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how to warm up

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi All
Off to Verbier Saturday. Every year i promise to get fit before i hit the slopes but the nearest i have got near the gym was the bar at our local sports center.
Can anyone recommend a warm up procedure before you start down the slope.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
mightysaints, If you've left it this late then a warm up procedure might not be enough, I suggest walking up the mountain before skiing down rather than taking the lift, this is what the early skiers had to do and I'm sure they were far fitter than we are so it's probably worth a try wink
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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?
A hip flask of Remy Martin works well.
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
I suppose walking up will save me the lift pass cost but i think i prefere the Remey Martin approach
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Quote:

Can anyone recommend a warm up procedure before you start down the slope.

A warm up procedure is a good idea whether you're fit or not, but especially important in the latter event! You don't have time to get fit before Saturday, but any amount of stretching is better than none. Stretch your quads, calves, hamstrings, then quads again several times a day but most vitally AFTER skiing. You are less likely to injure yourself with a bit more flexibility in the muscles. Walking to the top might be a tad drastic but up and down the chalet stairs a few times, and up the hill to the lift station is a good idea. But also, don't start your day with hard skiing. Do some gentle runs, lots of turns, sidestep a little, jump about a bit, take it easy. Lower slopes are getting slushy (though next week could be very different!) and are good knee twisting territory.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
I use a gentle Tai Chi type routine, to lubricate the joints, before some gentle easy runs. Avoid any type of stretching exercises, before the muscles are warmed up.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Thanks for the advice, i tend to leave the slushy stuff alone due to my gammy knees, looks like it could be a good week for snow.
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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!
mightysaints, try to spot Warren Smiths group in the mornings doing their warm ups. Detailed below as best I can describe. The warm up area is on skiers left about mid way between Atelas and Ruinnettes. Look for them at about 10.15 or so.
I have to say that since adding the excercises to the beginning (and end) of our skiing day we have all noticed how much better we feel.

So...skis off:
1. Plant poles and hold for balance. Stand on one leg and swing other forward and back with knee straight.
Use your quads to drive and control, don't let momentum take over.
Change legs.
2. Same poles. Pull one foot up to knee height Rotate knee outside and then lower slightly as you bring knee back accross, lifting foot re-rotate several times.
Change legs.
3. Kneel on one knee. other leg extended well infront.
Still using poles to balance, keep chest and head up, rock forward carefully and stretch your Glutes. Hold it there
4. Same basic position now come backwards as far as you can, stretching hamstring. Hold
5 and 6 are same as 3 and 4 but on other leg
7. Lie on snow, bring knees to chest and wrap arms around them, curing up. Rock carefully back and forward, stretching lower back and shoulders
8 Lie on back in a crucifix position, palms to the snow. Bring one knee up and over your hip and bring to snow (ie right leg, over left hip and onto snow, left leg straight, right leg bent)while turning your head in the opposite direction (in this case lookin right). The aim is a diagonal strech down your side and lower back.
9. Other leg.

Whole lot takes about 5 mins.

Do it after your first run so that your blood is pumping and muscles are warmed up a bit already.
Do it again at end of the day when you are back at home.

You WILL feel the benefit!
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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.
There's no professional opinion in this, but what I've found works for me is the same stretching regime I used to do for rugby (low-level!!). I find it really works, particularly for warm down at the end of the day. I tend to ski all day (from 9-5, with one break for around 30-60mins), and without my warm-down afterwards, the muscles are really sore next day. If I warm down properly, I get no ill effects. Start at the bottom, work up:

1. Ankles - stand on one leg, roll the other ankle round. Swap.
2. Legs - (a) Bend knee, lift foot backwards towards your backside. Stand straight whilst stretching.
(b) Bring knee up to chest, standing straight.
... swap legs.
3. Back / waist
(a) Do the "Elvis" pelvic roll - both directions!
(b) Touch toes (or as far down as you can get) - left, then right, then centre. Stretch out between each one.
4. (a) Arms - straight across chest, use the other arm to hold and gently stretch out the muscle
(b) behind back (fingers facing down), then repeat fingers facing up.
5. Neck - roll neck round - back, to the side, to the front, to the side, back to the back: slowly; this is great. Then back the other direction.

