Continuing to ski hard while aging gracefully??

[tch]

I won't pile on too much, but I will say that one of the best pieces of advice I ever got was to rest more. People think working is when you build strength, aerobic fitness, etc. Actually, working hard does damage to muscles; it's the rest period when they have a chance to recover and re-build is when you get stronger. As you get older, it takes longer for this process to happen, so you need to build in more rest and recovery time to account for that. Make sure not to make the young-person-getting-older mistake of thinking you just have to go harder and harder to catch up to where you were 20 years ago. The fact is that that body is gone. But it doesn't mean you can't have a great older body.

 

[ScottB]

Hmmmmm Other than slow down, and don't overstress your body, nothing earth shattering here. I have a couple of suggestions that seemed to have helped me quite a bit. I found taking Vitamin D daily for joints really helped. I do a multi vitamin and a 100-200% dose of D on top of the multi. I slacked off for a couple years on exercise in general, and when I started up again, all my joints were complaining. Started the vitamins, adopted a slower pace of getting back in shape, (more rest as Tch suggests) and issues went away within a week. I also take 800 mg of Ibuprofen if I really pushed it that day. It really helps and I feel great in the morning. This allows me to ski multiple days in a row with no issues. I don't do it very often, but if skiing for a week, I will do it. I am taking it for the anti-inflammatory effect mainly. For my body chemistry it works great. My ski buddies take something else for joint issues, glucosamine is what they take, and they claim it works great. One is a carpenter in his mid 60's and he says it allows him to keep working at his trade without issues. I haven't tried it but it is recommended on a lot of web site. Personally, I think there is a lot of snake oil out there, but some supplements do really help if they work with your body chemistry.

 

[Marker]

Howdy all,

Looking for tips and advise. I'm 43 and I try to ski 100 days a year. I average to 'ski' 3.5 hours a day, if it's crowded and most weekends maybe 2 hours but if its puking around 5. I prefer to ski off piste fast and hard and usually do 80% of the time. I love the powder, who doesn't, but I have almost as much fun blasting the crud and bumps that follows. I usually only ski groomers to move me from one place on the hill to another, or if everything has gotten iced over in some kind of thaw/freeze combo.

I'm finding that at 40 my body started complaining to me abit more and every year its kinda louder. Ive broken 10-12 bones(skiing/cycling/skateboarding as a youth) and all those are coming back now and then as aches. But my biggest issue is my IT band tightness and the strain they put on my lower back, hips and down my leg to my knees. I stretch several times a day(everyday) and use a foam roller once or twice a day. Im usually able to stay ahead of the pains if I keep a strict routine of stretching and foam rolling. If Im traveling or somehow forget, I'm always paying the price for a couple days with tightness and soreness through my hips and back. Im also finding my body doesn't bounce back as quickly from a hard day. Sore and tired muscles seem more frequent....

During the off season( of skiing) I hike or ride pretty much everyday, but never do any 'strength training' or skiing specific prep work. My summers are filled with alot of farm/forest work, which is very physical itself. I maintain my IT band stretching and foam roller work. During the winter skiing is my only frequent exercise(nearly everyday). I snowshoe or hike maybe once or twice a ski month. I walk the dog everyday about a hilly-mile but then Im off to riding the lifts. During the winter I put on a couple extra pounds, but those usually come off in the spring on the bikes, but even then I still have a few lbs to spare but I love IPA's too much to really care. Im relatively healthy besides the IT bands and previous bone breaks. No medication except allergy pill and a dose of daily vitamins. I do take glucosamine(not sure it does anything). I tried yoga a couple times, and liked the activity but had a hard time with the yoga studio environment.

So long intro to my question, as you've gotten older what have you done to allow yourself to continue to ski as you want? Any tips for helping muscles recover quicker/better after a hard day?

Thanks
-Chris

Hi Chris,
The regulars here are piling it on a bit thick, but that's the nature of the site sometimes. To each his own!For myself, I also found that the aches and pains started catching up with me at post-40. First I had to give up basketball due to ankle injuries (I was 6'7" back then), then running due to my lower back, which still bothers me. I'm never completely without some pain and stiffness, and numbness sometimes down into my left foot. I can manage it with exercise and stretching, and it does not not affect my skiing fortunately. Ironically, the only broken bone I've had I got skiing in a twisting fall. It's fine now. Perhaps the best thing is that I've never had knee problems, but they do get tired now that I'm over 60. I have taken lessons like suggested upthread to improve my form, which took the pressure off of them. After skiing, I tend to do a lot of stretching, which is a habit carried over from basketball.

