Skiing and modern technology

[Confused boarder]

Just ordered a Skiers Edge after the rep brought one over for me to try. Awesome workout and is going to take me a while to be able to do more than a couple of minutes at a time. What I didn't get from watching videos online but the rep showed me is that if you slow it down and hold each "turn" then its like holding a carve turn. The videos just seem to show people rapidly bouncing side to side, which I guess has it's own benefits, particularly hopefully for being quicker in the bumps and trees, but I definitely felt slowing down the movements meant a much stronger muscle work out and felt way closer to how I normally ski. They're expensive but given how much I spend on ski trips every year I kinda see it as money (hopefully) well spent as it'll let me hit the slopes with better ski-specific fitness each time and hopefully be able to do full days from day 1 without ending up wallowing in DOMS afterwards. Plus seems good for the whole upper/lower body separation. Will see how it goes.

 

[diymom]

I've also only seen quick moves in the videos. I'll have to give the slower moves a try this week. I picked one up a few years ago off CL, so not the newest model, but it still does the job. You are right about needing to work up to more than a few minutes at a time. But since I do feel like I'm getting a good work out in those few minutes, I've decided that it is the perfect thing to do when I feel like I don't have time for the exercise bike. I keep mine in the basement, so any time I'm down there I try to hop on for a few minutes. Considering that that is also where the laundry is, the dog food bin, the freezer, my skis if I want to stare at them and think snow.... it adds up.

 

[Confused boarder]

The stuff the rep ran through with me during my demo - really working on getting the upper body separation (if you have a mirror or something you can see your reflection in it definitely helps), aiming initially for 2mins on, 2 mins rest for total of about 15 mins, and then the trying to slow down the movements and hold it out to one side like you are carving. Takes a bit of getting used to so that you aren’t losing balance but felt much more like how I ski . He also said that turning the resistance up a bit makes it a smoother movement whereas the lesser resistance feels a little bit less smooth and a bit more skittish. And to be honest once I’d gotten the idea of using the machine the slightly higher resistance did feel better but without really changing the work load.

Whilst I haven’t tried an old model the New Years models do look more robust and stable - they are a bit wider and have 2 elastics rather than 1 and they’ve ditched the different height models so now there’s just 2 models- both with the same height profile but one has better wheels/track and is quieter plus allows upgrade to using your ski boots whereas the other one doesn’t.

 

[diymom]

Maybe once the newer ones become older (and can be found for less $$ on CL) I’ll upgrade. I’ve consider a mirror bear the contraption, but in the meantime I try to concentrate on the separation and my posture

 

[marzNC]

The stuff the rep ran through with me during my demo - really working on getting the upper body separation (if you have a mirror or something you can see your reflection in it definitely helps), aiming initially for 2mins on, 2 mins rest for total of about 15 mins, and then the trying to slow down the movements and hold it out to one side like you are carving. Takes a bit of getting used to so that you aren’t losing balance but felt much more like how I ski . He also said that turning the resistance up a bit makes it a smoother movement whereas the lesser resistance feels a little bit less smooth and a bit more skittish. And to be honest once I’d gotten the idea of using the machine the slightly higher resistance did feel better but without really changing the work load.

I think doing a demo with someone knowledgeable is probably helpful for the Skiers Edge. I was on one at a ski expo once but not for very long. It reminds of other items that I've bought at the State Fair or a Home Show that only made sense after handling them in person.

What I have in my basement is essentially the original. I use it more for a different way to work on cardio more than worrying about simulating skiing movements. Really cheap from craigslist from the original owner. Was enough to know that I probably wouldn't use one often enough to make it worth the investment of time and the space it would need.

 

[volklgirl]

I upgraded my older SE III to the Big Mountain version with the computer and safety bar, and find that it's a great workout that simulates the modern skiing movements much better that the original models. I start using mine 5 minutes a day, 2 days a week in September and build up to 20 minutes or more at least 3 days a week by opening day (Thanksgiving, usually). While I'm on it, I play my bootleg copy of Images and Concepts of Ski Racing - the imagery keeps me honest and the music keeps me motivated. There's enough varietly in the music that I'm encouraged to alternate sections of short, fast "turns", longer "turns", and even no hands turns (man, that really works your balance).
It truly makes that first few on-snow days much more enjoyable.