I do this other thing, too, which I find the single most helpful leg stretch, but it's kind of difficult to describe (steady!!):
* Sit on an upright chair
* Cross your legs "lads style" (in other words, put the left ankle on the right knee).
* Bring your left ankle up as close to the groin as you can without discomfort (though this should pull a little)
* Gently put a little downward pressure on the left knee with your hand, and hold for a few seconds.

I seriously love this stretch - it gives me all those endorphin wave type feelings!!! Don't ask why - I don't know, but I heartily recommend it.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
I've always had the impression that stretching cold isn't the greatest idea. Running around a snowy area in your ski boots for a couple of mins before you do your stretches is a good idea
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Please don't stretch muscles from cold. Increases injury rate.

Ski a groomer, change the radius of the turns, change the intensity, ski for 20 mins. Then stretch if you want to when your muscles are warm.
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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.
By the time you have got up late, hurried down many flights of stairs and across to the lifts dodging various people you should be pretty warmed up Laughing
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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
Warm up - Expresso + petit blanc Very Happy

Cool down - Beer + Genepy Very Happy
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Warm up exercise...

i find when the alarm goes off at 7 am i slowly let my hands drop to below my waist and then i carefully grasp hold of my er "ski" pole and then pracrice working up the slope and then down the slope until we have a blank eddy blank ......

Was the popular answer

A: White Out
B: Snowfall
C: Sticky Dicky
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
mightysaints, you ask about Warm Up. Some of the answers are actually about Stretching.
Are they the same? Is there any evidence of any benefit? And what is that benefit?
Are you Warming Up or Stretching to prevent injury, or to improve performance?
I am not an expert in this field, but a review of the googleable literature suggests they are not the same. And though Warm Up may prevent injury, Stretching before exercise is of no benefit.

Stretching.[url=http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10694106&dopt=Abstract]
Pope RP et al[/url] 2000, A randomized trial of preexercise stretching for prevention of lower-limb injury. Med Sci Sports Exerc;32(2):271-7. "A typical muscle stretching protocol performed during preexercise warm-ups does not produce clinically meaningful reductions in risk of exercise-related injury in army recruits."
Andersen JC 2005. Effects of stretching before and after exercise on muscle soreness and risk of injury: systematic review. J Athl Train. Jul–Sep; 40(3): 218–220. “the results of this review do not support the role of pre-exercise or postexercise stretching as an intervention addressing postexercise muscle soreness. In addition, the evidence presented in this review does not support the role of pre-exercise stretching in the reduction of lower extremity injury risk.”

Warm-up
Olsen O-E et al. 2005. Exercises to prevent lower limb injuries in youth sports: cluster randomised controlled trial. BMJ;330:449-52. “A structured programme of warm-up exercises can prevent knee and ankle injuries in young people playing sports. Preventive training should therefore be introduced as an integral part of youth sports programmes”
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
You make a good point Jonpim.

I must admit that I'm not a fan of on-snow stretching because I think the risk of tearing / straining something is a lot higher if my muscles aren't warm.

I prefer to do an on-ski warm-up by skiing gently and doing some drills:

- flex low / stand tall
- shuffling
- one leg balances
- jumps
- etc.

With each one I try and start gently and build up - so the flexing starts off gently and gets more vigorous.

As with all things, it's what works for you.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
PhillipStanton, it is clear that Ski-in-Ski-out resorts are dangerous and no doubt responsible for increasing the chances of injury.
In the old days you had to hike a mile or so to the nearest lift, so you were real warmed up before starting skiing.
Now you just pop out your front door with croissant crumbs still still on your jacket and relying on coffee to do the warm-up.

(real oldies will remind us that in the Real Old Days there were no lifts and you had to hike up the hill as well )
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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?
Jonpim wrote:
Now you just pop out your front door with croissant crumbs still still on your jacket and relying on coffee to do the warm-up.

You mean I'm supposed to eat the croissant before I hit the slopes? Shocked

I suppose that it'll make drinking the latte easier though!

(Incidently, I'm amazed that Starbucks hasn't commissioned "ski pole cup holders". Most people don't use their poles anyway, so there wouldn't be much chance of spillage!)
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