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Getting fit for ski season

kiki

Angel Diva
How are you getting ready for ski season?
Ski season is about 60-90 days out now, depending on where you ski.

we’ve had lots of discussion on this in prior years but this year I think is a bit different—I don’t know about you, but I’m not going to the yoga studio, doing the cardio or zumba classes I used to do, or going to the gym. I’m carrying an extra 20 lb over this time last year. Most of us aren’t leaving the house much.

what fabulous online programs can you recommend for easy home workouts without a lot of equipment?

what are you personally doing?

this week I started using my exercise rebounder again, and doing some stretches and squats etc.


I’d be interested in hearing what everyone else is up to, maybe we can help spur each other on, and encourage each other :-)
 

newboots

Angel Diva
I second the recommendation for Ski PT. Her videos are very clear, instructions understandable, and she explains why you should do it this way, instead of that. I find that extremely helpful. I guess if I don't know why, I often let it slide and do it the lazy way!
 

newboots

Angel Diva
My prep so far is PT for all my various ailments, and Pilates (thank you, @Abbi !) which rapidly and effectively is strengthening my core. In the past all my attempts at strengthening my core have ended in injury!

I need to up my cardio, so that means more walks up my readily-available hills!
 

kiki

Angel Diva
Look up Ski PT on YouTube. She has a lot of good exercises. And a lot about ski instruction and she does that too.
Thanks @Abbi !
What else are you doing to prep for this years ski season, yourself? I have been curious what folks are doing this year....
 

Jilly

Moderator
Staff member
I'm back to the gym 2X a week for strength training and a little cardio. I bought a paddle erg back in the spring for my winter paddling training. This past week I ordered a cheap trainer for my bike. That is now set up in the living room. P'reg is in the home office. Planning on moving that out to the living room too. Or else move the sofa bed into the living room. So cardio is sort of covered. I've only put on 2 lbs, but I've lost all my muscle tone. It's coming with the gym work outs.

When things were shut down, my personal trainer and the gym were doing Zoom workouts. Also my dragon boat crew were too. All of those were taped and available for a small fee from the organizations.

Now that the weather is cooler, might start back to walking.

Long as we don't get a second wave...
 

Abbi

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Thanks @Abbi !
What else are you doing to prep for this years ski season, yourself? I have been curious what folks are doing this year....

I would definitely say, by my standards, not enough! :rolleyes: Back in my youth I used to do serious plyometrics. I would jump on and off boxes or aerobic steps. Sometimes one after another. I would go side to side up and over the same sort of thing. And I used to do squats, which Ski PT does show how to do. And who knows what all else!

I can say a lot of good things about kettle bell swings, if they are done correctly. The worry is people will use their arms not their legs, butt and torso to complete the swing. I don’t do anything that will stress my heart much (at some point I will need a valve replaced. My doctors and I figure the longer I hold off still enjoying life, but not doing excessive damage means the technology will continue to improve.) but I still do gentle goblet squats with a smaller kettle bell.

I am starting to teach a class called Pilates and the stability ball. I have used the stability ball against a wall for doing squats and running and other leg work. It’s also fun to do push-ups on it. The uneven surface creates the necessity to brace through your core. And the core of the body is both the front side and the backside. It would probably be better if we called it torso, but clients are often obsessed with abdominal muscles. There are bunches of things one can use a stability ball for.

I walk/jog at least five times a week. Friday was probably my best speed of the entire year which was pretty gratifying! No road races this year so I didn’t push, on top of the fact that there were a bunch of 90° days one after another this summer. I have a spin bike which might need more of my attention than it is getting! I’d rather be outside if I have the option. And I have a TRX suspension system trainer. That can be attached to a door in any house. It allows one to use their body weight for the work. And adjusting the angle at which you work I just saw the load you are applying to your body.

I could obviously go on, and on, and you get the idea here! These days I am only teaching Pilates and only online. I used to keep up a personal training certification but I let that lapse. Too expensive to keep it up for something I don’t get paid to do!
 

VickiK

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I do HIIT workouts 2-3x/week and Pilates. HIIT is either online in my garage or in-person classes outside at a backyard location. In-person classes are restricted to 3 people appropriately spaced out. Pilates in online only with Trifecta Pilates. I signed up for a membership to get access to the more structured monthly workout calendar.

