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Sore/stiff legs!

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I usually get REALLY stiff/sore legs (calves and quads) on 3rd day of a trip - last year I had a day off and normal service was resumed. I'm a (not very fit) cyclist so the legs are up to the job Smile

So - I'm off to the Birthday Bash in a few weeks - any idea what I can do beforehand or during the trip to prevent/cure this?

Ta.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@martinm, try 10 min in the sauna each evening.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Will do - if there is one!
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Where are you staying? There is a sauna in the basement at the Bellavista, and a massive spa in the Portavescovo (which you can still use if you're in the Bellavista, though the changing arrangements are 'interesting').
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
A lot of that is lactic acid build up. Take a whack of Ibuprofen and push on, it'll go eventually.
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The Bellavista Very Happy
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Mollerski wrote:
A lot of that is lactic acid build up.


Not sure it is - it lasts for days and I can hardly walk!!
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@martinm, I understand what you mean - I remember my third week skiing when we went to Tignes. There was no sauna in the chalet and the bedrooms were downstairs. By the time I had eaten my afternoon cake, I had stiffened up so much I could hardly move enough to get down the stairs and other guests were expressing concern!

I don't remember ever having been that bad since, but don't know enough about it to put it down to increased sauna use (I generally use them, but not everywhere has one), improved technique, or better fitness and flexibility. I suspect technique has a big effect - tired quads just don't feature like they used to, but I always regret it if I miss a sauna too, so I think that helps. Maybe sign up for a few lessons as well?
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Technique is pretty good (got about 20wks under my skis) and had some 1:1 lessons last yr and he said it was fine. Never really sauna'd though as not really my thing. Happy to do so on medical grounds snowHead
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You're just stretching muscles that you don't normally use.

Don't overdo it. Turn around at 2.30pm and return to the hotel. Take a sauna and save your legs for the next day!

Take a few Ibuprofen in the morning and carry some with you to take around 1pm. You'll find they kick in quickly and give you a boost in the afternoon, but don't be tempted to overstretch tired muscles.
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I have to say, I find stretching before skiing really helps, especially calf stretches. It's made a huge difference for me.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
I used to get very sore calves / thighs when I first started skiing, I was doing the usual squatting against a wall type of exercises. I then decided I needed more general fitness so I went for a run, not something that I had ever been inclined to do before but I woke the next day and my legs felt a little stif
f so I went for another, longer run. I woke the next day and I could barely walk for the sore muscles in my legs! I kept up with the running 2-3 times a week for the few weeks before I went skiing and after 2-3 runs, my legs didn't hurt afterwards, neither did they hurt on the ski trip.
Running and skiing are a lot rougher on the legs than cycling so I have found that running is a better preparation for skiing. Even if you only did two runs, one and two weeks before your ski trip, it will reduce the soreness in your muscles when skiing.
I don't run in the summer, I get too hot so I usually start with a 1500 m run in early Nov , building up to a 5k run 2-3 times a week and aim to do 5k in less than 30min.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
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Saunas aren't my thing either. I went in one for the first time about 3 years ago, I don't plan to set foot in another!
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@martinm,

Unless you have some underlying medical issue, which I doubt, your issues will be a combination of technique and lack of muscle condition.
It's your holiday, but there's no way that I'd be having time off of the slopes for achy legs. The rest of the year is time off of the slopes.
I'm 52 next week, I'm in the gym 3x a week x 45 weeks a year to keep my legs ski fit. The additional benefits are pretty helpful also. I get that getting fit is not for everyone, but neither is skiing. It's a big ask of those legs to ski for a week if they've not done much all year.


Last edited by You know it makes sense. on Tue 27-12-16 12:06; edited 2 times in total
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
OK, so 'brufen, strecthing, sauna and some running before I go.

Cheers.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@martinm, Maybe also try a few each day of the heel raise exercise before you go.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
See running as a vaccine, cycling and stretching as generally keeping the body better prepared for the onslaught and ibuprofen and sauna as treatment!
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PS look forward to seeing you on the birthday bash, I'm the tallish ginger one on the naughty table Very Happy
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HoneyBunny wrote:
I have to say, I find stretching before skiing really helps, especially calf stretches. It's made a huge difference for me.


^^this. Calf and quad stretches in the morning, evening and if you still feel you need it try them if you're stopped for a while (e.g lunch). Third day will still be a bit hard going IME but you'll be able to walk. Make sure to hold the stretch too. I also like to have a bath and a few beers when I get in...not sure if it helps much but it's just nice drinking beer in the bath Very Happy

I also do a bit of cycling (mountain biking so generally short rides but hard work) but you use the muscles in different ways when skiing so it doesn't help much other than for general fitness.
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I sense walking may be challenging tomorrow. Just back from 25 minutes of running, first in many months, 4 weeks to get some fitness back!! Been doing lots of stretches / yoga / balance stuff though. Even after a 100 mile cycling time trial my legs were ok to ride the next day, but I was putting the hours in! 2 hours in a dome and I was in trouble in October, 3 more sessions and it was perfect, no DOMS at all.
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Mollerski wrote:
@martinm,
It's your holiday, but there's no way that I'd be having time off of the slopes for achy legs


That's fine, but you've obviously been doing the preparation. The OP has just weeks before his holiday. So the best advice is to take it steady.

From my experience (on the BB) the gung-ho types start to flag towards the end of the week! Mind you, there was so much illness last year they were dropping like flies - me included!
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I cycle and gym train and swim, I ride snow a lot, and I'm fit & slim, but I still get precisely that for those three days. For working people, I think it's more sensible to take the 3 days than to put in the amount of training it'd take to not need it.

