Ski-lates

Everyone has an opinion on how to get in top shape for skiing: Pilates is my friend’s exercise of choice.  I find pre-season lunges stave off “burning thigh syndrome."  My brother cross-trains as prep—a little biking, a little skating, a little raking leaves.  One son swears by yoga (the other by tacos). 

But an old article in Balanced Body Pilates COREterly  (fall, 2007) touts “Skilates,” calling it the core of ski conditioning & injury prevention.  This program was developed by a  physical therapist and a certified ski instructor after they observed that even though people tended to ramp up their strength conditioning as ski season approached, improper workout techniques led to injuries  both as they prepared and after they hit the slopes.  They identified insufficient core stabilization and other muscle imbalances as major problem areas contributing to mishaps.

The article refers to parts of the body that I can neither identify nor pronounce but basically suggests that strengthening hamstrings can help balance overused quads which can prove beneficial when a skier tries to recover from catching an edge or works to keep skis centered under the their body.  The routines that this team recommends combine Pilates based movements that are specific to how we move on snowboards and skis.  Their goal is to simulate muscle recruitment and timing for certain ski and snowboard movements and to teach exercises that help to build stable knee and hip joints. The Skilates class also focuses on teaching athletes how to manage the quick trunk moves required to careen downhill in control without incurring the back injuries that can result from poor core stabilization and fatigue.

This 10 year old article and case study piqued more than just my interest and has been followed by other articles and videos that date to this fall.  They all have me convinced—Skilates is the way to train to avoid season-ending injuries.

Check out these sites for inspiration!

https://www.pilates.com/resources/newsletter/Fa07-Pilates-Skilates.pdf
http://www.composureactive.co.uk/?p=149

http://www.sportsister.com/2014/11/05/pilates-5-step-skilates-workout/

http://skilates.com/

So What if it Doesn’t Match?

As she approaches 90 my mom makes regular attempts to shed her possessions, but with memories attached to every item it is never easy to get through a purging session.   Most recently we were sorting through her pots and pans.  The familiar aromas of cookies and cakes baking to perfection don’t fill her kitchen very often any more so it seemed like thinning the cake pan collection could be an easy task.  Immediately I came upon a situation I often pondered but never asked about as a kid.  Four round cake pans, one 8 inch and one 9 inch that matched; and another 8 inch and 9 inch that matched.  Why not matching 8s and matching 9s?  It occurred to me that these pans became part of her kitchenware before I was born, had held the batter of every birthday cake I’d ever eaten, and must have been the first cake pans I’d poured my own creations into.  It was always just a given that regardless of which size an intended cake was to be, its two layers would never exactly match.  But why?

It turns out, when my folks got married Mom could afford two pans; and in order to have the freedom to bake different size cakes, she bought one of each size with the intention of buying a second of each size out of some future paycheck. So for a time, a two layer cake required baking one layer, then re-using the pan to bake the other layer.  A year later, with money in hand to buy two more pans, she got to the store to find that the design had slightly changed and it would be impossible to match the pans she already had.  So she reluctantly bought one each of the new style—the same sizes but ever so slightly different. 

With frugality like that, it is a wonder that we became a skiing family!  In spite of it being a relatively expensive sport—even in the 60s—every winter saw us forming family bonds on the slopes.  Buying equipment for five had its challenges so hand-me-downs and obscure brands were part of the deal.  But one year I was blown away when Christmas morning revealed a very cool pair of skis with a recognizable name—they were tiger-strip orange Volkls!  That winter, I was proud to shuffle along in the lift line where everyone could see them, but I couldn’t help but notice other skis like them were bright orange while mine were a muted version of the color.  I spent that season and the next looking for another skier wearing what I assumed was a special model of the iconic ski. 

Years later I learned that the muted color model was unique.  There was only one pair!  My parents did their Christmas shopping year round, picking up bargains wherever they could.  One summer while browsing in Herman’s World of Sporting Goods  they came upon an especially good deal—a pair of skis that were heavily discounted because they had become mismatched when the top one in a window display had faded from the sun!  The skis were just the right size for their 11 year old daughter so they brought them home and laid the brighter one on the window sill of their bedroom picture window.  With the curtains closed whenever I was around, I never saw the ski and by Christmas morning four months later the skis were identically faded!  I never knew my perfectly matched muted orange skis were an economical invention.

Mom wasn't able to toss the cake pans out last week.  From mismatched pans to mismatched skis, thank goodness my parents knew how to leverage what they had to get the essentials in life! 

Paraglide/Paraski!

