guys, 210 miles, 25+hours. A lot of fun.
Hey, feltslave!
Are we gonna lure you and that snowboard of yours into the bumps this season?
-Dan
hey dan -
what do you think of the skiiers edge machine? ever used one? does your book have on land drills or just on snow?
cannonskier -
Cannonskier:
No, I've never used the Skiers Edge. I've seen it advertised in magazines, though. It's a pretty expensive piece of equipment, isn't it?
In general, I shy away from expensive exercise equipment. Too great a likelihood of my buying it and not using it. And too many great workouts to be had for the price of some good shoes, shorts and a tee... okay, and a little more clothing this time of year.
I think the key to getting into shape and staying in shape is to do activities that you love, that you find fun. That way, exercise isn't really training, isn't a chore. It's another sport you like that happens to prepare you for skiing. …and I can’t picture myself loving jumping back and forth on the Skiers Edge. How about running? (My second-favorite sport.) Or cycling? Do you live near the mountains for regular hiking?
My book describes on-snow drills that will develop your mogul skiing skills, and just mentions a few dry-land training methods used to develop jumping skills.
Good luck with your training, Cannonskier!
-Dan
thanks for responding, yeh it's pricey, about $2000 with shipping etc. for the whole setup, i agree with you re the fitness part, i go to the gym weekdays and live in the whites mtns near the notch so do hike regularly weather permitting and 2k is a couple trips out west is you go cheap..... just bought your book at amazon -
Cannonskier,
You live near the notch and you ski Cannon. Do we know one another?
I was 8 years in Franconia (Mittersill) and Easton, and spent most winter seasons teaching with the Cannon ski school. (Coached bump skiers at Waterville last season.)
Thanks for buying a copy of my book!
-Dan
I have seen you with your groups from the zommer lift many times but we have never actually met, I have friends with kids in the program at cannon and actually know the ski school director at waterville, I will introduce myself next time i see you. On a local note, cannon got about 3" last weekend, skinned up gary'and across to avalanche for one run....
see you on the hill -
p.s. I do spend as much time at Mittersill as possible.... year before last was good, last year not as good but still had 3 good days down t-brook!
CannonSkier
Cannonskier:
Oh, yeah... "Webbie" I think they call him? ...the WV ski school director? I actually coached mogul competitors with the WV ski club, BBTS, so I didn't get to know many folks in the WV ski school. The Cannon Ski School I know well, though.
Mittersill... sometimes the narrow chute leading down to the Mittersill chair has the softest, roundest bumps on the whole two mountains.
Won't be long now. See you on the slopes.
Dan
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Another Great Post Dan, I agree that the best mogul skiers aren't necessarily the strongest.
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