 Poster: A snowHead
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Can find if this has been raised before but I find I get stricken with severe thigh burn when I'm skiing, seriously after about two hours of skiing I can hardly control my skis because of the build up of leg burn.
It doesn't matter if I rest for a couple of hours once my legs have gone they have gone and I have to have a hot bath to get them working again.
I'm a relatively new skiier and I have had some lessons, and I think I'm doing everything right, and I tend to stand up fairly centred and a bit straight but loose, so I don't understand why my legs burn, and it doesn't matter if I'm going slowly down easy greens or fast down hard blues, after a couple of hours my legs are shot.
Any ideas what I could be doing wrong? 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thigh burn is often the result of leaning back.
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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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Sack the Juggler, Hello, weren't you recently on the week's lessons with easiski? I'm sure Charlotte would have been able to diagnose exactly what the problem is. She had me nailed in 30 seconds! Usually it's because your weight is too far back, and your thigh muscles, rather than your very strong lower skeleton, are carrying the burden.
It's worth doing some focussed leg exercises (squats, lunges) for 6 weeks before a ski holiday.
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Sack the Juggler, I'm no expert and defer to those that are, but it sounds if you have not conditioned your legs enough for skiing. I experience the thigh burn when I haven't strengthened and trained my muscle groups sufficiently. I do now before going sking and never have that problem.
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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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Like wot riverman said and pam w 
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| riverman wrote: |
| Thigh burn is often the result of leaning back. |
Crap.
If you ski with a modern dynamic technique, there's a big emphasis on the quads. Gym work is the key, however, nothing truly replicates skiing. It takes a good 4/5 days hard skiing to bang my quads into shape by which time, it's time to come home. 
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Hill sprints and steep mountain biking also works 
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Mollerski, And what is a modern dynamic technique? If your weight is to far back you will suffer from thigh burn even if you are fit
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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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Mollerski, it's true you do get thigh burn from leaning back.
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| Quote: |
If your weight is to far back you will suffer from thigh burn even if you are fit
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and if it isn't, you won't, even if you aren't.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Sack the Juggler, A lot to do with your posture. It's essential to use skeletal strength to support your body, rather than relying on muscular strength.
Think of a weight lifter lifting heavy weight, he is "Stacked" in a very strong dynamic posture with his hips over his feet, he doesn't lift with his hips behind the vertical above his feet. If you ski with this in mind your legs shouldn't hurt so much.
Try top to bottom non-stop runs, adjust your posture as and when your legs start to hurt so as to relieve the pain, repeat throughout the run as it starts to hurt again, eventually your posture will be corrected, so that you are using less muscular and more skeletal strength.
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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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As Spyderman, said
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| Mollerski wrote: |
| If you ski with a modern dynamic technique, there's a big emphasis on the quads. Gym work is the key... |
Not really, and no it isn't.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Spyderman wrote: |
| Try top to bottom non-stop runs, adjust your posture as and when your legs start to hurt so as to relieve the pain, repeat throughout the run as it starts to hurt again, eventually your posture will be corrected, so that you are using less muscular and more skeletal strength. |
Massed practice, at speed. Sorts the men from the boys!
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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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My thighs hurt today for the first time in ages. The snow became horrendously sticky in mid-afternoon and we were, rather unwisely, a long way from home at that point. I found it very hard to ski in a good stacked position because the skis kept braking sharply and without any warning, threatening to chuck me over the handlebars. Occasionally we hit a lovely slooshy wet bit, which was very pleasant, but the gluey stuff was very hard on the legs. Which reminds me, must do another round of quad stretches before going to bed.
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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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Lead with your genitals... not your knees 
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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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Whilst i'm sure it's the case with a lot of skiers getting thigh burn from having their weight too far back. It can also be the case that when skiing hard & fast one gets thigh burn from simply the forces generated on your quads at high speeds for prolonged periods of time. I will concur this is the exception to the rule for most people suffering from thigh burn. I'm also guessing it was what Mollerski, was on about.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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.
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frank4short, the OP was from a relatively new skier, so I doubt he's going to be pulling 3 Gs on every turn and needs to train like Bode Miller. Skiing efficiently is the key to minimising muscle fatigue and it sounds very much like Sack the Juggler needs to change his stance a bit.
