Restarting after many years. Gear and body questions!

[Alessia]

Hello! I just wanted to ask you some tips for re-starting with skiing after 8 years.

I started when I was very young and from the age of 7 I started training with a ski club in the north of Italy. I’ve always been far behind my team-mates due low amount of training (my house was 100 miles from the mountains) but I kept training and doing competitions (both FISI and FIS) until the age of 20. I had to stop for various reasons but now I’d like to restart (not necessarily with proper GS or SL training).

I have two set of questions:

Gear: I had to replace my old “Dynastar Omeglass” and I found a good deal for the “Rossignol Radical 9GS Cascade Ti IBox” 180 cm. I used to have the Rossignol 9X in SL but should I be concerned to re-start with this model? What about the helmet and goggles? I have an Uvex helmet from 2005 and the google traces back to many years earlier. Should I replace them?

My body: muscularly I’m not in the best shape since I have some problem with muscular tightness. I’m afraid that my body won’t remember the right movements or that my brain will remember exactly what to but my muscle with fail to deliver. Any tips?

Thank you in advance for the replies! :-)

 

[geargrrl]

How long has it been? I suggest taking a lesson or two... the gear has changed and the movements hvae modified. A lesson will help awaken your muscle memory and show you how to make the most of the new gear. You'll be flying in no time!

Replace the helmet. The liner plastics break down over time.

Have fun!!

 

[newboots]

Welcome! I don't have the experience to offer much advice (except: start slow!), but I can say we are happy to have you here.

 

[Jilly]

First - that ski is a full on race ski. Sure you want that? Took me a minute as I'm a Rossi girl then I remembered Radical was the race name before Hero. You might want to rethink that ski for a little while. Yes you raced, but is that what you still want to do? Also that length. You don't mention how tall you are or your weight. That's a long stiff giant slalom ski. I found the 9S just too stiff for me. I'm currently on the Hero Carbon ST. It's now the Hero HP.

BOOTS - 8 year plus, boots may have some issues with the plastic breaking down. Just like the helmet too. And if your feet aren't happy, you won't be skiing.

As for muscle memory....you might be surprised. But take it easy and slow. Green and blues for the first few days. Then up to red. Keep the speed under control too.

 

[patoswiss]

I started skiing, at @35 and hadn't skied since age 20 or so. Skied a lot when I was young.

It was kinda intimidating starting again. Standing at the top I was thinking, what the hell am I doing?????

Your muscle memory is there. Guaranteed. A slow, easy green to get the feel of the skis, get good fitting boots but maybe rent a nice pair of skis (not junk) to get you moving again, feeling the snow.

You don't say how old you are, but I had my instructor get down on the snow and show me these new fangled shaped skis, since I had only used straight skis . He showed me how they turn, etc. It helped me a lot. It took 5-8 days of skiing to bring it all back, and get used to the skis. After a little muscle tuning I was good to go!

Have fun!!!

 

[volklgirl]

Are you looking to get back into racing right away?

If not, I'd stay away from full-on race skis, or even cheater racers. All mountain skis are so much more fun and versatile! I'd definitely replace the boots, helmet, and goggles. Newer boots are so muc more comfortable, and the previous poster was right on about plastics breaking down. Also, unless you're planning to race full-on, you'll want boots that are quite a bit softer than what you're used to.

Also seconding the recommendation for a couple of lessons. Technique has changed some, even in the last few years......lots more ankles and hips, and losts less feet and knees.

 

[Alessia]

Thank you for your replies!

The idea is to start very (very) slowly, choose a very basic slope and test my sensations for the day and maybe do some exercise to train the posture. Training will be nice (I miss being hit in the legs by the SL doors!) but surely not for this season. Plus I’m pretty sure that my ski club ex-trainer will start laughing if I’ll tell him that I want to train again. It’ll be me and a bunch of 10 year olds! XD

In terms of ski what I wanted was to find a model that was able to be very similar to my Dynastar Omeglass 66 (2004). They were 183cm (5.97 feet) and they were great in both race and in "free field" (not sure if this is the right translation)! I just wanted something to replicate that feeling of control and softness. I really miss them but it's possible that were much softer than these Rossignols. I'll try them and see my reaction. Hopefully, even if I'm not in the same shape of the last time, I'll able to react quickly if something goes wrong. I didn't pay much for them so if it doesn't work out I'll contact my ex-trainer and exchange them for something that is the closest to my old Omeglass.

