GG, if you are a total beginner to skiing, the advice I would give above what's already been given here (great advice all):
Add squats to your gym regimen.
Just bodyweight squats -- free-standing, which is not at all the same thing as a leg press machine. I don't know what level you're at, but maybe start with three sets of 15 and work up to three sets of 25 by the end of the five weeks?
This page has some good illustrations. The key is to go as deep as possible while still retaining the natural curve in your lower back, don't let your heels come off the ground, and don't let your knees get in front of your toes (it feels a little like sitting in a chair but there's nothing to actually sit on).
I haven't been skiing in a number of years, but I remember that it's very taxing on the thighs and backside, especially for downhill beginners learning the snowplow/wedge.
Though I'm not as enthusiastic about skiing as much of my family is, I think I'd make an exception to go skiing in Switzerland!
It may seem hard to believe, but
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Hells Bells
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Giddy Goat
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This is wonderful! I think I'd have been overwhelmed if I'd posted on Snowheads - there's only so much info a newbie can take on board, so a steady trickle is deffo preferable to a deluge! Thank you to all - xxx. List of must haves under way, and Brookie, I have printed off the squats exercise, and had a go - yep, good one. The gym has a machine which probably has a fancy name, on which you push against resistance, sliding on a track from left to right. That's good too.
I am booked in for a session at the Snowzone at M Keynes on Jan 3rd - OH and I had hoped we could both go between Xmas and N Year, but they were so oversubscribed you wouldn't believe!! A 3 hour lesson with 9 others costs £72, to include basic gear. So I'm going it alone. About 1 1/2 hrs drive from here... but at least, I'm told, I'll know how to put my boots on and skis and have some idea of what it feels like before I hit the slopes.
Helen, no pilates classes near here unfortunately. What's a Swiss ball?
I am booked in for a session at the Snowzone at M Keynes on Jan 3rd - OH and I had hoped we could both go between Xmas and N Year, but they were so oversubscribed you wouldn't believe!! A 3 hour lesson with 9 others costs £72, to include basic gear. So I'm going it alone. About 1 1/2 hrs drive from here... but at least, I'm told, I'll know how to put my boots on and skis and have some idea of what it feels like before I hit the slopes.
Helen, no pilates classes near here unfortunately. What's a Swiss ball?
Nostalgia isn't what it used to be
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Rocket Rab
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You've got your sun tan cream, haven't you? And sun block stick for lips? Hip flask? Mars bars? Buried-under-avalanche-come-and-find-me-emitter-thingy? Spare key for apartment so you can sneak back and crash out when no-one's looking?
You should be ok then. Most important of all: plenty of dosh for après-ski shopping.....you know, luxury 'timepieces', that kind of thing
You should be ok then. Most important of all: plenty of dosh for après-ski shopping.....you know, luxury 'timepieces', that kind of thing
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Giddy Goat
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Rocket Rab
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Hells Bells
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GG, also known as a fitball. http://www.dietandfitnessresources.co.u ... e_ball.htm
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Giddy Goat
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Helen has a great point that your core strength will be really important too. Pilates is great for this -- but if you don't have access and don't want to try it without some live instruction, there are other things you can do.
Plain ol' sit-ups (not crunches -- the full range of motion) are pretty tried and true, and you can work different muscle groups by doing them with your feet anchored and unanchored, and by twisting your body as you do the sit-up so that, clasping your hands behind your neck (but not pulling on your neck), you bring one elbow forward to touch the opposite knee, and then on the next sit-up switch elbows/knees.
However, if you are feeling adventurous, I found a beginner's pilates workout at this link -- it's a PDF file that you download from this page. My favorite exercises in that workout would be the hundred (also explained with animation via this link), leg circles, and side kicks. My other favorite is the criss-cross, which starts out like the hundred (with you curled up in a sort of partial crunch), but with your knees bent and your hands behind your neck, and then you "criss-cross" by doing the elbow-to-opposite-knee thing I described earlier, moving the elbow and the opposite knee to meet in the middle, above your bellybutton. That's a killer (in a good way).
I'd better stop now, though, or everyone's going to think I'm some sort of fitness nut -- I wish! If I were, I'd be in better shape.
Plain ol' sit-ups (not crunches -- the full range of motion) are pretty tried and true, and you can work different muscle groups by doing them with your feet anchored and unanchored, and by twisting your body as you do the sit-up so that, clasping your hands behind your neck (but not pulling on your neck), you bring one elbow forward to touch the opposite knee, and then on the next sit-up switch elbows/knees.
