End of the Ski Season? Time to Get Ready for the Next!

The biggest pain in the proverbial about skiing is the fact that not even the best of us have any real say in when we can and can’t hit the slopes. Sure we’ve got the gift of snow cannons and the like to play with, but to be honest they’re largely redundant unless Mother Nature deems it acceptable that they be used.

What all of the above translates to is yet another long and painful ski-free summer for the masses in general, with nothing but dreams of powder and lift-lines keeping them going ‘til the season comes around again. However, rather than sit idly by and watch the days tick away until the Alps2Alps  airport transfers kick off again, experts are rallying for more proactive preparation efforts.

Everybody should by now know that entering into any kind of extreme sport or activity without first training and preparing can be risky to say the least. The call has therefore gone out to make this year one of awareness and common sense, in order to welcome the white-stuff once again and rule out a thousand unnecessary trips to the chiropractor.

Consistency

Right off the bat, what should be the most obvious tip is that of keeping things consistent. Slack off for weeks at a time then punish yourself with a couple of weeks of training and this yo-yo method will usually do more harm than good. Instead, it’s always best to keep going at a steady pace all summer long making sure that you can keep up without undue upheaval or trauma. It doesn’t matter what it is – just make sure it’s consistent.

Endurance

Even if not planning on being totally lazy all summer long, there’s always room to work on your endurance for the next ski season. This means concentrating on CV exercises and substituting skiing for running, cycling, hiking or anything of a similar type. And when the time comes, more endurance means more time on the slopes and a better time all-round, so why rob yourself of the rewards?

Strength

The same really applies to strength and the better you equip yourself and your body for the slopes, the more fun you’ll have and for a longer time. You don’t necessary have to hit the weights every single day and come out September looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1983, but at least give your core some attention and be ready to handle whatever you choose to throw at yourself next season.

Diet

Pig out on beer and BBQ all summer and your reward come next season will be more fat than fun. And it’s not all about what a summer of excess does to you on the outside, as going for broke on the calories will lead to nothing but weakness, poor endurance, lower energy levels and really all the things you don’t need. And you can’t make up for a summer of excess with a late August fortnight on the lettuce either.

Hacky-Sack?

And finally, a new craze sweeping the world on the ski pro is that of using a hacky-sack to increase strength, balance and endurance all at the same time. It really does work and comes with the added bonus of practically zero costs, no equipment needed and you can do it anywhere around the home or garden anytime you like.

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