In terms of the gear I released that it didn't like my cellar very much! My attempts to save something were completely pointless! The helmet is falling apart from the inside (poor Uvex) and the gloves smell of dust and look made or cardboard! The boots are my biggest concerned. They were good Tecnica racing boots but now they are as soft as iron! I guess I’ll wait for the next salary to replace them and go for a rented one for next week!

About the helmet and boots…what do you think about the “Rossignol Alltrack Pro 110” and this Briko (https://www.briko.com/en/catalogo/detail/2001JX0)?

 

[Jilly]

Boots have to fit. See a boot fitter about those. What fits my feet and ankles doesn't fit anyone else!! Same thing with helmets. I went through about 5 helmet and goggle combinations till I found the right one.

FWIW - I ski the Hero Carbon ST (2014), Atomic Hawk Prime 100 and have a Salomon helmet and goggle set up.

Try some rentals, but ask for high performance set up.

 

[Alessia]

Thanks for the tips! :-)

 

[volklgirl]

The Rossi Alltrack is a really wide boot (102, I believe). Get yourself measured and fitted....It's so much more important now than it used to be. Boots come in a huge range of widths and shapes now, and trying to buy blindly is just asking to make it harder to return to your glory days.

Please check out the 2 boot threads in the Gearipedia section, then measure your own feet so you go into your purchasing trip informed.

Here's how to measure your feet (do them both - they likely won't be the same, and you'll need to figure out which foot to fit to):

In bare, unsupported feet, stand on a piece of paper, placing both the paper and both heels snuggly up against a wall. Make marks on the paper in the following places: The longest point of both feet, the widest points of both feet (inside and outside), and the inside and outside of both heels

Now write these measurements on the marks: The longest point of each foot in centimeters is your "shell size" or mondopoint size (ie. 24.5 cm = 24.5 mondopoint sizing)
The widest point of both feet in millimeters is your "last width" (ie. 97 mm is narrow, 98-100 mm is medium, and 100+ is considered wide).
The width of your heels in millimeters...nothing that applies directly to sizing, but the difference between your last width and your heel width will tell you how shapely your foot is, and will help your boot person choose the most appropriate models for you.

For a performance or race fit, you'll likely want to fit to your short/narrow foot and have the shell bumped out as needed. For a more relaxed fit, you may be able to fit to your larger foot; but remember, your fitter can make a too-small boot larger, and a too-stiff boot softer, but he/she can't fix the opposite problems.

 

[Alessia]

Thank you<3! There is this place in Milan so I'll probably go there https://www.milanoskilab.it/boot-fitting/!

 

[Jilly]

I asked goggle to translate the Italian. Got thing I'm used to French and can figure things out. Hull is she'll etc.

Looks like a good place. If the machines pictured aren't there run. I suspect they will be. Fisher doesn't like people advertising for them without the equipment.

 

[ski diva]

I stopped skiing for about 17 years, so I know where you're coming from. I suggest a lesson or two, too. As geargrrl said, equipment has changed, and along with it, technique. Besides, it couldn't hurt!

 

[Randi M.]

I had the same experience, except I took an even longer break - probably about 15 years. When I stopped skiing, people were referring to non-straight skis as “parabolic” or “shaped” skis. By the time I picked up the sport again, they were just calling them.... skis.

My first day back on the mountain, I was so nervous I took a beginner lesson. It took about three seconds for me to get out of a snowplow and to realize I was in the wrong group. I took an intermediate lesson the next morning and by 2:00 was skiing blacks with friends. I probably didn’t look so elegant, but I was able to control my skis and remembering the fearlessness I had as a kid helped me to realize I can get down anything.

Moral of the story is, skiing really is like riding a bicycle. Especially if you learned as a child, you never forget - it’s all there in your muscle memory.

That being said, I agree with all who have suggested taking lessons. Not only will it help with your confidence, but the equipment changes have changed the technique and it is extremely helpful to have someone guide you. I still take a couple of lessons a year. I’d love to take more if it wasn’t so darn expensive!

Oh! The most important part - returning to the mountain has been one of the top 5 experiences of my life. It felt like there was a part of my soul that was breathing again after having been shut in a box for a decade. I hope it is the same for you!