 Poster: A snowHead
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I just got back from my first skiing day of the season, and my legs where shot about 1/4 way down the first run. As a result of this my technique disappeared and I was struggling to turn for the rest of the day.
Has anyone else had this happen to them?
This is the first time I've experienced this while skiing, where my mind is saying flex, project the hips forward, angulate the knees and my legs don't respond. I managed to be able to do step turns, side slipping and snowplough, but that was it, which was very embarassing it must have appeared that I've never skied before.
Even when traversing along a nursery slope my legs felt like lead and my thighs burning. So I stopped skiing for the day to avoid injury. I am going again tomorrow, but will stick to the nursery slope until my ski fitness returns.
I thought I was in good condition going to the gym 3 times a week doing cardio spending 2x40 minutes on the eliptical trainer and 30 minutes on the bike. However, this appears to have done little for my ski fitness.
Does anyone have good ski conditioning exercises that they can pass on?
It might be a bit late for me, as I can get my conditioning from skiing now, but it would have been useful a few months ago and would still be useful for those skiing in Europe.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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davidb,
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I just got back from my first skiing day of the season, and my legs where shot about 1/4 way down the first run. As a result of this my technique disappeared and I was struggling to turn for the rest of the day.
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Are we related?  Sorry can't help there, if you find out, let me know!
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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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1st day and the legs are shot doesn't sound at all good and I would guess the terrain isn't so demanding either as I guess you are on the Tignes or some such other glacier.
Personally, I like the burn as it gets the blood pumping through the legs but you seem to be without any strenght there.
You should have added specific lenght strenghtening exercises.... I do certain lifts a physio prescribed for me from my football days but you need to balance these out with calves and quads and hamstrings. The quads are particuarly important as theycarry a big load.
You should have a program drawn up by a physio...pref with skiing experience... but all round strenght/tone is a good idea IMV. Upper body strenght for polling etc, core for posture, and general leg defintion/strenght as these will do must of the work and need to be protected
I am no trainer but I have built up a set of exercises and am adding them all the time. I know where I should start from and what works...thats not to say that I can't improve on them. I recently found the PSB a doddle with this newer regime...I will be interested in how this works when the terrain gets more demanding in the coming season
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JT, Thanks for the advice. I was at Snowbird, as I moved to the University of Utah in the summer.
I should work on my leg strength in the gym and cut down on the cardio. Although, my balance is pretty good (stand on a balance board on one leg), but today after 10 minutes skiing the strength had gone out of my legs, which has never happened to me before. Hopefully, it is only a short term problem and I have a season pass (I would be gutted if I was on holiday).
I might contact the university ski coach to ask what exercises might be useful.
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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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davidb,
Sorry I missed that you posted from Utah.... if you are in general good nick, maybe it was/is an altitude thing. I wouldn't cut down the CV...just add the leg work... but the ski coach should be able to point you in the right direction
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davidb, I've said it before, and I'll say it again: run (or bounce) up every lot of stairs you come to. works fantastically. 
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easiski, I (almost)always run up stairs - even when theres an escalator !
Little Tiger suggests walking down them backwards. I have now done this a couple of times, when no-ones watching 
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lampbus, Be VERY sure no-one's watching!
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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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lampbus,  UP HILLS BACKWARDS... and the suggestion is from an orthopod.... builds strength to protect knees he thinks......
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| davidb wrote: |
I just got back from my first skiing day of the season, and my legs where shot about 1/4 way down the first run. As a result of this my technique disappeared and I was struggling to turn for the rest of the day.
Has anyone else had this happen to them?
This is the first time I've experienced this while skiing, where my mind is saying flex, project the hips forward, angulate the knees and my legs don't respond. I managed to be able to do step turns, side slipping and snowplough, but that was it, which was very embarassing it must have appeared that I've never skied before.
Even when traversing along a nursery slope my legs felt like lead and my thighs burning. So I stopped skiing for the day to avoid injury. I am going again tomorrow, but will stick to the nursery slope until my ski fitness returns.
