Beaver Creek is scheduled to open November 26th and my alma mater, Northstar California opens on November 21st.
Will you be ready to ski? Will your little ones ski circles around you? Will you be too tired to get in the hot tub? It's a bit late for a comprehensive, pre-season nutrition and exercise plan for us ski instructors, but if your first ski trip will be over the Christmas holidays, you've got time.
I've taken several approaches over the past few years, some more effective than others. Four seasons ago, I worked out with a personal trainer focusing on core strength and balance. That delivered some benefits, but my cardio fitness was lacking. Three seasons ago, I skipped the gym and only cycled and paddle boarded a bunch. That helped with balance and cardio-vascular fitness, but my skiing suffered from a lack of core strength. The last two seasons, I've focused on cardio, core exercises and leg specific training, specifically a daily regimen that strengthens my innermost quadriceps (the vastus medialis). This muscle is vital to keeping your knee tracking correctly, and building it up can help prevent as well as treat past injuries.
Get after it! I've got a feeling we have powder days ahead in both Colorado and California. Any advance workouts or in-season work outs will pay huge dividends.
Coach Jay
