Though it’s been a relatively mild and warm fall, ski season will be upon us before we know it.
And even though we’re still many weeks away from hitting the slopes, now is the perfect time to start training for the season. After all, you want to be able to hit the ground running and make the most of each day on the mountain, especially this season, when the coronavirus could throw a wrench into everyone’s winter plans.
Here’s what you need to know to get started.
1. Start training now
While it’s probably tempting to simply grab your skis and boots from the garage and hit the slopes fresh, it’s important to prepare for ski season – and do it early. Skiing is a complex activity involving multiple muscle groups and plenty of cardiovascular endurance. Just like you wouldn’t run a marathon without preparing, you shouldn’t jump right back into skiing without a little fitness work first.
2. Join a group
If the idea of working out alone in your garage or your basement just doesn’t inspire you, or you just need a little extra accountability, consider joining a group fitness program. F45 — which has locations in Boulder and Longmont — offers group training classes multiple times a day that will help you improve your cardio, build muscle and work on things like balance, flexibility and resilience. All of their classes are good prep for ski season, but they even offer a special ski-specific workout called “Red Diamond.”
More info: https://f45training.com/
3. Work with a pro
Sure, you can lunge, squat and plank to your heart’s content and you will absolutely be in better shape for ski season. But, sometimes, letting the experts help you out is the best course of action. The Alpine Training Center, for instance, is specifically geared toward preparing people for outdoor activities in the mountains, including skiing. Connie Sciolino and her team will whip you into shape in no time, thanks to their tough and targeted workouts designed for skiers, climbers, runners and bikers.
“This is not Crossfit,” according to the ATC website. “This is one solid hour of complete athletic mindfulness. Each exercise is tailored to your training goals for the day, the week, and throughout the year and with your injuries, upcoming events and races in mind.”
They’ve got a full calendar of small group training sessions that you can book online: https://thealpinetrainingcenter.com/
4. Address any lingering injuries or issues
While you’re training, take note of anything … out of the ordinary. What hurts? What twitches? What just doesn’t feel quite right? Even little niggles can turn into huge problems once you’re barreling down the mountain at top speed.
You know your body and you probably remember each and every hard fall you took last ski season. Now is the time to address any lingering issues from last year (or before!) and take care of anything funky that feels out of whack as you get back into shape.
There are a number of sports-focused physical therapists in town, including Revo PT & Sports Performance, which blends physical therapy with personal training and biomechanics.
More info: https://www.revoptboulder.com/
5. Get your gear in order
And finally, if your body is in tip-top shape but your gear is not, you could end up hurting yourself on the slopes, no matter how fit you are.
Pull all of your ski gear out of storage. Look it over for any obvious damage or issues that need to be addressed. Consider donating any gear that doesn’t suit you anymore, but that could be useful to someone else.
The experts at places like Crystal Ski Shop can not only tune and repair your skis, but they can also adjust your bindings and put them through a special torque test to make sure they’re safe for you to use. Other gear pros in town include: Alpine Base & Edge, Christy Sports, Epic Mountain Gear, REI, Neptune Mountaineering, Boulder Nordic Sport and others.
One Response