The "little ski revelations" thread

[Skisailor]

Just one tidbit to add . . . since I am a long time Aura skier (past 4 seasons) and I just bought the Nordica Hell&Backs (men's version of the Nemesis) - the Auras (up til now) do not actually have any camber. They are an extremely flat ski (unusual in my personal experience) and then had that slight early rise rocker added for the last few years. But they never really had any appreciable underfoot camber. The Nordica Nemesis (Hell&Back) does indeed have noticeable camber underfoot. It's one of the major differences between these two skis for anyone who is looking to demo both.

Of course, all bets are off for the new Aura. No idea what next year's version is going to really be like, and I actually think it's ridiculous that they are calling it the "Aura" at all. Just banking in on brand popularity no doubt.

 

[MissySki]

there is a groupon for unlimited classes for two weeks for $45 to try it out. a barre is $22 at home depot. so I figure once I get the hang of it, I'll buy the video and do it at home.

Have you still been going to barre classes? Today will be my 3'rd class, I started last Thursday, and I must admit that it's very addicting!! Loving it, and now more willing to pay for the classes when my 10 Groupon classes are used up.

 

[Joanna]

Hi about the Barre classes. I decided to try a Video on line class as they do not have any where I live . The are fun and I use them with othee excercises that I do . When skiing my thighs always seem to get tired real quick but as I'm still learning to become a better skier I make way to many turns . That will be my goal this winter to try a little more speed and less turns...

 

[artistinsuburbia]

Have you still been going to barre classes? Today will be my 3'rd class, I started last Thursday, and I must admit that it's very addicting!! Loving it, and now more willing to pay for the classes when my 10 Groupon classes are used up.

I'm not at the moment. Have a daughter graduating and I'm running around like crazy! just don't have any free time. And my pool is now open so I'm doing water aerobics when I get 5 sec. I do miss them though. I try to do some of the exercises here when I can.

 

[Skisailor]

Hi about the Barre classes. I decided to try a Video on line class as they do not have any where I live . The are fun and I use them with othee excercises that I do . When skiing my thighs always seem to get tired real quick but as I'm still learning to become a better skier I make way to many turns . That will be my goal this winter to try a little more speed and less turns...

Hi Joanna . . .

Just a different take on this for you to consider over your summer. And take this from someone who used to have major quad burn when skiing - for years!

If your thighs are getting "tired real quick", it's probably related more to your stance on your skis - and possibly exacerbated by the way your boots fit. I think your goal should be to feel like you can make as many (or as few) turns as you feel like making, anytime you want! If your stance is right, your quads should not be engaged to the point where they are getting tired whether you are making 20 turns to get down a run or 120. More speed can be fun for sure, but I'd hate to think you are making fewer turns as a way of saving your leg muscles. It helps to be in shape, of course. But really, no matter how strong your legs are, if your stance is wrong, those quads will burn. I'd take that tired feeling you have as a clue that there is something you need to work on in your skiing stance.

 

[SkiBam]

Gotta agree with Skisailor that burning quads can be an indication you might be in the back seat. Depending on conditions, I often find that just pulling my feet back under me (even for a fraction of a second) as I start my turn can give my quads that tiny rest and help you keep turning for more turns.

 

[marzNC]

Hi about the Barre classes. I decided to try a Video on line class as they do not have any where I live . The are fun and I use them with othee excercises that I do . When skiing my thighs always seem to get tired real quick but as I'm still learning to become a better skier I make way to many turns . That will be my goal this winter to try a little more speed and less turns...

Welcome! By the way, Skisailor and SkiBam are instructors.

Since I learned the basics as a kid, I never really had major issues with quads being tired when I started skiing a lot in recent years after retirement. The more I improve technique and strengthen my core, the less I have any quad burn.

 

[bounceswoosh]

It's not just stance. I got terrible quad fatigue until my most recent boots, which have a lot less forward lean. Now I can ski all day. Modern boots in general aren't as forward leaning because modern skis don't require it.