However, if you are feeling adventurous, I found a beginner's pilates workout at this link -- it's a PDF file that you download from this page. My favorite exercises in that workout would be the hundred (also explained with animation via this link), leg circles, and side kicks. My other favorite is the criss-cross, which starts out like the hundred (with you curled up in a sort of partial crunch), but with your knees bent and your hands behind your neck, and then you "criss-cross" by doing the elbow-to-opposite-knee thing I described earlier, moving the elbow and the opposite knee to meet in the middle, above your bellybutton. That's a killer (in a good way).
I'd better stop now, though, or everyone's going to think I'm some sort of fitness nut -- I wish! If I were, I'd be in better shape.
Brooke
Hi GG
This sounds Great Im sure youll [yule??] have Great Fun Im sure theres loads and loads of goat ,Snow ,Ski Jokes that are theyre for the taking but cant seem to conjure anything up but just wanted to say
Have a GREAT TIME you are one of the special people that have made my time on the Forum such fun
and your fwendship is appreciated so GO GOAT GO......
[but hurry back I will miss youxx]
PS If you do BUMP into MG please do it gently as hes special too
BTW DO Goats need 2 skis or 4
This sounds Great Im sure youll [yule??] have Great Fun Im sure theres loads and loads of goat ,Snow ,Ski Jokes that are theyre for the taking but cant seem to conjure anything up but just wanted to say
Have a GREAT TIME you are one of the special people that have made my time on the Forum such fun
and your fwendship is appreciated so GO GOAT GO......
[but hurry back I will miss youxx]
PS If you do BUMP into MG please do it gently as hes special too
BTW DO Goats need 2 skis or 4
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Giddy Goat
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Awesome Brookie thanks, much appreciated. And thanks Ros for your good wishes - but another three weeks to go, so you haven't seen the last of me yet.
Three weeks. Let's see, how many body squats is that? Three sets of 15 a day. Er, 45. Three weeks is 21 days. 45 times 21 is, um.. calculator where are you, 945 take away the number you first thought of
945 ??!!! Plus 100 side kicks, 100 leg circles (Brooke is that per leg or for all four?) plus the sit-ups better get started let's see where did I put that mattress no time for brekky this is serious Christmas is cancelled phone the rellies take back the turkey
The wine order stays as is though. It's going to be needed - medication
Three weeks. Let's see, how many body squats is that? Three sets of 15 a day. Er, 45. Three weeks is 21 days. 45 times 21 is, um.. calculator where are you, 945 take away the number you first thought of
945 ??!!! Plus 100 side kicks, 100 leg circles (Brooke is that per leg or for all four?) plus the sit-ups better get started let's see where did I put that mattress no time for brekky this is serious Christmas is cancelled phone the rellies take back the turkey
The wine order stays as is though. It's going to be needed - medication
Last edited by Giddy Goat on Thu Dec 21, 2006 6:04 am, edited 1 time in total.
Nostalgia isn't what it used to be
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Giddy Goat
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Hi team ! Well, the red letter day approaches, and I am currently cranking myself up for the big trip to the slopes. So, in preparation, I went to the SnoZone on Wednesday.... It's in Milton Keynes - 1 1/2 hrs away.
We have satellite navigation in our car, but OH hasn't yet talked me through it, and probably never will in a way I'll understand; not your natural born teacher ...! So he set it for me. Only he didn't, because this wretched woman kept telling me to take a U-turn, even though the signs in the direction I was travelling were saying 'Milton Keynes', with the miles reducing reassuringly as I progressed. She got positively indignant about it, adding 'please' as I continued to ignore her, and her tone becoming crisper. I couldn't even figure how to switch her off!! Nag nag nag!! Most disconcerting.
Anyway, it was great! I bought a silly hat and a decent pair of gloves (both North Face, Joanna!) and had a burger at Macdonalds to build up my strength before taking a deep breath and venturing in. Seriously loud music playing throughout the session - made it hard to hear the instructor, but otherwise, great, and worth the journey. I'll qualify that: we were made to spend a lot of time on one ski, and whilst I can appreciate the logic behind this, I only began to relax and feel I was achieving something once I had the second ski on! Fell lots, as one does of course - and with no poles, I couldn't get myself up from supine and just had to stay spreadeagled until help came - but did do something vaguely like clumsy skiing a few times, and kind-of got to go in the vague general direction intended without crashing into anyone. But as for proper turning to the count of 4 - forget it! By that stage (3 hours on) all I wanted to do was to keep skiing without falling, and trying to control my speed, which was borderline breakneck at times, even though my skis were making a very definite triangle! Face was a picture.
I was delighted to find how much I enjoyed it.
Curious - I haven't suffered much at all from the hammering at Snozone - apart from the same day, except that on Friday my hooves looked as if they had been on a long haul flight!! And still do - positively elephantine: the boots?