I thought I was in good condition going to the gym 3 times a week doing cardio spending 2x40 minutes on the eliptical trainer and 30 minutes on the bike. However, this appears to have done little for my ski fitness.
Does anyone have good ski conditioning exercises that they can pass on?
It might be a bit late for me, as I can get my conditioning from skiing now, but it would have been useful a few months ago and would still be useful for those skiing in Europe. |
I did a day of skiing just over a week ago and had the opposite experience - no leg burn. The terrain and visibility wasn't always easy either. My fitness has even dropped off as I'm not getting the mileage on the Mountain bike now. Was expecting to really feel it but the friend who skied with me said I looked really relaxed. The only thing I am doing differently is streching more and trying to do an "Asian squat". http://www.schemamag.ca/archives/2005/02/asian_squat.html
Suspect that people build up strength and fitness but the muscles are far to tight. You don't need massive muscles to ski easy terrain and if you are tired after one run then I suspect you are working the muscles too hard by being out of balance or too tight.
Another friend of mine appeared to reach a plateau in his skiing but then his skiing improved (although he hadn't taken lessons) - he had been spending a lot of time in China and they taught him how to do the Asian squat.
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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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davidb, make sure you are well hydrated - dehydration at altitude is common & can give you horribly aching legs
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davidb, Are you sure this is a conditioning, not technique, issue ? The first day of the season that I tele (as opposed to Alpine), my thighs really take a beating. As soon as I stand in the correct place on the ski, the pain goes away ......
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You know it makes sense.
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ski, I think techniques is a factor, but as my legs went very quickly within 5 minutes. I suspect the problem is a combination of conditioning and altitude as the strength disappeared and I was unable to link more than a few turns. I skied again yesterday, but I was having to stop every 100 metres on easy terrain to enable my legs recover, and my technique was very poor (not as bad as the previous day) a few linked turns then a lot of step turns and sliding.
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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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davidb,
Doesn't sound good to me and not normal either. I think you'd have to be very unfit to blow out in such a short time....
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Poster: A snowHead
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It does sound strange, how long have you been in Utah? My missus had had similiar issues with altitude, I struggled up stairs in Colorado but the skiing was fine 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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JT, I don't understand why my legs gave way so quickly, especially when I've been spending a lot of time in the gym on the elliptical trainer and exercise bike to build up stamina in the legs. I could be coming down with a virus and this is the first sign. I'll spend some more time on leg strength this week at the gym and at home doing dynamic and static squats on one leg.
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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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DB, I LIKE the Asian squat.
Excellent for lengthening the calf muscle in particular.
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davidb,
You could be right.... Altitude and the rest may wipe you out for a day but if the symptoms persist I'd want to see someone.
You don't sound like you have gone into this unprepared. I do remember altitude and jet lag ( from the uk) wiping me out for a week when I first went to Colorado but the skiing wasn't so much a problem as sleeping and general weakness/tiredness. We lodged at about 9600ft
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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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kitenski, I've been in Utah since the summer and assumed that I had acclimitized, but I am 3000 feet below the base of the resort. I remember my walking ~200 metres at 8000 feet (near the base of the resort) in the summer my lungs where on fire. However, I didn't experience anything like that I wasn't even out of breathe.
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davidb,
As I said before - make sure you are well hydrated! It honestly makes an enormous difference.
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| davidb wrote: |
I just got back from my first skiing day of the season, and my legs where shot about 1/4 way down the first run. As a result of this my technique disappeared and I was struggling to turn for the rest of the day.
Has anyone else had this happen to them? |
Have you replaced your boots / footbeds since last season? I came across a similar muscle problem that was caused by the boot ramp angle being too high. A few millimeters reduction made a big diference.
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davidb, have you been back to your usual gym routine to see if you have a problem there too? I wonder if something (other than your altitude) has changed. You mentioned that you had no sign of a virus. Has that changed?
Are you taking any medication that you weren't taking last season? (don't answer that if you don't want to).
What sort of age are you (which decade if you are a bit shy!)?
Are you a smoker?
