Black Diamonds and Bunny Hills
It's that time of year again, snowboarding and skiing season is in rare form this year. Regardless of your skill level there's always a chance of injury. Although you might be surprised to hear that recreational snow sports are actually relatively safe and over the 25 years I have been doing it, only in recent times have I ever worried about getting injured doing it! And this has nothing to do with my age by the way... this is simply because although the equipment has gotten better, & more streamlined, ...people skiing are not necessarily getting any better. Also, over the past decade the quantity of snowboarders has steadily increased.
It's only January and already I have seen a few torn ACL's and meniscus' on clients, some who are total experts and some who just decided this was the year to try snowboarding with their kids. The only injury to beat out knee injuries are head injuries. Luckily I have not seen one of those this year but as I give my top 10 tips for a safe ski season, #1 is... (drum roll.... WEAR A HELMET!) I know it's totally silly especially for those of us who have been riding the slopes since we were 10 but I have to be honest, wearing a helmet is a good idea now that there are so many snowboarders carving big turns on the slopes.
Kids of all ages who are just learning FLY down slopes... not in straight lines like a skier, rather they cut the slope to keep control of the board. You have to have eyes in the back of your head as it seems perfectly fine to some young kids to use anything or anyone to stop them from flying into the woods! And by the way, I do also snowboard and love it so I have nothing against snowboarding... but if you don't know how, get some lessons and stick to the green slopes!
So before you hit the slopes this year, here's my top 10 tips for a safe ski season:
1. Buy a helmet. They make them lighter, and more stylish than they were even two years ago so wear one. Your brain is important. If you are learning how to snowboard a helmet is a MUST! You will fall backwards a bunch of times before you get your bearings. Trust me, helmets are good!
2. Have your equipment checked before you hit the slopes. Many injuries are caused by equipment malfunctions so spend a little $$ before you head to the slopes and check your equipment! Also, if you are renting equipment, staff at shops should take time to fit your equipment properly - if they don't ask you any questions about your height/weight/ability then seriously consider going somewhere else to acquire your gear.
3. Don't ski alone. The last thing you want to do is get stuck somewhere on your own. Skiing in groups or pairs is safer than skiing on your own.
4. EAT BEFORE YOU SKI!!! Skiing is DEMANDING and you burn a TON of calories. Don't skimp on breakfast. Eat a minimum of 400-500 calories before you head out, bring a Balance bar or Cliff bar with you and eat it after you have done 3-4 runs. Eat lunch! Trust me, fatigue comes quickly and most people don't recognized fatigue until it's too late! Keeping your fuel storage up will keep you alert and your muscles ready to perform!
5. DRINK WATER!!! Okay, I know you are thinking, "But then I will have to pee!" Actually, if you drink a decent amount of water (10-20 oz) before you eat your breakfast and then a couple of hours later you will pee less over the day because you will sweat it out and your muscles will use the rest! Just drink water!!! And at the end of the day, DRINK MORE!
6. At the end of the day when you are about to take your last run, be mindful! 9 out of 10 times it's the last run that people get injured. If your legs are tired, and it's your first day on the slopes, be smart. Save your body for tomorrow!
7. Eat a good dinner and get a good nights sleep for day two. Again, a high incidence of injury comes the second day of a ski trip just due to muscle fatigue. If you are really sore the second day, take it easy, miss the black diamond runs and stick to the blue runs. You will have just as much fun and your muscles will be stronger for day 3 anyway!
8. Doing stabilization exercises every day for one week before you go on a ski trip will significantly reduce your risk of injuring your knees! This is easy. Simply stand with your feet side by side and step tap your legs back and forth 20 times. If you have a resistance band, tie it around your thighs for added benefit. (listen to music and step to the beat for a more accurate workout). Next, with the same movement, add this challenge: when you step to the right, hold your balance for 2 seconds before stepping to the left. If you immediately fall over as you try to hold your balance, YOU ARE NOT READY FOR BLACK DIAMOND RUNS!!! Practice this move until you can achieve steady balance for 2 seconds on each leg 20 times. You can add to this by hopping side to side and hold balance as well!
9.Strengthen your glutes (your bootie) with bridging. Lie on your back with your knees bent, heels in line with your butt cheeks. Keep your shoulder blades heavy to the floor as you lift up your hips. Once your hips are up, make sure you have weight on the ball of your big toes just as much as you do your heels and outer foot. This should engage your glutes more aggressively. Hold this position for 20-30 seconds, return to the floor and repeat 5 times.
10. Finally, MELT!!!! You knew it was coming, right? Download this free MELT Map for Skiers. This is just a few moves that can help you keep your knees limber and ready for your ski trip! Try these techniques before and after you hit the slopes for best results~!
Stay hydrated, have fun and if you want some more great ski tips, check out these websites!
http://www.skitips.com Martin will even answer direct questions!
http://www.skireport.com They have up to the minute reports on ski locations all over the world!
