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Tips for long-lapsed skier?

AliceB

Angel Diva
Hello! My husband and I are going skiing (Deer Valley, first week in January) for the first time in 25+ years for me, first time in 40+ for him — any tips? I used to be probably low intermediate, don’t know about him. We’re both somewhat fit (famous last words — but I strength-train twice a week and he plays tennis multiple times) and we’ll definitely take lessons. Many thanks!
 

diymom

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Try to fit a lesson in early on. Equipment has changed a lot in that time, and it will help to get the right movements engrained
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
Hello! My husband and I are going skiing (Deer Valley, first week in January) for the first time in 25+ years for me, first time in 40+ for him — any tips? I used to be probably low intermediate, don’t know about him. We’re both somewhat fit (famous last words — but I strength-train twice a week and he plays tennis multiple times) and we’ll definitely take lessons. Many thanks!
Welcome! DV is a good place to get back on skis, especially midweek. My initial hiatus was 10 years, but I was a young adult the first time back on skis in the 1980s and they were still straight skis with rear-entry boots. Read a little about current recreational boots and how to get a decent fit in rental boots. Definitely better to start with a lesson. While skiing will come back, the technique that works best with the current design of skis is slightly different than what worked 25+ years ago.

What I didn't realize about ski conditioning was the emphasis on balance and flexibility, with leg strength and cardio as a lower priority. I didn't start deliberate ski conditioning exercising year round until after age 55. By then it was obvious I was going to ski an increasing number of days, including trips out west.

Here are a couple entries in my fitness blog for folks over 50 to check out. The first is a self-evaluation by Bumps for Boomers. It's very helpful for getting a sense of what to work on that's directly related to skiing. I'm not a professional trainer, but have learned a lot working with an trainer during pre-season for over five years. She's over 65 and specializes in seniors, active and not-so-active.

https://over50skifitness.blogspot.com/2015/07/are-you-ready-for-ski-season-consider.html
https://over50skifitness.blogspot.com/2015/08/getting-started-little-pre-season.html
 

AliceB

Angel Diva
Thank you all so much! @diymom — my brother-in-law arranged the lessons & I find he apparently thinks as you do: he says our first steps on the snow will be for the first lesson! @MissySki — that’s a great idea I hadn’t considered. I live in Boston, and don’t know what’s around here but I’ll start looking. Got our first snow in the area this week. @marzNC, those links look very useful. Especially b/c of my age (started with him at 63, I’m 65-1/2 now) my trainer emphasizes core/balance work, so I’m glad of that. Flexibility I need to think about more, not sure what my status is in that dept.

So happy to have found skidiva! You all have such joy!
 

Bookworm

Angel Diva
Welcome! I just started up skiing a couple of seasons ago after a long hiatus of about 35 years! I had skied a lot as a kid and teen, but not as an adult. I'm still working on getting rid of my bad habits from straight skis, but the new skis are much easier to ski on - you just have to use a bit of a different technique. Lessons are a very good idea. I am going to Deer Valley on Sunday and skiing for 5 days. I plan to take a lesson and to take the mountain tour. I have heard that it's a great place to ski. I'm sure I'll be able to report back here on my trip.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
I live in Boston, and don’t know what’s around here but I’ll start looking. Got our first snow in the area this week.
Ah . . . small world, just happens that both @diymom and @MissySki are in the Boston area.

Wachusett is a very well run local ski area that is a great place to learn. Especially when it's possible to go midweek and leave before the school kids arrive after 2pm. It's one of the few ski areas in the northeast that has a high speed detachable lift for beginner trails. That means it's easy to load and you can spend more time on snow and less time riding a relatively slow lift or a magic carpet. Also a good ski school from what I understand.

I had a chance to ski at Wachusett with Boston Divas in recent years when my daughter was in prep school near Boston. Not only am I retired, I'm willing to do a lot of driving. Especially when exploring new ski areas can be part of the trip. Plus I like the Boston area since I'm from NYC originally and went to prep school in Concord before moving to North Carolina.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
@marzNC, those links look very useful. Especially b/c of my age (started with him at 63, I’m 65-1/2 now) my trainer emphasizes core/balance work, so I’m glad of that. Flexibility I need to think about more, not sure what my status is in that dept.
Sounds like a good trainer!