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frank4short, No Mollerski, thinks that the idea that having your weight too far back causes thigh burn is crap.
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rob@rar, I agree which is why i said it's the exception to the rule but when everyone shouted down Mollerski, for saying poor posture isn't the only reason for thigh burn. I just felt that i needed to add my two cents as whilst it's most likely the case with the OP it's definitely not the only reason for thigh burn.
Edit: re-read Mollerski's response & see why everyone is shouting him down. Though still stand by my other statement re: more high speed carving causing thigh burn due to loads placed on your thighs when doing so for a prolonged period of time.
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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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frank4short, of course, like most physical sports if you perform skiing to a high level physical conditioning becomes ever more important. But for the vast majority of recreational skiers good technique will always trump strength and conditioning.
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Sack the Juggler,
Voice of the inexperienced skier here!
Six weeks over four years plus once or twice a month in the snowdome for the last year. For BOD, and Mollerski, benefit nearly 50, 5'8" 83kg do no fitness work other than occasional rock climbing and scuba diving but have very strong leg muscles if nothing else! Single leg squats are very easy, if i bothered to do them, though the knees are starting to wear.
Never had thigh burn in a snowdome even if skiing all day, but have had it on the mountain. Often worse on featureless blues than reds, can't comment on green's as my son never allows me to go on them and haven't had time to notice on blacks. I have found that moving my posture forward ( I know I'm a bit of a backseat skier when fear starts to creep in or it gets busy) or turning more often relieves it ( I can sort of see frank4short's point here) though can cause aches in my calves and ankles, put this down to getting older and poor technique! Not absorbing bumps also seems to cause an increase the problem. It's a bit of a catch 22 as once the burn starts your ability to correct your posture and absorb bumps becomes harder. But I'm with Spyderman playing with your posture would be my starting point however you have to start as soon as the burn first appears, if you let it develop it just gets harder!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I was skiing in similar (possibly the same) snow as Pam W today and also experienced thigh burn for the first time in ages. Thought I had finally eliminated the leaning back = thigh burn problem but again, like Pam W, felt that I risked danger of going over the handlebars if I didn't sit back a bit. It wasn't a hugely debilitating problem (managed to ski a fair few hours before needing a hot bath) but I would be interested to hear advice on how to ski in cement if anyone had some to offer? Or is the answer just 'slow down in the sludge'?
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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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| anarchicsaltire wrote: |
| It's a bit of a catch 22 as once the burn starts your ability to correct your posture and absorb bumps becomes harder. But I'm with Spyderman playing with your posture would be my starting point however you have to start as soon as the burn first appears, if you let it develop it just gets harder! |
It's at the point when it hurts that the remedial work on the posture is most effective. The more you can tolerate the discomfort and continue to modify your posture to alleviate the pain, the better the drill works. Stopping when it hurts does no good at all, you'll be back to square one again next time.
No pain, no gain.
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You know it makes sense.
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I've had the problem you describe. I was too far back, and while I enjoy skiing like that, the thigh burn was killing me.
It was a bit counter-intuitive for me, I felt like bending my knees and getting further forward would put me in a stress position of some sort. If you stand in your boots and bend your knees and crouch a bit, you'll feel a bit of pressure. Actually it is entirely possible to be very relaxed and have a good posture, just concentrate on getting your weight as far forward as you can and you will find your thighs stop burning. Promise.
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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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Spyderman,
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It's at the point when it hurts that the remedial work on the posture is most effective. The more you can tolerate the discomfort and continue to modify your posture to alleviate the pain, the better the drill works. Stopping when it hurts does no good at all, you'll be back to square one again next time.
No pain, no gain.
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I think that's what I meant when the pain starts it can be used as a marker to correct your posture, however if you let the pain continue to develop without correction then your ability to correct just becomes harder because your movements become more restricted. I didn't mean stop skiing when the pain hits, where would the fun be in that:-D
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Poster: A snowHead
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anarchicsaltire, For sure, the corrections become more frequent and more subtle the longer you go for, as the pain develops quicker and is more intense, believe me you don't wait to adjust your posture once it starts hurting. It isn't pleasant, but it works.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hi everyone - many thanks for all your input, I'm sure its a combination of various factors. pam w, yes I did take a couple of lessons with easiski, and she really helped me during the lessons, my turns and control improved no end, but that was only during the first two days, and I just assumed that everyone got the burn as a lot of people were complaining about it but it wasn't until later in the week when I realised that I was the only one continuing to suffer from it for so long.