Thanks to you kind lot and your suggestions, plus the generosity of two good friends, I think I will be more or less sorted, apart from snow boots, by Thursday. Still working on OH's stuff though. He's not a standard size....
Soo, if I don't get a chance to do so before you set off, have a great time in Bulgaria; report in here on your return and I'll do the same! If I'm still in one piece.
We have satellite navigation in our car, but OH hasn't yet talked me through it, and probably never will in a way I'll understand; not your natural born teacher ...! So he set it for me. Only he didn't, because this wretched woman kept telling me to take a U-turn, even though the signs in the direction I was travelling were saying 'Milton Keynes', with the miles reducing reassuringly as I progressed. She got positively indignant about it, adding 'please' as I continued to ignore her, and her tone becoming crisper. I couldn't even figure how to switch her off!! Nag nag nag!! Most disconcerting.
Anyway, it was great! I bought a silly hat and a decent pair of gloves (both North Face, Joanna!) and had a burger at Macdonalds to build up my strength before taking a deep breath and venturing in. Seriously loud music playing throughout the session - made it hard to hear the instructor, but otherwise, great, and worth the journey. I'll qualify that: we were made to spend a lot of time on one ski, and whilst I can appreciate the logic behind this, I only began to relax and feel I was achieving something once I had the second ski on! Fell lots, as one does of course - and with no poles, I couldn't get myself up from supine and just had to stay spreadeagled until help came - but did do something vaguely like clumsy skiing a few times, and kind-of got to go in the vague general direction intended without crashing into anyone. But as for proper turning to the count of 4 - forget it! By that stage (3 hours on) all I wanted to do was to keep skiing without falling, and trying to control my speed, which was borderline breakneck at times, even though my skis were making a very definite triangle! Face was a picture.
I was delighted to find how much I enjoyed it.
Curious - I haven't suffered much at all from the hammering at Snozone - apart from the same day, except that on Friday my hooves looked as if they had been on a long haul flight!! And still do - positively elephantine: the boots?
Thanks to you kind lot and your suggestions, plus the generosity of two good friends, I think I will be more or less sorted, apart from snow boots, by Thursday. Still working on OH's stuff though. He's not a standard size....
Soo, if I don't get a chance to do so before you set off, have a great time in Bulgaria; report in here on your return and I'll do the same! If I'm still in one piece.
Nostalgia isn't what it used to be
Ski goat! I thought we must be away around the same time. I go off on Saturday and should be in the resort by about 7 p.m. The snow reports aren't great for our resort, Borovets, but you know, I'm not really bothered!
My knee has started playing up a bit (former displaced kneecap with over 6 months of physio). I am taking my snowshoes but at the first sign that it isn't working out I'm going to just enjoy the surroundings. My friend has decided she isn't going to beat herself up by being a perfect skiier either, couple of hours a day then we'll relax and enjoy. We plan massages, trips to Sofia, catching up (she lives London, me in Newcastle), books and enjoying the crisp coolness of the mountains. (We might sink the odd beer too. )
I've not been to Eastern Europe before and as I visited India/Nepal before Christmas I think I'm more than prepared for the experience. At least the toilet situation must be better!!
Have a great time goaty, I'll report back.
Changing the subject, I saw dad today (recently diagnosed with moderate dementia). He has been on meds for a couple of weeks and I don't know if they are helping or he was just in a lucid period. He was in great form, watching the football, rational, chatty and bright. I'm meeting him in town on Wednesday for a wander and eats. I feel I can go away with a lighter heart. He even remembered where I was going and said " you have a lovely time pet". Ah, nothing like a Geordie calling you pet.
My knee has started playing up a bit (former displaced kneecap with over 6 months of physio). I am taking my snowshoes but at the first sign that it isn't working out I'm going to just enjoy the surroundings. My friend has decided she isn't going to beat herself up by being a perfect skiier either, couple of hours a day then we'll relax and enjoy. We plan massages, trips to Sofia, catching up (she lives London, me in Newcastle), books and enjoying the crisp coolness of the mountains. (We might sink the odd beer too.
)I've not been to Eastern Europe before and as I visited India/Nepal before Christmas I think I'm more than prepared for the experience. At least the toilet situation must be better!!
Have a great time goaty, I'll report back.
Changing the subject, I saw dad today (recently diagnosed with moderate dementia). He has been on meds for a couple of weeks and I don't know if they are helping or he was just in a lucid period. He was in great form, watching the football, rational, chatty and bright. I'm meeting him in town on Wednesday for a wander and eats. I feel I can go away with a lighter heart. He even remembered where I was going and said " you have a lovely time pet". Ah, nothing like a Geordie calling you pet.