Warming up the legs before skiing

[Crank]

I know what you mean. But with time I learned that it is me who I care about most and it is me who I really want to have a good time, so if someone from the group wants to go max speed from the first second, I just let them and don't try to keep up.
As in road cycling, my engine gets to speed slower, needs some warming up, so I give it time. Because I know it be flying later.

Except for the "I know it be flying later." part, this is me.

I almost always start out skiing something blue.

I used to mtn bike with a group of guys. One cold, winter's ride started out with an all out charge right up the biggest hill in the park. I Kept pace. Pretty much ruined my day. I have learned to go out at my own speed: slow.

As far as pre skiing exercise... walking from the parking lot is about it. Sometimes will stretch a bit after lunch break.

 

[MattSmith]

Hello @TheArchitect I'll look forward meeting you at the Aspen Gathering. I lived in Somerville for 20 years, so we probably have few common experiences living in Eastern MA and skiing VT, NH, and ME.

Quite literally, I've felt your pain. I can't count the number of ski days that involved a 2-3 hour drive before skiing. The advice I have to offer is quite obvious, but difficult to execute on.

I don't know if warming up reduces fatigue. Reducing fatigue, comes in the days and weeks before you ski.

Endurance:
You are working on dropping the lbs. Good on you. Keep it up. I dropped a good amount of weight as I began this journey and it made all the difference in the world. Diet did part of the work, exercise did the rest. So naturally, increased physical activity over a period of time will increase your endurance. I don't think it matters *much* what the exercise is. I've played ice hockey, year 'round for most of my adult life. The ice skating stride is a good exercise to work the skiing muscles. That said, between the late games and the beers that follow, I'm not sure I'd recommend taking up beer league hockey to get in shape. Rollerblading is fine, but I think it's to easy unless you are doing a lot of hills. Also difficult to find dry pavement in the winter. Going up builds the body, coming down steels the nerves and is kinda like slalom skiing. My silver bullet? Orange Theory Fitness 2-3x per week.

Flexibility:
This was a huge break though for me. Yoga and stretching. Yoga has the benefit of also building some endurance along with promoting flexibility. I try to go through a stretching routine daily. I typically get 5 days a week for at least 30 minutes a day. I know life is busy, but you gotta, gotta, gotta find a way to carve out 30 minutes a day to do it. I try to find a hockey game to watch while going through the routine, but I also enjoy the meditative benefits of a dark, quiet stretch.
Here's a link to my go to routine: Fitness Blender - Stretching, Pilates, Yoga Workout Blend
If I have another 10 minutes, I throw in 1 cycle of this routine: Fitness Blender: Total Body Workout
When I want to get a ski-focused workout in, I use this: Fitness Blender - 30 minute Ski Conditioning Workout

As stated, I don't know if this actually reduces fatigue, but I don't really get tired or sore from resort skiing. I am certain if I didn't stretch for flexibility I wouldn't be skiing. I end up having a few crashes every season that I'm surprised I walk away from, relatively unscathed. I 100% credit that to flexibility. Doesn't help much if I collide with something immovable though...

Lastly, and in homage to @KingGrump Technique:
1st day of 1st ski week in Taos, instructor "Stephanie" said to me, "oh Matt, we're going to get you to ski gracefully". Nothing specific here, but as I've developed better technique and don't slide and bang nearly as much as I previously did my fatigue dropped.

Keep up the good work. It's been a journey for me. I hope I never reach a destination.

 

[TheArchitect]

Hello @TheArchitect I'll look forward meeting you at the Aspen Gathering. I lived in Somerville for 20 years, so we probably have few common experiences living in Eastern MA and skiing VT, NH, and ME.

Quite literally, I've felt your pain. I can't count the number of ski days that involved a 2-3 hour drive before skiing. The advice I have to offer is quite obvious, but difficult to execute on.

I don't know if warming up reduces fatigue. Reducing fatigue, comes in the days and weeks before you ski.

Endurance:
You are working on dropping the lbs. Good on you. Keep it up. I dropped a good amount of weight as I began this journey and it made all the difference in the world. Diet did part of the work, exercise did the rest. So naturally, increased physical activity over a period of time will increase your endurance. I don't think it matters *much* what the exercise is. I've played ice hockey, year 'round for most of my adult life. The ice skating stride is a good exercise to work the skiing muscles. That said, between the late games and the beers that follow, I'm not sure I'd recommend taking up beer league hockey to get in shape. Rollerblading is fine, but I think it's to easy unless you are doing a lot of hills. Also difficult to find dry pavement in the winter. Going up builds the body, coming down steels the nerves and is kinda like slalom skiing. My silver bullet? Orange Theory Fitness 2-3x per week.

Flexibility:
This was a huge break though for me. Yoga and stretching. Yoga has the benefit of also building some endurance along with promoting flexibility. I try to go through a stretching routine daily. I typically get 5 days a week for at least 30 minutes a day. I know life is busy, but you gotta, gotta, gotta find a way to carve out 30 minutes a day to do it. I try to find a hockey game to watch while going through the routine, but I also enjoy the meditative benefits of a dark, quiet stretch.
Here's a link to my go to routine: Fitness Blender - Stretching, Pilates, Yoga Workout Blend
If I have another 10 minutes, I throw in 1 cycle of this routine: Fitness Blender: Total Body Workout
When I want to get a ski-focused workout in, I use this: Fitness Blender - 30 minute Ski Conditioning Workout

As stated, I don't know if this actually reduces fatigue, but I don't really get tired or sore from resort skiing. I am certain if I didn't stretch for flexibility I wouldn't be skiing. I end up having a few crashes every season that I'm surprised I walk away from, relatively unscathed. I 100% credit that to flexibility. Doesn't help much if I collide with something immovable though...

Lastly, and in homage to @KingGrump Technique:
1st day of 1st ski week in Taos, instructor "Stephanie" said to me, "oh Matt, we're going to get you to ski gracefully". Nothing specific here, but as I've developed better technique and don't slide and bang nearly as much as I previously did my fatigue dropped.

Keep up the good work. It's been a journey for me. I hope I never reach a destination.

@MattSmith great post and thanks for all of that information. I agree that I should be working on increasing endurance in the days and weeks before skiing and I've started doing that this week with the Leg Blasters routine as well as rowing. I'll add in the Skier's Edge to keep things interesting. I think that I'll be doing a couple of the warm up exercises mentioned here on the day of skiing (leg swings, etc.) to loosen up but the focus for endurance has to be the prep you mentioned.

You're correct that flexibility is something to focus on. I read it all the time and yet don't make the effort to do it. That's gotta change so I appreciate those links and will check them out.

I'm sure we have quite a few NE experiences in common! We can find out at Aspen in a few weeks.

Thanks again!