It was really sticky on the lower slopes so judging by some of the comments, that seems to have been a key factor contributing to it.
I could have been in better shapre too as I didn't get a chance to go to the gym in the months leading up to the holiday as it was year end and I was working every hour under the sun (and moon) since the end of December, although before that in November I did climb Kilimanjaro and summitted in an ice blizzard, so I was reasonably fit back then.
I get the bit about the stance too, even though I feel like I'm in a very relaxed and balanced stance, I guess I can lean back especially on the hard blues and in the sticky stuff, but... and its a big but.... although not as big as the mother-in-laws... (just kidding ma-in-law), I'm wondering that if when I'm trying to lean forward over the skis, I'm just levering forward at the hips and not really changing the pressure on my legs?
I've tried to understand this weight lifters stance, but I just can't get my head around it as its a very static, solid base, whereas skiing is more fluid and dynamic so I'm finding it hard to visualise, especially when throwing yourself down the slopes.
I noticed someone mentioned leading with your groin - is this the simple answer? I can easily visualise a pelvic thrust ("lets do the timewarp again"), is that all I need to do to keep my body centred over my skis?
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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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| Sack the Juggler wrote: |
I've tried to understand this weight lifters stance, but I just can't get my head around it as its a very static, solid base, whereas skiing is more fluid and dynamic so I'm finding it hard to visualise, especially when throwing yourself down the slopes.
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Another analogy for you then; Imaging you're standing on a high wall and jump off, how would you land?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Sack the Juggler, you're right that you could be bending forward at the waist in order to get centred, but still be stressing your quads because your lower half is still too far back. If it happens more on steeper terrain for you and more challenging snow it very much sounds like anxiety is kicking you in to the back seat. This problem starts at the ankles - not enough forward flex of the ankles. If you don't flex at the ankles it doesn't really matter what you do with the rest of your body as you're never going to be centred on your skis in a relaxed and efficient manner.
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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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| Spyderman wrote: |
| Sack the Juggler wrote: |
I've tried to understand this weight lifters stance, but I just can't get my head around it as its a very static, solid base, whereas skiing is more fluid and dynamic so I'm finding it hard to visualise, especially when throwing yourself down the slopes.
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Another analogy for you then; Imaging you're standing on a high wall and jump off, how would you land? |
Awkwardly?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| rob@rar wrote: |
| Sack the Juggler, you're right that you could be bending forward at the waist in order to get centred, but still be stressing your quads because your lower half is still too far back. If it happens more on steeper terrain for you and more challenging snow it very much sounds like anxiety is kicking you in to the back seat. This problem starts at the ankles - not enough forward flex of the ankles. If you don't flex at the ankles it doesn't really matter what you do with the rest of your body as you're never going to be centred on your skis in a relaxed and efficient manner. |
cheers Rob, I think that helps, along with spydermans jump analogy, so far I've been focusing on shifting my weight in the turns and keeping an edge, so now i have to add flexing my ankles to that mix.
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Sack the Juggler, do some turns where you think about getting pressure on your shins from pressing forward on your boots. See how much pressure you can build up at all points in the turn, from the start of it until the end. You won't want to always ski like this at all times, but sometimes it helps to exaggerate the movement to develop the feeling for what you are trying to acheive.
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| Sack the Juggler wrote: |
| Spyderman wrote: |
| Sack the Juggler wrote: |
I've tried to understand this weight lifters stance, but I just can't get my head around it as its a very static, solid base, whereas skiing is more fluid and dynamic so I'm finding it hard to visualise, especially when throwing yourself down the slopes.
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Another analogy for you then; Imaging you're standing on a high wall and jump off, how would you land? |
Awkwardly? |
You'd hopefully land using your legs to absorb the impact, flexing at the ankle, knee and hip joints, keeping your hips above your feet. Arms will be forward and out to the side.
Try it, just jump off of anything and think about your body posture on landing. Ski using the same body posture.
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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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FAQ
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