Ski School Prep

[98Prostar205]

Well, looks like I'm gonna be going to a ski school sometime late spring/early summer. I haven't finalized the dates yet, but I plan on going to Coble Ski School. I know several of you guys have been to ski schools so I need you to fill me in on what I need to take with me, what I need to do to prepare, what to expect, etc.

[rodltg2]

Glove liners, and anything else to help your hands/blisters

[east tx skier]

What Rod said. Lots of athletic woven tape. Tape your hands wrist over each finger to wrist, then wrap your wrist with tape. It will save your hands. If you don't regularly use liners, they might make matters worse. Make sure you have the right sized gloves as well. Most people order too large. Use the sizing chart in an Overtons catalog. If they are too big, they will move around and blisters will follow.

I have started using the palm pads. They help a lot.

Hold the handle in your fingertips, and enjoy yourself.

[madcityskier]

Lot of crunches and squats. The back and legs tend to give out early if the hands hold up. I'd also say a great deal of openness to trying something new. If you go to a school for the first time, by the end of your visit you'll often find that your skiing is only peripherally related to what you were doing in the past.

[46Chief]

Crossfit gym for cardio and power and lots of dead lifts to toughen up the hands.

[98Prostar205]

I'm a 5x per week crossfitter for the past couple of year so I hope that will be enough to keep my cardio where it needs to be. Gonna focus on leg and lower back strength over the next few months. On the topic of hands, what type of gloves and liners do you guys recommend? East Tx, do you have a pic of the type of taping you are describing?

[h2oskiluvr]

Originally Posted by 98Prostar205

I'm a 5x per week crossfitter for the past couple of year so I hope that will be enough to keep my cardio where it needs to be. Gonna focus on leg and lower back strength over the next few months. On the topic of hands, what type of gloves and liners do you guys recommend? East Tx, do you have a pic of the type of taping you are describing?

I am a Clincher convert (technically Radar's version of the Clincher actually) and I have found these to be far less callous inducing. This might be an option to consider. Kevlar glove liners where helpful but I didn't like the extra layer in there as it made the glove tight and I felt my grip strength was decreased.

I have gone to five ski schools over the years and every time I went I had issues with my hands. They would be really tore up it affected my skiing by the end of the week.

I feel it because of the warm water, getting up at each end of the lake (twice if you fell) and pulling harder than you might normally do as you are excited about being there. It is really good to plan ahead and heed the advice of people who have been there before.

[mikeg205]

Make sure you get lot's of sleep at night - but you know that from your cross fit. Besides hands - your groin and hammies are vulnerable. Due to the amount of skiing you will be doing make sure you don't get a fatigue injury - like flipping over the front of your ski when tired. Some lactose threshold training will be beneficial - working out at the 80-90% level of your max heart rate. Do this a few times a week thru hi intensity intervals. This will train your body to process and buffer lactic acid buildup.

If you're going to train hard at the school get a heart rate monitor, if you start working in your 90% and up range - not hard to do if your cross-fit training - you want to stay out of this range otherwise your fatigue and muscle pain will not cease between days.

Or you could blood dope and where the best gloves you can afford

[Michigan Tim]

Wow Mike. Are you getting him ready for ski school or to go off to combat
I learned the proper preparation from Dirk himself.....gin and tonic curls

[mikeg205]

Originally Posted by Michigan Tim

Wow Mike. Are you getting him ready for ski school or to go off to combat
I learned the proper preparation from Dirk himself.....gin and tonic curls

I like the couch curls... but I also remember not being able to walk 36 hours after 90 minutes with Dirk (I assume you mean pine lake).

I bicycle alot - my short ride is 30 miles... and I try do that in about 90 - 100 minutes.. I felt so lousy after my 90 minutes at Pine Lake and couldn't ride daily when I didn't ski - till I learned about that.