Woo, going skiing this Jan... I've bought the latest Musto jacket (COPELAND BR2 PRIMALOFT) as I figured it was pretty good, but I don't really know... Anyway, I need to buy a helmet and gloves etc next... Does anybody have any advise? Even on the jacket if I've got the wrong thing! Also, I figure I should be doing squats to build up some strength in my legs before going!? :tux:
Right in time, so you become stiff and pick up couple of kilos Squats are great, but I am guessing hiking would be more useful. And I know nothing about skiing
I worked at a ski resort for 7 years when I was younger and had two good legs. I loved skiing with my season pass 2-4 times each week all winter. I'm not familiar with that brand, but I presume there are many different options on the EU side of the Atlantic. Where are you going skiing? If it's high altitude where the cold is the biggest factor you might want to dress differently compared to a lower altitude where it's warmer and wetter (ie waterproof clothing is just as important or even more so then warm clothing). If you're not used to skiing frequently your quads are going to take an absolute beating, followed by your calves and hamstrings. Anything to increase leg strength while maintaining flexibility will help you. Now if you're a good enough skier to attack the slopes faster and more aggressively you will have your core muscles come into play too. Just don't crash into any trees and if you feel like you're losing control, don't fight the fall, just lay/sit down. Most of the ski injuries I saw were leg sprains or breaks from people fighting a fall/crash and getting all tangled up into knots when they inevitably crashed harder from fighting it.
Ah, downhill skiing or alpine skiing, I was thinking about cross country skiing. Used to go snowboarding about 15 years ago... Helmet is important (make sure it's correct size and ask shop if you are unsure, it cant be loose) but also get good ski goggles (not the cheapest ones), something which is right size, right tint (depends on where you go) and some anti fog features so that you can see where you are going. Squats... Ask Norwegians, they have easier ways to gain strenght and endurance.
So, I'll be skiing in Innsbruck, Austria. I've never skied before, so I'll have to get some kind of exercise in to make sure I can cope! Good advice for the falling down! I've been considering one of those spine protectors for that very reason... I quite like the HEAD Knight Pro helmet, but as you say I need to go and try the fit etc. Oakley do some nice goggles, but the Knight Pro comes with a visor which I might prefer... I don't understand what I would ask Norwegians about... Are squats a bad idea then? What about this? http://www.muscleandfitness.com/workouts/legs-exercises/pump-your-wheels-combo-move
I was joking about this... http://www.bbc.com/sport/winter-olympics/37703011 If you are in ok shape, you should do fine. After the first say your muscles will hurt anyways as it's something you have not done before and technique plays a big role in it. Focus on learning how to do things properly and with low speeds, then after a while increase speed when you feel like it.
