 Poster: A snowHead
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I am reasonably confident of my general cardio fitness (I play quite a bit of high intensity field hockey and do a decent amount of low cadence cycling). I also do a reasonable amount of resistance work in the gym including (core + leg strength) and work on my balance every day (standing on one leg with my eyes closed for 2mins each leg). I tend to experience no real problems around fitness when recreationally skiing, typically I can ski as long and as hard as I want over a week without problem.
However this doesn't mean my physical fitness isn't holding holding me back in ways I don't realise.
The one thing I don't do is specific flexibility work (ankle and hip I guess?), I was thinking I could add this on my rest days between the gym and hockey. Is this worth focusing on or should I simply hit the gym and bike harder to build up my quads etc?
My objective would be to improve my physical abilities to help me reach a technically good standard in short turns and bumps. Also my knees are a bit of a week point so anything that helps me to rotationally and laterally separate in turns without putting too much strain on the knees would be a plus.
Any advice would be appreciated, Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@NoMapNoCompass, Thanks I'll check it out. I also found the Warren Smith lab exercise videos that looked good.
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@Henwc, squats and lunges for knees, and Pilates for core strength and overall flexibility.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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As a result of Back Surgery - I now put a lot of effort into Mobility exercises, Stretching and Work with a Roller/Tennis ball. This has helped my skiing. Some of the most effective stretches come from Yoga.
I would also recommend seeing a Physical Therapist (not Physio), who specialise in "Digging in" and freeing everything out, including scar tissue that has built up in the muscles.
As well as working on Flexibility, working on balance is also very helpful.
All the effort is worthwhile, as it helps with preventing injury while skiing.
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@Hurtle, Thanks, would Pilates be suitable as a rest day exercise? My core is usually in recovery on some rest days due to the fairly heavy workout I give it in my gym visits.
I should have added that during hockey season (i.e. now) my number 1 priority is my hamstrings to avoid sprinting injuries. This means I have to be a bit careful avoiding overdoing the quad based stuff, I over focussed on one leg squats last year and unbalanced my legs resulting in frequent hamstring injuries on the hockey pitch. Physio over December and January (nordics etc.) fixed it but I'm cautious about going back to my old ways.
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@Henwc, I'm not sure how old you are, I am 55 & also play field hockey, run and bike and have added in pilates to try and increase flexibility, and hip strength. I am also trying to do some free weight squats etc for ankle/leg strength but finding that hard to fit in regularly!
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@Henwc, glutes are key for hammies as well (which pilates seems to focus on...)
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Old Fartbag, Thanks good advice. Is a Physical Therapist the kind of person they would have at a gym or are they more of a clinical specialist?
I completely agree on the balance, my daily balance work really seemed to help with the skiing although it's a bit of a pain to fit in.
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@Henwc,
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Thanks, would Pilates be suitable as a rest day exercise? My core is usually in recovery on some rest days due to the fairly heavy workout I give it in my gym visits.
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I would say that one really good Pilates class on your 'rest' day - having explained carefully to your teacher what your fitness issues and priorities are - would pay dividends. The trick, though, is finding a really good teacher: I have had some terrible ones in my years of doing Pilates, but am lucky to have a terrific one now. https://balancedpilates.life/ Not much use if you're not a South Londoner, though, I'm afraid.
Edit: the South Londoner bit's not quite true, you can join a class on Zoom, but I suspect that a private session would be better for you, as you would be able to bypass the stuff you do anyway, and concentrate on what's missing from your strength/flexibility programme.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Thu 9-03-23 13:18; edited 1 time in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Henwc,
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my daily balance work really seemed to help with the skiing although it's a bit of a pain to fit in.
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Have you thought of doing your two minutes while brushing your teeth?
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| Henwc wrote: |
@Old Fartbag, Thanks good advice. Is a Physical Therapist the kind of person they would have at a gym or are they more of a clinical specialist?
I completely agree on the balance, my daily balance work really seemed to help with the skiing although it's a bit of a pain to fit in. |
I would doubt a Physical Therapist would be employed at a gym - but it's possible they might be associated with one, to pick up trade and use their facility.
It is worth asking about, especially with people who do a lot of sporting activity, at a reasonably high level eg. Marathon running, cycling etc. Without muscles being worked on, they can "tighten up" to the point it affects performance eg. The iliopsoas in long distance runners.
Be warned - it is painful, especially if you have never had treatment and you are no longer in your 20s. They will soon home in on your problem areas - which will include Lats/ Lower Back/Hips/Gluts/Hamstrings/Calves....and Iliopsoas.
I got recommendations from an Osteopath.
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power yoga. It will improve balance, strength flexibility and mobility.
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You know it makes sense.
