Question: Upper arms sore

[DvR]

This is my second ski season and I have very sore upper arms which continue to bother now after last skiing in late March. I like to hear from fellow skiers if anyone can tell me why this is. Thank you!

 

[Jilly]

We're you pushing yourself around a lot? More tricep work.

 

[marzNC]

This is my second ski season and I have very sore upper arms which continue to bother now after last skiing in late March. I like to hear from fellow skiers if anyone can tell me why this is. Thank you!

Where were you skiing? How much did you have to carry your skis? When did you last have your skis waxed?

When I have to pole to keep moving on flats during spring season, my arms get tired. Not an issue during the winter because it's easy to keep sliding on the same terrain on cold snow even if not going that fast. At Alta in early April, there were days when I had to really start early to go fast enough on the approach to the run outs near the base of Supreme and Sunnyside to avoid polling. My friend who is an intermediate wasn't comfortable going that fast. So she ended up working a lot harder, including using her arms.

 

[MilkyWookiee]

I had very sore arms after one particular ski day that involved a lot of long lift lines. I hold myself up with my poles apparently! This was pain mostly in my pecs and triceps

 

[DvR]

I skied Deer Valley and my skis were waxed and never had to carry them much. I'm very fit and the only scenario I can come up with is traversing on the flats and injuring the muscles or tendons in my upper arms.

 

[marzNC]

I skied Deer Valley and my skis were waxed and never had to carry them much. I'm very fit and the only scenario I can come up with is traversing on the flats and injuring the muscles or tendons in my upper arms.

Ah, I've heard that carrying skis isn't as needed at DV.

Were you skiing the last few days of March? On the lower mountain? Between the two snowstorms in late March and early April, there were a few warm days. Once the temps are over 45, the amount of time intermediates spend actively using their poles to keep moving on flat terrain usually increases. Really comes into play when temps are over 50.

I was at Alta the last week of March. But my intermediate friend didn't arrive until 3/31. Plus she could stay on the upper mountain skiing the blues off Supreme and Sugarloaf. As opposed to the greens off Sunnyside at the Albion base. The fact that Alta is about 1000 feet higher than Parley's Canyon is why LCC can be better for late season skiing. In fact, the following weekend I met a couple who live in Park City because they drove over to Alta because it was raining at Park City. I showed them where to find untracked powder off Supreme.

 

[newboots]

Traversing on the flats if it's soft snow could really wear out your arms. Likely you'd have noticed, although if you're having a lot of fun these pains show up later, inexplicably. Perhaps using different muscles, or in a different way, than when you work out?

 

[racetiger]

My tricep muscles were sore from pushing myself around alot at the beginning of the season.

 

[SuperSkiMom]

I get that as well sometimes. Must be from pushing around on the flats or poling?

 

[SallyCat]

After watching ski race coaches skate around the mountain with no poles, carrying netting and other equipment, I decided this year to try to use my poles less on flats. It's a workout, but I think overall it's good practice. I definitely got better at it as the season progressed, and really started to enjoy the efficiency of being able to skate well.

 

[marzNC]

Skating is another one of those very useful skills that turns out to be helpful in ways that aren't as obvious as simply makes it easy to move around on the flats. People who ice skate well have a head start on gettin the hand of skating with skis.

 

[racetiger]

As I got better with skating less sore arms from less pushing. Its challenging to carry big awkward things while skiing.

 

[marzNC]

Spring conditions can make it more difficult to avoid polling on flats. I skied at Mt. Bachelor today (May 3) during full spring conditions. Lifts close at 1:30 this week because by then it's too soft everywhere, including near the summit. Fair to say that my arms and shoulders are a little sore because there was a long run out that we ended up doing a couple times to get back to the main base because not all the lifts are running. That's when having a hot tub available is very nice.