My view is that if you do athletics activities long enough in your life, you will find your body's weak spot. For many it is their knees, feet, or heart, but for me it's my back. From then on, it's a process of managing it so you can continue your favorite activities.

 

[AtleB]

Core strength and flexibility are probably the two most important as we age.

 

[Jack skis]

I guess I ought to contribute here as I'm 86 and still skiing, or as some say "trying to ski." Got in 100 days in 2019-202 until a collision left me with a bunch of broken ribs, and a bit of the dread virus. This season I'm stuck living 2 hours from the nearest skiing instead of having it right outside the front door, so have skied only 3 days. Three days of low level skiing. I ski where I can on the mountain, and respect the conditions. My skiing doesn't impress anyone, but I really enjoy it and hope to continue skiing for as many years as I can. Yes I've had injuries, but more serious are structural deterioration and/or chronic illness, I just have to deal with them, sometimes better at it than other times. I"m a bike rider and that's it for any other physical or conditioning activity. It's all downhill for me -- and that's a lot of fun.

 

[martyg]

You really need accurate, granular data on your unique situation. You need to be more smart than "tough". And you won't find that information on a forum group.

For starters:

- Find a PhD level PT who works with outdoor athletes. If you are in places like Metro Seattle, Boulder, Durango, Park City it is easy peasy. If not, many will work with you remotely via Zoom. They will identify macro issues with your structure via FMS eval, and plot a course for you.

- Instruction: If you are gassed after skiing (unless you are climbing), and of decent physical shape, you are probably inefficient in your movement patterns. Seek out a credentialed mentor who will drill efficiencies. You will thank me in 20 years. Far less wear and tear on your body. Far more stoke.

- Get real diet advise via a blood draw service like InsideTracker. For $600, they will measure 41 markers, and suggest very precise dietary recommendations based on your physiology and chemistry. You can even drill down into the peer reviewed, scientific journals to see the research on the recommendation. As a bonus, if you have a physical planned with your physician, InsideTracker will likely also satisfy that requirement. And you realize much more complete, actionable data.

- Optimize hormones through a service, again, based on blood draws and under a doctor's guidance. TrumanRX provides this service, and so much more. It is a complete telemed service - remote blood draw, telemd with a physician, TRT cream sent to you via FedEx. Full disclosure: I am an angel investor in this company.

You will find that the more granular the info, the more dedication that you put into "go time". Instead of piecing shit together that is found on YouTube, you will have the best Source of the Truth, and can move forward with complete confidence. If you don't, that is on you.

 

[KevinF]

I hit the "big five-oh" a few months back. I'm still able to ski most of the day -- five, six hours, with lots of bump runs typically.

I have noticed that I have to ski more "gently" -- i.e., skiing "well" takes precedence over "athletic" recoveries. I'm definitely not as good at pulling off an athletic recovery, but I'm better at not needing them in the first place.

I try to stay in shape throughout the year as well -- cycling, hiking, gym, etc.

 

[slowrider]

69 in 2 months and falling apart 1 peice at a time. I attribute that to those times when I said. "Hold my beer and watch this." I combat the aging process if that's possible to being as efficient and balanced as possible in my skiing. Yeah I'll be going down swinging.

 

[chris_the_wrench]

Wow thanks for all the responses and bits of teasing.

I'm hearing work on my core and continue to work on flexibility, ski more efficiently, give those nagging little injuries sufficient time to recover before they become bad injuries, try adding some extra vitamin D to my supplements, re-evaluate my expectations, and 40 isn't old....

I know zero about pilates, but I'll check it out. Someone mentioned tv yoga, that sounds more my speed than yoga studio classes.

Thanks again, time to go skiing.
-Chris

One thing is that the better you get at skiing the less hard it is on you body. Learning to ski efficiently really helps. For example, after the back surgery, he had to ski bumps gently and that made him a much better mogul skier. Not that we zipperline or anything like that, but he now absorbs and is smoother than he used to be when he could still bang into them.

FWIW I was berating myself for getting tired skiing cut up heavy PNW crud. Then I remembered I’m 58. I shouldn’t really expect myself to ski as hard (and stupidly and inefficiently) as I did when I was younger.

Two suggestions:

- Pilates (even just the mat exercises). Works all the little stuff that supports the big muscles and joints. Emphasis is on balancing muscles (a lot of back pain is due to certain muscle groups being out of balance).
- Hill sprints / intervals and/or mountain trail running with intermittent sprints (uphill and downhill). This is my personal favorite training regimen for legs, cardio, whole-body, and mind; it works so many of the same muscles and joints and engages the senses and mind (especially downhill) in ways relevant to ski training.

I found taking Vitamin D daily for joints really helped. I do a multi vitamin and a 100-200% dose of D on top of the multi.