Don't need too much flexibility, but it definitely helps even for putting on ski boots. What I eventually learned is that flexibility related to hips was important. Everyone always has a strong and weak side when it comes to making turns. For me, the relative lack of flexibility in one hip was a factor is why my weak turn wasn't happening as easily. Been working on that issue both in workouts and with ski instructors for a couple years.

https://over50skifitness.blogspot.com/2017/10/importance-of-hips-when-you-want-to.html

Here's my favorite routine that can be done every day at home. I try to do it 2-3 times a week during the pre-season. The woman demonstrating was in her 70s when she made the video a few years ago. She's an instructor at Vail and became a Pilates instructor at some point. Does help to have done a class or two to learn the basics of Pilates from an instructor, which I did after joining a fitness center for the first time after knee rehab several years ago (not a skiing injury).

 

diymom

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I live in Boston, and don’t know what’s around here but I’ll start looking.
Welcome, from another Boston area Diva! I'm in Quincy, and Wachusett is my home hill. I plan on taking the women's clinics at Wachusett on Thursday mornings this year as much as possible. If you ski midweek, I'm always looking for ski buddies. (I'll be skiing there tomorrow actually.) Or just meet up for coffee and ski talk :smile:

There's also a potential weeknight women's clinic at Blue Hills in the works (3 sessions?), and Pat's Peak has a 7 week women's clinic (Wednesday's?)
 

AliceB

Angel Diva
Welcome, from another Boston area Diva! I'm in Quincy, and Wachusett is my home hill. I plan on taking the women's clinics at Wachusett on Thursday mornings this year as much as possible. If you ski midweek, I'm always looking for ski buddies. (I'll be skiing there tomorrow actually.) Or just meet up for coffee and ski talk :smile:

There's also a potential weeknight women's clinic at Blue Hills in the works (3 sessions?), and Pat's Peak has a 7 week women's clinic (Wednesday's?)

Thank you so much for the information. I am definitely interested in the possibility of Thursdays at Wachusett assuming I survive Deer Valley! M-W sadly don't work with my schedule next semester.
 

AliceB

Angel Diva
Here's my favorite routine that can be done every day at home. I try to do it 2-3 times a week during the pre-season. The woman demonstrating was in her 70s when she made the video a few years ago. She's an instructor at Vail and became a Pilates instructor at some point. Does help to have done a class or two to learn the basics of Pilates from an instructor, which I did after joining a fitness center for the first time after knee rehab several years ago (not a skiing injury).

That looks great! I did some Pilates a few years back and this seems manageable. Thank you!
 

AliceB

Angel Diva
Sounds like a good trainer!

Don't need too much flexibility, but it definitely helps even for putting on ski boots. What I eventually learned is that flexibility related to hips was important. Everyone always has a strong and weak side when it comes to making turns. For me, the relative lack of flexibility in one hip was a factor is why my weak turn wasn't happening as easily. Been working on that issue both in workouts and with ski instructors for a couple years.

https://over50skifitness.blogspot.com/2017/10/importance-of-hips-when-you-want-to.html

Here's my favorite routine that can be done every day at home. I try to do it 2-3 times a week during the pre-season. The woman demonstrating was in her 70s when she made the video a few years ago. She's an instructor at Vail and became a Pilates instructor at some point. Does help to have done a class or two to learn the basics of Pilates from an instructor, which I did after joining a fitness center for the first time after knee rehab several years ago (not a skiing injury).


That's great! I did some Pilates a few years ago and this definitely looks manageable. Thanks!
 

skisenyc

Certified Ski Diva
Hi AliceB. This is my first post here :smile: Isn't Skidiva amazing!?
Both my husband and I were good skiers in our teens and twenties. But in our 20+ years together, it never occurred to us to go skiing together somehow. Last winter we were at a sports store shopping for biking gear and we had a moment where we both looked at the ski gear at the other end of the store and then at each other.
Fast forward: after a 20 year hiatus, we ended up going skiing 25+ days last season; and already skied 3 times since thanksgiving.