 

[skibird]

Skisailor is correct, woman in general have more alignment problems than men. Thanks to our lovely Q angles. We have a tendency to pronate. It causes us to be knock kneed and be on our inside edge. Being able to run a flat ski and rolling to the outside edge is more difficult and can also cause a slew of knee problems in the long run. Having a good boot fitter with a good eye is key in fixing that problem. Get a alignment and grind the soles of need be. I personally have a 2° grind on my right boot and a 1.5° on my left. Makes ALL the difference in the world. Knock knee = back seat = sore quads :-)

 

[Skisailor]

It's not just stance. I got terrible quad fatigue until my most recent boots, which have a lot less forward lean. Now I can ski all day. Modern boots in general aren't as forward leaning because modern skis don't require it.

Totally! This is what I was actually referring to when I mentioned "boot fit" in my earlier post. But to be more precise, my quad burn problem was definitely a result of the forward lean of my Lange Banshee boots. New boots, with a more upright cuff, solved the problem. The difference was just a few degrees and it was night and day. Amazing.

 

[litterbug]

@Joanna, I had the same experience with quad burn in my first pair of boots. They had a lot of forward lean, which meant constantly fighting skiing in the back seat, and I'll tell you what, my quads (and calves) were huge at the end of the season! In April 2012 I bought the 2013 version of the Lange RS 120 SCs, and the upright stance instantly resolved my quad burn--I mean instantly. For the first time I could stand comfortably and experienced what it was like to get some pressure toward the front of the ski, and the feeling of having real control of my skis through well-fitted boots was a revelation. The liners are now getting packed out enough that I have to be very watchful to stay right on top of my skis, and this spring I had trouble with my foot moving a lot while getting bounced around in chopped up crud, so I'll get work before ski season this year, but I'm completely in love with this boot. My bootfitter ain't half bad either.

 

[Christy]

@MissySki @artistinsuburbia Did you guys get bigger (from muscle) after doing Barre? My instructor made a comment about having to buy new shorts because she muscled up and got too small for her shorts, and this morning, WHOA but my jeans were tight in the thighs! I love that the class is making me stronger--I've been really strong hiking and backpacking this summer--but I'm a slender person and I didn't want to change my shape. I've never done an exercise that's made me bigger (Pilates doesn't!).

 

[MissySki]

@Christy, No I have not had this happen yet, I've actually been noticing a nice leaning out in key areas. From everything I've read barre is supposed to give you more of a dancers body, i.e. long and lean muscles vs bigger muscles, I think it even says it on my barre studio's website in the faq section. I've specifically been getting great results in my abs (stronger,toning and getting rid of a little flab), butt (lifting) and inner/outer thighs (toning up).

Perhaps the lifting and toning of muscles could be changing how things fit because things are sitting differently in certain clothing etc.?
I'm kind of annoyed with myself because I wanted to measure these spots before starting so I could track my progress, but I never did the before measurement. Maybe I'll start now so I can chart it and see what's happening. I got a great deal on a month of unlimited classes so I've been going ~5 times per week for the past couple of weeks. (I don't know what I'm going to do when my month runs out because I really don't want to pay the full price unlimited.. so I might go back to a twice per week thing at that point, we'll see)

They also offer 'Pound' at the studios I attend, if yours does it I'd highly recommend trying it out because it's really really fun and adds in some good cardio!

 

[bounceswoosh]

Muscle shape is personal. Most women can't grow large muscles even if they try, without steroids.

I can't find the particular article on Stumptuous that I'm looking for, but here's a decent approximation:

https://www.stumptuous.com/strength-without-size-how-to-get-stronger-without-getting-bulky

 

[Christy]

@Christy, No I have not had this happen yet, I've actually been noticing a nice leaning out in key areas. From everything I've read barre is supposed to give you more of a dancers body, i.e. long and lean muscles vs bigger muscles, I think it even says it on my barre studio's website in the faq section. I've specifically been getting great results in my abs (stronger,toning and getting rid of a little flab), butt (lifting) and inner/outer thighs (toning up).

Perhaps the lifting and toning of muscles could be changing how things fit because things are sitting differently in certain clothing etc.?
I'm kind of annoyed with myself because I wanted to measure these spots before starting so I could track my progress, but I never did the before measurement. Maybe I'll start now so I can chart it and see what's happening. I got a great deal on a month of unlimited classes so I've been going ~5 times per week for the past couple of weeks. (I don't know what I'm going to do when my month runs out because I really don't want to pay the full price unlimited.. so I might go back to a twice per week thing at that point, we'll see)

They also offer 'Pound' at the studios I attend, if yours does it I'd highly recommend trying it out because it's really really fun and adds in some good cardio!