Not one to follow the snow, I fight the initial signs of spring every year but then gently let skiing go as I rediscover my golf clubs, tune up my bicycle and raise the mast of my sailboat. Summer itself, and all the possible outdoor activities (that can be done with just one layer of clothing) becomes a distraction from skiing and then suddenly, fall creeps up and excitement about the new winter approaching eclipses the joys of warm weather activities.

This year, maybe due to global warming, summer is not leaving easily. An October weekend that other years could have been a leaf-peeping excursion to ski country became instead a bike trip to Block Island via the Point Judith Ferry from the Rhode Island mainland.

Car traffic on the main road out of town was minimal which meant that bicycles and scooters could travel safely in spite of the fact that there is no bike path out to Southeast Lighthouse. The brick beacon stood beautifully against the blue sky but the real delight was waiting just beyond at Mohegan Bluffs. A sight that brought skiing to mind on a summery day!

Paragliders were soaring, dipping and rising just off the cliffs and above the rocky waters. It was joyful, graceful, silent movement—except for shouts of encouragement from the ground and whoops of achievement from the sky—Just like skiers!

I've learned that these sails combine with skis in at least two ways—para-skiing and ski-gliding. The first is what the folks at Mohegan Bluffs were doing—with the addition of take-off and landing on skis. The second is being propelled by a parachute or sail across a flat, frozen surface. Ski gliding involves flying in the air; Paraskiing involves flying while earthbound. Neither one is recommended for people without a high tolerance for risk.

Go West!

Though there is dispute about whether Horace Greeley, in his 1865 New York Tribune editorial, or someone before him first penned the words “go west young man," there is no doubt that it was good advice for skiers.  A popular elementary school chorus song may say it better:

Go West, young man.

Go West, young woman.

Go West, and seize the day!

Go West, young man. 

Go West, young woman.

Your dreams will guide the way!

a librarian must ski bookends!

I recently headed west with a bunch of senior skiers who had at least as much enthusiasm and as the "go west" lyrics suggest despite their age bracket.  Their dreams were of "the steeps" "the trees" "the groomers" "the bowls" and the hot tubs! Snowbird and Alta ski resorts in Utah revealed their very best western snow in the winter of 2017 and those of us who headed west to seize the powder days were not disappointed.  Nightlife at these valley resorts was not as vibrant as at resorts closer to town centers, but traveling with a group means you bring your own party wherever you go.  This particular New Haven, CT ski club never fails to supply a good après ski experience. 

 A unique feature of the Snowbird - Alta Mountains relationship is the Peruvian Tunnel, opened in 2005, that connects them.   A “magic carpet” was laid down after blasting through the rock just as the early miners who used to inhabit the area did.  The tunnel walls are lined with mining memorabilia that makes the 600 foot long journey a mobile history lesson…and perfect YouTube fodder.

Western skiing is all that writers say it is.  Long runs, great snow and a silence that exists because skis and boards are not scraping against ice as they dig in to carve turns.  It took a little getting used to, but I learned to adapt to the ease of skiing in the west!

Ski Areas Welcome Sweethearts

Back in the Middle Ages when Roman Emperor Claudias prohibited young people from marrying (single soldiers fought better then coupled ones), a priest named Valentine would marry lovers in secret.  His illegal marriage ceremonies did not go un-noticed and he was beheaded for performing them--on February 14^th , 278.  

We all know how St. Valentine's martyrdom raised the stakes of romance.  And, lucky for me, my sweetheart knows how to leverage our relationship during ski season.  Mt Snow Ski Area, in Vermont, offers two-for-one tickets to couples in love on Valentine’s Day.  (They also offer summit weddings and renewing of vows at the site of a giant red snow heart on the mountain top.)  Other deals to watch for are $14 tickets (get it? The fourteenth?) at Sugarbush, Catamount and Mad River Glen—but be prepared to kiss your ski partner in front of the ticket window to seal the deal.  The Running of the Bridesmaids at Okemo puts skiers on the slopes in tuxedos and gowns in exchange for a discount—make sure nothing gets caught as you exit the chairlift!  The only thing that could add to a romantic day on the slopes would be equally romantic overnight accommodations. 

So our valentine ski trip included an overnight in a “tiny house” that offered plenty of space to relax and romance each other in après ski mode.

Apple Blossom Cottage: photo from Airbnb listing

If you were not as lucky as me and didn’t get invited on a 2017 Valentine’s Day Ski Getaway, start whispering ideas for next year into your lover’s ear.  Blogs to monitor next season include Snowpak which featured 5 “V-day” destination resorts this year (though only one in the east) and Ski.com which offered suggestions that accommodated various couple preferences—great skiing, great nightlife or great luxury. 

February is for lovers…who ski!