If no change after a few more days, I think that you should consider going to a local medico.
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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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davidb,
1) Maybe your trainning has strengthened some muscles but not the oposing muscle. e.g. A lot of biking can strengthen the quads but not the hamstrings. One legged cycling with clips and hamstring exercises on a balance ball help to achieve a better balance for me.
2) Your muscles are tight and a sports massage will help.
3) I hear that an ear infection can throw your balance.
PS do you do any core exercises?
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davidb, what runs were you doing at the Bird? What were the conditions like? What skis were you on? How much watre did you drink before hand?
I'd suggest that you stick to Wilbere and Mid-Gad lifts... and if you haven't been down "Big Emma" - part of it is possibly the steepest green in the world - I've skiied on reds that don't have pitches near it!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Wear The Fox Hat, The conditions at the weekend where icy, but skiable. I hope it's better this weekend.
My first run was off Mid-Gad down "big Emma" that is where my legs went near the top (~1/4 down) and had to struggle to get the rest of the way down. I agree it is a little steep especially for an easy run. After the first run I got of at mid-point and skied the easy trail on the right (cat track contecting a few gentle slopes <200m and virtually empty). However, the slopes where very icy (but easily skiable when fit) but as my legs had gone I had to stop to recover before tackling each little slope. On Sunday I again skied off mid-point (mainly to the right) to get some slope time into my legs. I did go to the left once, but had to keep stopping to allow my legs to recover, but it was more difficult to find a safe place to stop because of the large number of people on this slope.
I was skiing on a pair of streetracer 10s, as they are pretty forgiving. If I'd taken my Atomics I would have ended up in hospital.
I had a glass of water when I woke up, which might be a contributing factor.
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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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davidb, if the glass was less than about a litre, then yes, it would be a contributing factor!
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One of the guides last year summed it up for me on an off piste jaunt... "Oi... kickboxer!!!... You ezzz kicking ze snow, you have no techneeque, stop using ze strength, you av zee guts but no techneeeque..." after watching me hurl myself into turns with gay abandon and fall over on most of them.
Learn balance firstly, then your legs will miraculously develop new reserves of strength.
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You know it makes sense.
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Scarpa,
Oi, snowkicker... !!!! that made me laugh..
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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davidb, You are not alone! I have just spent two days skiing on the Grand Motte at Tignes and have had a very similar experience. after just a few runs down Rossolin (a short blue) my thighs were burning and my legs had no strength left. I haven't been doing a lot of training as prep but then I never have before and have never had this problem. The second day I was a bit better, but still far below what I would normally expect. My wife in contrast was skiing fine with no burn or weakness. The comments on this thread about dehydration and altitude are interesting, as my wife drinks a lot more water than me and this is the first time we have skied consistently above 3000m. (the lower runs are closed). I have also just bought new boots which have a more forward angle at the ankle than my old ones so maybe this is a factor.
Any other suggestions as to cause would be very welcome as I really don't like the way my legs feel at the moment!
Wear The Fox Hat, Are you serious about the litre of water? I probably have a small glass of orange, a coffee and maybe one glass of water in the morning - that's it! I'll try upping the water today.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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little tiger, Thanks for the link. Looks like I need to drink A LOT more water than I have been doing. And maybe less Beer 
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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AxsMan, maybe it was.............................
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I find skiing with a water carrier really helps, I take sips throughout the day. The tubing doesn't seem to freeze if you blow the water back into the carrier once you've had a drink.
Cheers,
Greg
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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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AxsMan, very serious about it!
Drink a litre before you go to bed at night, then a litre again in the morning.
You might also want to try supplements such as Sportslegs which can help.
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Wear The Fox Hat, Thanks I'll give that a go. Never had this problem before, but maybe a combination of dehydration, altitude, 1st days on snow, lack of fitness, and excess fatness doesn't lead to great skiing. Will really have to get in shape for next trip!
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FAQ
If it works and I neeed fitness now then I'm not sure I care - I'll watch out for the guys with a straight jacket for me tho! 