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@turms2, there's lots of overlap between Pilates and yoga. I reach my level of impossibility of poses/exercises more quickly in Yoga, for some reason: there are some poses I'd love to be able to achieve and then I get frustrated when I can't, however hard I try and practise. So, I haven't done any kind of Yoga, except insofar as some of the exercises are the same in mat Pilates, for years. It's a shame in some ways, I used to enjoy it, though never did 'power' Yoga (so far as I know).
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| Henwc wrote: |
| @Old Fartbag, Thanks good advice. Is a Physical Therapist the kind of person they would have at a gym or are they more of a clinical specialist? |
Clinical. Not sure why @OF used the American term, in the UK (and France, and others) they're called physiotherpists.
Not used one in the UK for decades, but some may, like the one I used to use in Basel, have their own exercise room. As an ongoing client, even if it was 6 months between appointments, I was able to pop in whenever I wanted to use the weights and machines. For free.
ISTR that the Sports Injury Clinic I used (in Milton Keynes) back in the day didn't have any such, but worth checking out if there are any, so the physio can help get the exercises right and specific for any injuries they're treating.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks all, I'm seeing a lot of suggestions for Yoga & Pilates so I will look into that. From the end of April I'll be shifting to fitness for surfing and cycling so it may be that I look for something short term now and then find a local yoga/pilates session to pick up in the autumn.
@Hurtle, I do the tooth brushing/balance thing but I still find it a pain when I'm tired from a full on evening hockey training session.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Hurtle wrote: |
| @turms2, there's lots of overlap between Pilates and yoga. I reach my level of impossibility of poses/exercises more quickly in Yoga, for some reason: there are some poses I'd love to be able to achieve and then I get frustrated when I can't, however hard I try and practise. So, I haven't done any kind of Yoga, except insofar as some of the exercises are the same in mat Pilates, for years. It's a shame in some ways, I used to enjoy it, though never did 'power' Yoga (so far as I know). |
indeed. however pilates is more for the core muscles. Thats why Pilates invented pilates.
Yoga will help you also for balance, and and bring a little bit more strenght round the thigs
btw in Yoga there is no "no pain no gain". You must go slowly. It is not as fitnes studio etc
i practice yoga ca one year, and i saw an improvement in my legs power although i didnt see any difference from outside.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| Chaletbeauroc wrote: |
Clinical. Not sure why @OF used the American term, in the UK (and France, and others) they're called physiotherpists.
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That is because where I live we have both - the approach they use is subtly different and call themselves differently. The Physical Therapists here, totally focus on working on the muscles (A bit like a Sports Masseur with a much higher qualification) - whereas the Physios often apply a variety of techniques like Bowen and Acupuncture. Now that could easily be a quirk of where I live. It is possible the PTs here trained in the USA and thus call themselves that.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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'Physiotherapist' and 'physical therapist' is a legally protected title in the UK which means you can only use this title to describe yourself or your profession if you are registered as a physiotherapist with the HCPC.
Physical Therapist is a US term and rarely used in the UK, certainly not in the NHS.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| NoMapNoCompass wrote: |
In the UK, the terms physio therapist and physical therapist are used interchangeably.
'Physiotherapist' and 'physical therapist' is a legally protected title in the UK which means you can only use this title to describe yourself or your profession if you are registered as a physiotherapist with the HCPC.
Physical Therapist is a US term and rarely used in the UK, certainly not in the NHS. |
I have been to 3 Physical Therapists - all were in ROI, so I don't know if that makes a difference. All three treated me differently to the Physios I have been to (all in NI).
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Thanks for clarifying both. Am I right that a Physical Therapist as described in this thread is essentially the same thing I would know as a Physiotherapist in the UK? If so I know what they are, have used them before and I am in fact going for a week skiing with one in late April (probably Austria but that's a whole other thread).
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Interesting distinction, @Old Fartbag, which I don't recognise. In England and Wales a physiotherapist has a particular qualification (it was something I looked at as an option when leaving school). They work in the NHS and privately, and some use acupuncture as a kind of "extra" (I don't think it's part of the training). I entirely recognise the description of deep tissue massage as both valuable and sometimes excruciatingly painful - two people I used in a local centre, one who was also a physio, working in the NHS, and one a woman who had no formal qualifications but was just very good at it, are unfortunately no longer available. I'd happily pay for regular treatment but a kind of "dabbing around soothing" massage, whilst quite pleasant, is just nothing like as effective. I had a reiki session once which wasn't at all what I was expected - well down the mumbo jumbo end of the spectrum as far as I was concerned.
I always thought that the American "physical therapist" was the same as our "physiotherapist". Pilates done well is excellent, and I might try again to find a good local teacher, but as @Hurtle rightly says, there are lots of hopeless ones.