 

[graham418]

Motrin, Aleve, Voltaren. These are the new words you need to learn

 

[Jerez]

Wow thanks for all the responses and bits of teasing.

I'm hearing work on my core and continue to work on flexibility, ski more efficiently, give those nagging little injuries sufficient time to recover before they become bad injuries, try adding some extra vitamin D to my supplements, re-evaluate my expectations, and 40 isn't old....

I know zero about pilates, but I'll check it out. Someone mentioned tv yoga, that sounds more my speed than yoga studio classes.

Thanks again, time to go skiing.
-Chris

Good for you Chris. Getting old sucks, but is better than the alternative. And if you can keep moving to keep moving, it's not so bad.

TV yoga was me. We do AM Yoga for Every Day with Rodney Yee. It is 5 20 minute sessions that target different things. Short enough to actually do without groaning but comprehensive enough to really make you feel good. And not a lot of contorting that might make things worse. My DH swears by pilates in a studio with a teacher. But I'm lazy by nature and find getting it over with in the morning between coffee and breakfast means it actually gets done. Good Luck!

 

[Pequenita]

Agree with @chopchop re Pilates. Everything I have ever done in PT is a Pilates exercise. A key to staying physically healthy is to reduce muscular imbalances and use the right muscles for what you’re trying to accomplish. Bodies have a way of compensating for weaknesses, but after a while, the compensations no longer work. So, knowing how to fire the right muscle groups to support the body goes a long way.

 

[Scruffy]

As others have said, Pilates and Yoga.

 

[Andy Mink]

Keep the weight off. It's REALLY easy to put it on a little here, a little there, a little more...and before you know it you're looking at 220 in the rear view mirror. All the extra weight takes a toll on your body, especially joints. Now, some people have the frame to be 220 but most do not. I didn't but carry 225 for quite a few years. Now I'm down to 195 and working to go to around 180. My knees and back are already thanking me but I'm sure some damage has been done. BTW, a few ibuprofen in the morning before skiing helps, at least for me.

 

[Johnny V.]

Teach your grandkids to ski and get your daughter back into racing again. Gotta keep it dialed up as they both want to beat the old man (69 next month).

 

[Rod9301]

It sounds that, at least in the summer, you don't rest enough.

But twice a year you should lift heavy, for 6 weeks, upper and lower.

Skiing and riding is not enough to build muscle.

 

[martyg]

It sounds that, at least in the summer, you don't rest enough.

But twice a year you should lift heavy, for 6 weeks, upper and lower.

Skiing and riding is not enough to build muscle.

Provided that muscle mass is your limiter.

 

[KingGrump]

I'm hearing work on my core and continue to work on flexibility, ski more efficiently, give those nagging little injuries sufficient time to recover before they become bad injuries, try adding some extra vitamin D to my supplements, re-evaluate my expectations, and 40 isn't old....

Sorry for long wait. I know I promised you a reply. Took a while to get off the floor. Them Life Alert guys are running slow today.

I see all the advice on what and how to stay strong. All good advices. However, they missed the most important body part you should focus on. I'll give you a hint.



The way you describe your skiing. It sounds like you are having a cage match in the octagon with Mr. Gravity and Mother Nature. You have your hands full but holding them off OK. Then Father Time comes up behind you and pancakes you with the ubiquitous metal chair.

You are asking the choir what you have to do to beat them. They gave you the right answer to your question. Get stronger.
The real crux of the matter is your didn't ask the right question. The right question is "Why do I have to be in the octagon in a three on one beat down?" Just to be clear, you are the "one." The right question is "Why can't we bring the disco ball and dance?" Yup, dance.

Fix your head and the rest will fall into place.

A good reference for the journey.



Please note soft skiing doesn't mean dumbing it down. It means stop beating yourself up.

Motrin, Aleve, Voltaren. These are the new words you need to learn

Dude, those are like ear plugs. Your body is trying to tell you something and you decided to put it on mute. Not a good thing.

 

[Decreed_It]

Only thing I didn't see covered is - warmup and cooldown. I'm turning 50 next month - puts me closer to you than some of these codgers (who I aspire toward when I grow up!). Peloton, road bike, mountain bike all year. Trail 25k in April.

I'm about to add weight training and rucking back to my regimen. With that and all else, warmup and cooldown are keys for me. Especially on the bike. I think that might help too - dynamic warmup on before skiing, on the skis, then charge, then COOL DOWN same way and stretch before you sit down for any length of time. Maybe you already do this. Get out of car - charge - hop in car drive home is bad juju. Sitting is bad juju for IT bands, psoaz and all that jazz.

Warmup and cooldown.

 

[bbinder]

Wise words KG!