You are a maniac. 5 times a week!!!

I did some googling and it turns out there are many kinds of Barre. This thread has some of them: https://www.videofitness.com/~vfwnk/forum/showthread.php?t=188416
We're doing "Booty Barre" (this makes me roll my eyes).

It could be that as someone that has done Pilates and only Pilates (in terms of specific kinds of gym workouts, not including just getting on the elliptical) for years now. I'm going to notice any different muscle development. But some of the stuff we do--like when you hang from the barre, put the ball between your thighs and do all those reps--that seems like the kind of thing that's going to build muscle, and not just make you lean.

Most women can't grow large muscles even if they try, without steroids.

I don't mean to exaggerate what's going on--I wouldn't say I have "large muscles". Just that my jeans are tight in the thighs. But I do not have the thighs of Julia Mancuso.

 

[bounceswoosh]

I don't mean to exaggerate what's going on--I wouldn't say I have "large muscles". Just that my jeans are tight in the thighs. But I do not have the thighs of Julia Mancuso.

Bummer! ;-)

 

[Jilly]

Thunder thighs!!

 

[MissySki]

QUOTE="Christy, post: 268603, member: 849"]You are a maniac. 5 times a week!!!

I did some googling and it turns out there are many kinds of Barre. This thread has some of them: https://www.videofitness.com/~vfwnk/forum/showthread.php?t=188416
We're doing "Booty Barre" (this makes me roll my eyes).

It could be that as someone that has done Pilates and only Pilates (in terms of specific kinds of gym workouts, not including just getting on the elliptical) for years now. I'm going to notice any different muscle development. But some of the stuff we do--like when you hang from the barre, put the ball between your thighs and do all those reps--that seems like the kind of thing that's going to build muscle, and not just make you lean.
[/QUOTE]

Interesting, I didn't realize there were so many different kinds! This is what my studio's website says about it:

Q. Will MBB® classes tone my physique?A. Yes, by combining a healthy diet for your body type and taking class on a regular basis, it will change your shape, slim down and tone your body. The class combines intervals of speeding up and slowing down the heart rate throughout the class. We speed up the heart rate during resistance training and slow it down during stretching and breathe work. The yoga inspired stretches lengthen the muscles after a series of low weighted and high repetitious movements. Over a period of time, the class will create denser, more compact muscle groups, increasing your metabolic rate, which will allow you to burn more calories throughout the day. The end result is a long and lean body.

All of the exercises involving that damn ball at the barre are my least and most favorite lol. I feel like you get so much out of it, but man does it burn when you push it.

I started my unlimited month thinking I wanted to go as much as possible to justify the cost (full priced unlimited months are $200, but they had a sale where it was $125 so I couldn't resist, but that's still a lot of money for 30 days..), but now it's more that it just has gotten addicting. You get to know people in the classes who go a lot and you become part of the little community (some go 6-10 times per week doubling up on some days.. I don't think I could do back to back hours yet depending which classes they were..). For some reason it really calms me too, I'll be at work all stressed out and look forward to barre because you get out the pent up energy of the day and get super zen by the end with the reiki healing stuff.

 

[Christy]

All of the exercises involving that damn ball at the barre are my least and most favorite lol. I feel like you get so much out of it, but man does it burn when you push it.

They are my plain old least favorite! We don't do Reiki healing stuff at the end. We just do abs. :( (And in a manner that would give my Pilates teachers a heart attack. Way too fast and imprecise!).

 

[artistinsuburbia]

@Christy I've been swimming/water aerobics instead this summer. So I haven't been to barre in a while. But I can see how that it would bulk up your thighs a bit, especially before the muscle/fat exchange really starts to take place. Muscle has to build before the fat can go away, so you may add to your measurements before you subtract. Every body is different. My sister and I can do the exact same routine and I slim down and she bulks up. :( Ultimately in the end I think muscle is way prettier than fat and it's even prettier than THIN! so worship your new muscle like the goddess you are.