So, I’m going to go skiing for the first time in about a month, but being a Floridian, I’m a little trepidatious about it. The only other time I saw snow I was 12 and rode my bike down a hill and broke my leg.
But seriously, the people I’m going with keep taking about how sore your legs get after skiing, so anyone have any ideas what to do to prep for this adventure?
Since it will be a completely new activity for you, you’ll likely be a little sore regardless of how you train beforehand.
Besides, you’ll be learning the movements and not pushing yourself very hard. It’s not like you’ll be skiing bumps runs right off the bat.
Probably the best thing you can do is to avoid any heavy lower body work the week prior to your first day so that your legs are fresh.
Even those of us that ski frequently through the season expect to be a little sore after the first couple of times out. I usually keep my first day or two on the hill short because of this.
[quote]HK24719 wrote:
Since it will be a completely new activity for you, you’ll likely be a little sore regardless of how you train beforehand.
Besides, you’ll be learning the movements and not pushing yourself very hard. It’s not like you’ll be skiing bumps runs right off the bat.
Probably the best thing you can do is to avoid any heavy lower body work the week prior to your first day so that your legs are fresh.
Even those of us that ski frequently through the season expect to be a little sore after the first couple of times out. I usually keep my first day or two on the hill short because of this.
[/quote]
What he said.
No matter how strong I am, or how out of shape I am, the mornings after the first few times on the hill are a little stiff. Stretch afterward. I know I stiffen right up if I come off the hill and then get in the car and don’t move for a couple hours. I would recommend getting a lesson, at least a half day, if you’ve never skiied before.
You’ll be pizza-ing and on the ground all day. Yeah you’ll be sore.
[quote]AssOnGrass wrote:
You’ll be pizza-ing and on the ground all day. Yeah you’ll be sore.[/quote]
YARD SALE!!
hahah i love it when people yard sale, even though i’m a skier myself. You know there’s that point on a hill where you get to, and you can’t go back? I love seeing newbies get stuck there.
One time i flew past someone stuck on the middle of a black diamond, and he yells after me “Touche!” I laughed so hard i almost fell.
My legs never get sore from skiing, personally. I’ve done it for 8 years. I’d say just avoid heavy leg work before you go, you’ll perpetually be in a partial squat, which i think is what causes people to be sore.
[quote]sluicy wrote:
AssOnGrass wrote:
You’ll be pizza-ing and on the ground all day. Yeah you’ll be sore.
YARD SALE!![/quote]
I’m at the skill level where I rarely ever fall but when I do it’s a yard sale of epic proportions.
[quote]AssOnGrass wrote:
sluicy wrote:
AssOnGrass wrote:
You’ll be pizza-ing and on the ground all day. Yeah you’ll be sore.
YARD SALE!!
I’m at the skill level where I rarely ever fall but when I do it’s a yard sale of epic proportions.[/quote]
yeah same here. I’m known for just bombing hills as fast as i can for the rush, and still not falling. One time i bombed the steepest slope in our area, cut at the bottom to stop, was going so fast my ski just ripped off and i slid sideways for literally thirty feet on the flat bottom area of the hill.
[quote]Blaze_108 wrote:
AssOnGrass wrote:
sluicy wrote:
AssOnGrass wrote:
You’ll be pizza-ing and on the ground all day. Yeah you’ll be sore.
YARD SALE!!
I’m at the skill level where I rarely ever fall but when I do it’s a yard sale of epic proportions.
yeah same here. I’m known for just bombing hills as fast as i can for the rush, and still not falling. One time i bombed the steepest slope in our area, cut at the bottom to stop, was going so fast my ski just ripped off and i slid sideways for literally thirty feet on the flat bottom area of the hill.[/quote]
I was trying to show off my sick skillzzzz to some bunnies on the lift once when the back of my ski hit a patch of ice spinning me around. In my haste to recover I fell backwards really hard, giving me a concussion, smashing my goggles to pieces, and sending my ski poles and skis many yards away.
I’m also notorious for not being able to ski more than 3 days without bending at least one ski pole. My entire ski pole collection is unmatched ski poles and I just interchange when I break a one.
Also where is there skiing around Illinois? I’m ignorant to the fact that there is skiing there.
There’s a couple decent places. I usually go to Chestnut Mountain, it’s along the mississippi in the NW corner of IL. None of the runs are long, just steep.
I found that any type of squatting in general is good. Strong quads/calves = easy to keep your skis parallel. Keep in mind I live about 3 hours away from the best skiing in the world, so I’ve done it a few times. I find that when I go skiing with non-lifters and lifters, the non-lifters are always sore.