As a fellow come-back skier, I would highly recommend a stretching regimen and a warm up before skiing. We do yoga before heading to the slopes. The performance difference between the days we do yoga and the off chance day we skip the practice is immense.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
Hi AliceB. This is my first post here :smile: Isn't Skidiva amazing!?
Both my husband and I were good skiers in our teens and twenties. But in our 20+ years together, it never occurred to us to go skiing together somehow. Last winter we were at a sports store shopping for biking gear and we had a moment where we both looked at the ski gear at the other end of the store and then at each other.
Fast forward: after a 20 year hiatus, we ended up going skiing 25+ days last season; and already skied 3 times since thanksgiving.

As a fellow come-back skier, I would highly recommend a stretching regimen and a warm up before skiing. We do yoga before heading to the slopes. The performance difference between the days we do yoga and the off chance day we skip the practice is immense.
Welcome! I'm guessing from your username that you might be another New Yorker. I was a New Yorker before my parents decided that Chapel Hill, NC would be a much better place to settle a few years before my father retired from Brooklyn College. So I ended up being a Carolina Tar Heel.

One way to find other Divas in your area is to start a Getting To Know You thread with NYC in the thread title. May need a few more posts before that section of Divas Only shows up.

Yoga is a great idea. My role model, Naomi, who was an Alta Lodge regular into her 90s did yoga every day. She didn't start skiing until age 40. My ski buddy, Bill, who is pushing 70, does the hour of yoga with an instructor before breakfast that is offered by Alta Lodge when we are there during late season with friends.

Naomi made this video in 2012 when she was about 90. I was lucky enough to meet her and ski a few runs with her for a few years. She was still skiing every weekday for at least an hour starting at first chair, longer if snow conditions were good.
 

skisenyc

Certified Ski Diva
Welcome! I'm guessing from your username that you might be another New Yorker. I was a New Yorker before my parents decided that Chapel Hill, NC would be a much better place to settle a few years before my father retired from Brooklyn College. So I ended up being a Carolina Tar Heel.

One way to find other Divas in your area is to start a Getting To Know You thread with NYC in the thread title. May need a few more posts before that section of Divas Only shows up.

Yoga is a great idea. My role model, Naomi, who was an Alta Lodge regular into her 90s did yoga every day. She didn't start skiing until age 40. My ski buddy, Bill, who is pushing 70, does the hour of yoga with an instructor before breakfast that is offered by Alta Lodge when we are there during late season with friends.

Naomi made this video in 2012 when she was about 90. I was lucky enough to meet her and ski a few runs with her for a few years. She was still skiing every weekday for at least an hour starting at first chair, longer if snow conditions were good.

Hello @marzNC !! Yes I am a New Yorker who now lives in New Jersey, and works in NYC. (You know the saying: you can take the girl out of The City... )
Thanks for your suggestions.
Your friend Naomi is my grown up goals! :smile:
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
Hello @marzNC !! Yes I am a New Yorker who now lives in New Jersey, and works in NYC. (You know the saying: you can take the girl out of The City... )
Thanks for your suggestions.
Your friend Naomi is my grown up goals! :smile:
Funny, when my niece was working in NJ, she opted to live in downtown Manhattan and do the reverse commute. Her SO worked in the city and they preferred to have fun in NYC on weekends. They knew that they weren't going to stay that long.

Do you have a home mountain?
 

skisenyc

Certified Ski Diva
Funny, when my niece was working in NJ, she opted to live in downtown Manhattan and do the reverse commute. Her SO worked in the city and they preferred to have fun in NYC on weekends. They knew that they weren't going to stay that long.

Do you have a home mountain?

Ha! Reverse commute sounds like fun. We're from here, so we're in the city for work and leisure no matter what. Hence there is no novelty factor.
We don't have a home mountain per se. We are liking the PA mountains due to proximity and ease of access. But generally, the attitude is: "have car, have skis, will travel" :smile:
 

newboots

Angel Diva
@skisenyc - Welcome to the Ski Diva! So happy to have you (and your infectious enthusiasm) here!

@AliceB - this is exciting! We will be following along to see how it goes. I just started skiing at 62, and I’m beginning year 4. So much fun, and such a sense of accomplishment!

To you both:

:welcome:

:snow:
 

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