I never knew how important it was to get in shape for downhill skiing (or as it's correctly known, alpine skiing) until I skied Mont Tremblant. My wife Jenny and I were just starting out and I had to stop frequently to deal with leg cramps.
It was then I realized I obviously had not hydrated enough nor prepared my body for the type of exercise the hills require.
So with the cold weather seeping in and our local meteorologists saying we're in for a long snowy winter (yay!), I thought it best to remind us of how to prepare for alpine fun.
Your body is based on supply and demand, or rather demand and supply in this case. Depending on the intensity of the exercise you're demanding, your body decides if it can supply what's needed. The requirements of skiing down a bunny hill versus tackling a black diamond run scattered with moguls vary significantly.
But for alpine enthusiasts, whether you're alpine skiing, telemarking or snowboarding (tobogganing doesn't count), leg strength and stability are essential.
A couple of exercises include:
-Split squat: Place your rear foot on a bench or chair and step out into a lunge position. While holding dumbbells down your sides, lower your hips toward the floor. Without letting your rear knee touch the floor, return to the starting position pushing with your front leg.
-Ski jumps: If you have a solid wooden box, stand with one foot on the box and one on the floor. Keep your arms bent 90 degrees. Then jump, swing your arms forward and explode through your hip, knee and ankle. When in the air switch legs so each lands in the other's position. Without stopping, repeat the movement back to your original starting position.
These two exercises will best prepare your legs for the similar movements that naturally occur when on the hills.
It's clear alpine skiing and boarding are strenuous and skilled activities requiring sound stamina, synchronization and posture.
Experts have determined that the strength and endurance of skiing improves the muscles, heart and lungs of athletes. Yet at the same time, if you're improperly trained, it can lead to injury.
Additional facts and tips to consider include:
-Stance, strains and sprains: To best avoid accidents while improving your agility, remember to bend your knees and keep your feet together while in a slightly crouched position. As strains to the hips, knees and ankles are common when on the slopes, if you don't rest after prolonged, repetitive movements you risk further injury. Remember, a light warm-up before and a training schedule of leg exercises in advance will ensure you're less likely to stress or stretch the ligaments.
-Health: Alpine activities require orchestrated movement of the major muscle groups in the body.
The glutes, thighs and knees work in concert with the back, torso, shoulder and arms. When on the hills, these muscle groups become stronger and more flexible. As the bones and joints are tasked with weight-bearing demands, it can in turn lead to less bone loss due to osteoporosis. And it's great to know that just two hours of moderate skiing will burn more than 1,000 calories (excluding those you add in the après ski activities, of course).
-Fuel: When exercising in cold weather, your body needs more food and water to stay energized. Why? Because exposure to the cold causes the narrowing of blood vessels in the skin. Remember the three ingredients for sustainable energy: carbohydrates, calories and water.
-Drink water: The cold, dry air engulfs much of your fluid because the body has to saturate the air you breathe. Just because you're not hot doesn't mean you're not losing water through your pores, so drink up.
-Stoke the furnace: If you're a veteran alpine enthusiast, you know a hearty meal is needed to stay energized and healthy on the slopes. And since we know exercise burns calories and suppresses appetite, carb up more than usual.
-Pack the snacks: Grab those zip-lock sandwich bags and fill them with GORP (grains, oats, raisins and peanuts) or some other concoction of dried fruit and trail mix.
Then every fourth ride up the chair lift, take a minute to recharge your battery.
I think we're due to get the winter we've always wanted. If so, we'll be alpine bound on a regular basis. Follow the advice above to stay healthy all season long.
Dave Brown is the publisher and editor-in-chief of Ottawa Outdoors Magazine. He can be heard talking about the outdoors every Sunday at 12: 30 p.m. on CFRA 580-AM.