I am trying to get more cardio in, and more moving around in general. Dancing around, walking/hiking, outdoor cycling. It's been so hot and smokey where I live, that's not helping. Top 3 dance/walking tunes (infectious, instant toe-tapping earworm stuff): Call Me Maybe, September, Living in America.
 

liquidfeet

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I trail run. Slowly. My focus is on form not speed. I work on feeling where my feet are relative to my pelvis, where my head and shoulders are relative to my pelvis, how my pelvis is tilted, where my support foot lands relative to my center of mass and how far back it lifts off behind me, where my elbows are and where my hands are, how my left foot behaves (lazy) compared to my right foot, where ahead my vision is focused, how my vision deals with the rocks and roots ahead (look between them where I'll footplant not at them). I'm continually monitoring all these body parts and my vision, so I can do the same when I'm on snow.

I think of my running as proprioception training. My body musculature is toned OK and sorta strong given my age, as is my heart, so the running serves to build fitness as well. At 70 with knee issues, I am asking of my body only the things it can actually do. The more precisely balanced I am as a runner, and the more I can monitor and adjust individual body parts on the fly to improve or maintain that balance, the more I can reduce impact while monitoring pressure underfoot, the more I will be able to do these things on snow this winter. Well, that is, ..... if I get to ski.
 

Tvan

Angel Diva
I can also recommend Ski PT. Cynthia was my instructor at Okemo's Women's Alpine Adventure during my first session there 4 years ago and she is great.

I'm not anticipating skiing this year, but my workout routine is one of the constants that I've maintained through quarantine: Running 3-4 days a week (in the neighborhood, which is completely empty at 5:30 in the morning) and yoga or pilates on the alternate days. I was taking classes with @Abbi until my schedule got too unpredictable. Now I'm using the Nike Training Club app, which has some great yoga workouts that are only 30 minutes or so. If I want a longer yoga practice, I'll do some Kripalu classes online.
 

Abbi

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I can also recommend Ski PT. Cynthia was my instructor at Okemo's Women's Alpine Adventure during my first session there 4 years ago and she is great.

I'm not anticipating skiing this year, but my workout routine is one of the constants that I've maintained through quarantine: Running 3-4 days a week (in the neighborhood, which is completely empty at 5:30 in the morning) and yoga or pilates on the alternate days. I was taking classes with @Abbi until my schedule got too unpredictable. Now I'm using the Nike Training Club app, which has some great yoga workouts that are only 30 minutes or so. If I want a longer yoga practice, I'll do some Kripalu classes online.

Keep an eye my schedule and drop in anytime you want. 7 o’clock on Wednesday mornings is a pretty steady deal and it is a more advanced group. The other ski divas are on Tuesday morning!

I would love to ski with Cynthia! The year I went I had Suzie a.k.a. Miss Kitty! I always still stop on women’s days and cheer on her groups and say hi to her!
 

NYSnowflake

Angel Diva
I recently got back into mountain biking and I’m enjoying it a ton! Is there a ski diva Strava group for us to encourage each other? If not, I encourage divas to consider joining the Velo Bella Strava group. That’s a great bike organization that seems to have been dwindling down over the years. It needs some fresh life breathed into it!
 

SarahXC

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I’m mountain and road biking for overall leg strength and fitness. Rollerblading doing technique and balance work, including many of the drills an instructor and I worked on last winter. I have had a few things really click (like short turns that are different than little long turns!) so I will be interested to see if that holds true on the actual snow. I’m also working close to daily on range of motion in my ankles and hips especially (well and left shoulder but that one not so much for skiing). I am going to check out the ski PT stuff tomorrow! Thanks for the recommendation!
 

skiPTcynthia

Diva in Training
You are so thoughtful to give me a shout out! I really appreciate it. You’re not skiing this season? Sad to hear. I’m working at Park City this season even if you aren’t skiing I hope you enjoy this season
 

skiPTcynthia

Diva in Training
How are you getting ready for ski season?
Ski season is about 60-90 days out now, depending on where you ski.

we’ve had lots of discussion on this in prior years but this year I think is a bit different—I don’t know about you, but I’m not going to the yoga studio, doing the cardio or zumba classes I used to do, or going to the gym. I’m carrying an extra 20 lb over this time last year. Most of us aren’t leaving the house much.

what fabulous online programs can you recommend for easy home workouts without

Happy to hear my You Tube videos: SkiPT pre-season workouts are helping and a BIG THANK YOU to all the Divas for the shout outs. It’s great to hear what everyone is doing. Finding the right mix for fitness is very personal PLUS add COVID, gym closures, social distancing ... all of it . Because of all that I’m doing way more 1:1 on line training too. Please reach out if you need help during these crazy times. Here’s to hoping, that soon, this is all a distant memory.
 

Abbi

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
You are so thoughtful to give me a shout out! I really appreciate it. You’re not skiing this season? Sad to hear. I’m working at Park City this season even if you aren’t skiing I hope you enjoy this season

Have fun in Utah! We will miss you in the north east!
 

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