I do teeth brushing calf stretches in the evening and teeth brushing balance in the morning. When I commended this to my daughter she told me that Zen was the art of doing what you're doing and she was quite content just to brush her teeth, thankyou. That was me told!
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Thanks @pam w, I think the deep tissue massage is something I would know as a sports massage from field hockey circles. We had someone in my mixed hockey team that could do them really well. She once brought her table to a tournament and gave some free massages between matches. It was very painful (and funny for the rest of the team to hear the complaints) but it did feel great afterwards and helped with recovery.
My Physiotherapist friend brings a mat and some other massage gadgets when we go for week to do something similar after skiing/boarding to aid recovery.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| pam w wrote: |
I always thought that the American "physical therapist" was the same as our "physiotherapist". Pilates done well is excellent, and I might try again to find a good local teacher, but as @Hurtle rightly says, there are lots of hopeless ones.
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I think, after a quick Google, that they are....but for some reason, what they do here, is different. If I have a specific injury or am looking for Rehab (like after back surgery), I go to a Physio...they use a variety of techniques, including an initial questionnaire and assessment. It will include a list of exercises etc
If I feel generally "tight" and need freeing out, I go to a Physical Therapist in ROI - Which goes much more like a Massage session and they can use Ultrasound to soften the muscles to allow deeper tissue work. You are not given exercises and they generally don't use other techniques like Dry Needling etc
I thus assumed there was a difference - but I suspect that generally, there is not.
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@Old Fartbag, there's the difference - anyone in NI calling themselves a physical therapist HAS to be a physio, as it's a chartered profession. Not the case in ROI, and I suspect what you actually saw were what in the UK are variously called Sports Therapists/ Exercise Therapist.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| rainman wrote: |
| @Old Fartbag, there's the difference - anyone in NI calling themselves a physical therapist HAS to be a physio, as it's a chartered profession. Not the case in ROI, and I suspect what you actually saw were what in the UK are variously called Sports Therapists/ Exercise Therapist. |
Quite possible and would explain my confusion. I know one of those I go to, trained in America.
Edit. Here is the Facebook page of the main one I go to: https://www.facebook.com/eunanquinnneuromusculartherapy/
Here is another one I went to a while ago (Tommy Gallagher) - Registered Physical Therapist: https://tommygallagher.ie/about/
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@Henwc, going back to your original question, can you flex your ankles properly? (generally important) And can you, e.g. happily bring your legs up to your chest? (important in bumps (although to chest is quite extreme))
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You know it makes sense.
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I would also recommend TRX support straps. Lots of gyms have them.
I had back problems over a year ago and my physio came up with a route which included a number of TRX exercises, with some Pallof elastic bands. He knew I was trying to get fit for skiing as well, so he designed the routine with that in mind.
It worked for me and I still use the routine.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@under a new name, On the Warren Smith stand against the wall ankle flex I can flex more than 20cm (I only have a 20cm ruler to hand) and I can get my knees up to my chest (almost chin) while standing one at a time. I can get them pretty close to my chest together in a jump although not as high because I don't really want to push my hamstrings too far in a dynamic stretch. My main areas to work on are hip and ankle rotation I think.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Henwc, That sounds pretty good to me 
There are some proprioception exercises that would lend well into separation, e.g. go into lunge position and rotate upper body left and right. A good sports physio would have ideas.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Hurtle, +1 for Pilates.
Good old Joseph.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Another +1 for Pilates. My friend is a VERY good Pilates instructor. I had tried before (actually when I was still playing hockey) but that instructor was VERY poor. My friend really focuses on ensuring we are doing all the movements correctly and building up rather than letting dominant muscles take over. No idea where you are located but I am on the Hampshire / Dorset border so if any close to you, then will pass on her details
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thanks all,
@NickyJ, Location is Peterborough so probably a bit far but I'm sure I can find someone local, I'll start with the gym based instructors and go from there.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Henwc, although I personally don't think the all round benefits of participating in Pilates face to face instruction and classes are realised, a good way to have a taster, in my opinion, is through one of the many online teaching resources available.
Usual health warning  .....there are bad (or just inappropriate for your needs) online Pilates instructors out in cyberspace, as well as very good ones. If you tried that, I'd strongly recommend going through nationally approved channels.
Then, if you thought you'd benefit and enjoy, there are sure to be classes in or near your neighbourhood.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@pam w,
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I do teeth brushing calf stretches in the evening and teeth brushing balance in the morning. When I commended this to my daughter she told me that Zen was the art of doing what you're doing and she was quite content just to brush her teeth, thankyou. That was me told!
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 Not a multi- tasker, then, like us men?
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@NickyJ,
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building up rather than letting dominant muscles take over.
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This is what really sorts out the sheep from the goats imv. I was a guest in a class last week while I was visiting family and, whilst I knew how to take care, I really feared for the backs of the less experienced people in the class.
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