Skiing memories are such fun, maybe because it’s such a weird sport. I mean, really, going fast down a hill on two long stick things stuck to your feet?
I’ve had a couple of epic crashes, one a long, long cartwheel that felt like one of those animated spinny cartoon fights with stars flying out of it, on snowboard, RIGHT under the lift… I think I amazed half the mountain with that one.
However, my favorite skiing memory is cruising around a corner of a cross-cut at Sugarloaf, and coming across my friend, who was lying crumpled up on the snow… ten feet up the bank above her went two ski tracks, each ending on opposite sides of a snow-spattered tree trunk. It was very obvious that someone had careened out of control and only stopped by skiing themselves straight up a bank and into said tree. I said, already collapsing in laughter, “Was that you?” She groaned, “Yeeesss,” and I am still cracking up at the memory. Oh gosh. I miss skiing so much. Damned hot flat perpetual-summer Texas.
Edit: Another reason skiing is so much fun is that you CAN have epically incredible crash-and-burns and due to the nature of the sport it’s usually pretty harmless. Unless you hit a tree and twist your spine like my dad did… but usually it’s cool.
I’ve never skiid (is that how you spell it?) but I’ve been a snowboarder for the last 6 or 7 years. Like everyone else, the first trip out is bound to leave you a bit tight and stiff, but you’ll be fine after a day or two… especially if you’re eating enough. 
[quote]sluicy wrote:
Skiing memories are such fun, maybe because it’s such a weird sport. I mean, really, going fast down a hill on two long stick things stuck to your feet?
I’ve had a couple of epic crashes, one a long, long cartwheel that felt like one of those animated spinny cartoon fights with stars flying out of it, on snowboard, RIGHT under the lift… I think I amazed half the mountain with that one.
However, my favorite skiing memory is cruising around a corner of a cross-cut at Sugarloaf, and coming across my friend, who was lying crumpled up on the snow… ten feet up the bank above her went two ski tracks, each ending on opposite sides of a snow-spattered tree trunk. It was very obvious that someone had careened out of control and only stopped by skiing themselves straight up a bank and into said tree. I said, already collapsing in laughter, “Was that you?” She groaned, “Yeeesss,” and I am still cracking up at the memory. Oh gosh. I miss skiing so much. Damned hot flat perpetual-summer Texas.
Edit: Another reason skiing is so much fun is that you CAN have epically incredible crash-and-burns and due to the nature of the sport it’s usually pretty harmless. Unless you hit a tree and twist your spine like my dad did… but usually it’s cool.[/quote]
I’m a loafer every year since '99. My second favorite New England mountain behind Jay Peak.
[quote]SSC wrote:
I’ve never skiid (is that how you spell it?) but I’ve been a snowboarder for the last 6 or 7 years. Like everyone else, the first trip out is bound to leave you a bit tight and stiff, but you’ll be fine after a day or two… especially if you’re eating enough. :)[/quote]
You should try it, just for kicks. I don’t think you’d regret it. I skied for 10 years before trying snowboarding and I love doing both. Skiing takes longer to learn though.
According to Charles Poliquin, front squats are the best exercise for skiing. I do them more than back squats these days.
[quote]AssOnGrass wrote:
I’m a loafer every year since '99. My second favorite New England mountain behind Jay Peak.[/quote]
It’s such a great mountain. I never got to ski Jay Peak, or anywhere outside Maine for that matter, for what reasons do you find it better than the loaf?
[quote]sluicy wrote:
AssOnGrass wrote:
I’m a loafer every year since '99. My second favorite New England mountain behind Jay Peak.
It’s such a great mountain. I never got to ski Jay Peak, or anywhere outside Maine for that matter, for what reasons do you find it better than the loaf?
[/quote]
355 inches of annual snowfall (compared to 300 for Aspen and 206 for Sugarloaf) and incredible tree skiing.
I mainly enjoy trees and bumps so it’s my kind of mountain. Don’t get me wrong though the Loaf has it’s fair share of hairy trails.
I’ve always wanted to do Mad River Glen. Any mountain with the saying “Ski it if you can” is OK by me. I hear it has some sick terrain.
Tuckerman’s Ravine is also on the list one of these years. I’ve wanted to do it for a while but I haven’t set any time aside to do it the last few years. Maybe… Just maybe this spring. We’ll see.
[quote]MytchBucanan wrote:
According to Charles Poliquin, front squats are the best exercise for skiing. I do them more than back squats these days.[/quote]
Due to the shin angle in the boots it only seems logical that front squats would have more of a carryover.
Maybe some 20 rep front squats leading up to the season will do the trick.