Snowboarding/ skiing uses different muscles, and three days seems to be the time it takes to adapt. For preparation I use Ibuprofen, taken prophylactically for those three days or until I forget, whichever is sooner.

Hot tubs don't do any harm and can be social... massage takes the pain away for an evening, but it comes back the next day just the same and costs a lot. I'm unconvinced by stretching (before or after), which seemed/ seems to make no difference to me. I used to get sore in precisely the same way when I was a novice, so I don't think age or skill level has much effect on this. As you get more skillful, you use less effort for the same thing, but you do more..


Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Tue 27-12-16 17:58; edited 1 time in total
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
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Google 'DOMS' (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) there is extensive information available. I find using a foam roller before and after skiing helpful. Stretching, NSAIDS and gradually building up mileage also beneficial. I'm sure technique / boots also have an impact. My calf pain is worse in current boots with more forward lean (Atomic CS)..?
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I used to really suffer from thigh burn, reasonable skier, changed my boots to more modern "Freeride" style, ie less forward lean and now I'm centred on my feet and it's gone Very Happy
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I don't get thigh burn as such (that's lactic acid), they just get bleedin stiff and sore!
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Get a Ski Mojo.
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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google leg blaster. Very hard and you need 12 weeks prior to skiing to get the full effect. As they say "you have to earn your turns" good luck Toofy Grin
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
@retsil has hit the nail on the head with DOMS. A sauna is not the best thing, an ice bath would be better.

As others say cycling, running or other more specific leg conditioning would sort it.

If I go skiing in top cycling fitness mode, usually am in december, then i don't notice any issues at all even skiing all day every day.

if i go in feb/early march my cycling fitness has often dropped off a little if restricted to the turbo trainer and i occasionally get a tiny bit of DOMS mid week ish. Solution is rule 5.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
martinm wrote:
I'm a (not very fit) cyclist so the legs are up to the job Smile

Obviously your legs are not up to the job if they start to hurt Wink If they would be, you wouldn't have problem and you wouldn't be asking about this now Wink Main thing that would help is more training. But you should start with this a bit earlier (like in middle of summer) not few weeks before your ski trip starts, so now, you just plan day off, that's pretty much all you can do in such a short time.

Mollerski wrote:
A lot of that is lactic acid build up. Take a whack of Ibuprofen and push on, it'll go eventually.

Not really, as with skiing you will hardly ever get your body into are where lactic acid starts to build up. Lactic acid does start to create as soon as physical activity starts, but until you reach your anaerobic limit (which is somewhere around 90-95% of your max HR), your body is able to dispose lactic acid on the fly without accumulating it. Once you get over anaerobic limit, and your body starts to operate in anaerobic mode, lactic acid production is too big to be disposed and starts to build up. But with skiing, there's simply no way to operate on such high levels. So lactic acid doesn't play a role here, and Ibuprofen and other medications are not really solution... well they are not even if it would be about lactic acid. And if they would be, then just take some better stuff Wink
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primoz wrote:
martinm wrote:
I'm a (not very fit) cyclist so the legs are up to the job Smile

Obviously your legs are not up to the job if they start to hurt Wink If they would be, you wouldn't have problem and you wouldn't be asking about this now Wink Main thing that would help is more training. But you should start with this a bit earlier (like in middle of summer) not few weeks before your ski trip starts, so now, you just plan day off, that's pretty much all you can do in such a short time.


If that were the case there would be an awful lot of folks hobbling around snowHead
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
If you are already at least cycling fit then try some sport supplements. They will help stop muscle fibres breaking down in your legs which will be painful.
I use maximuscle promax and zma. It won't completely save you from pain but it will significantly improve muscle recovery. Have a read up on what cycling pros use!
TBH it saved me from being too rude to my chalet guests when I'd been out and over cooked it!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Oh and it is worth following the rules of pro skiers and boarders 3 days on then have a rest!!!
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If you are already at least cycling fit then try some sport supplements. They will help stop muscle fibres breaking down in your legs which will be painful.
I use maximuscle promax and zma. It won't completely save you from pain but it will significantly improve muscle recovery. Have a read up on what cycling pros use!
TBH it saved me from being too rude to my chalet guests when I'd been out and over cooked it!
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Cycling is good, but working slightly different muscles to skiing. I cycle a lot, but try to get into habit of doing some ski sits against the wall for a while before I go skiing. Seems to help.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Running and ashtanga yoga are best, in my opinion. Not for the faint hearted, but 45 min run and 45 min ashtanga daily for a month before you go skiing and skiing is easy #no pain.
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Daleskier wrote:
Have a read up on what cycling pros use!


EPO and cortisone injections seem a bit drastic for a skiing holiday wink Twisted Evil
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I am dreading this. Despite my best intentions the 2 weeks before Christmas became an exercise free zone and I am off at the weekend. It is frightening how quickly fitness tails off. I will be taking it steady.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
@martinm, Aside from the occasional game of tennis and the odd dog walk I don't really take any regular exercise. I can ski reasonably hard all week without feeling any muscle soreness and that leads me to think that the problem@martinm, experiences is less likely to be down to fitness (unless he is skiing incredibly hard from first lift to last) and more down to technique. I'm not remoteley suggesting that I am a better skier, merely that whatever technique I do have is perhaps putting less strain on those muscles.
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I used to suffer from a lot of leg pain, now I rarely do so. The difference is that I now ski better than I did.
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SnoodyMcFlude wrote:
Daleskier wrote:
Have a read up on what cycling pros use!


EPO and cortisone injections seem a bit drastic for a skiing holiday wink Twisted Evil



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