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Hi, whenever I go skiing after like the second run I start to get really bad soreness and sometimes cramps in my quads, and I often shake uncontrollably in the legs. I don't ski very often mabey 8-10 times a year. Does this mean I just dont ski often enough or am I doing something wrong. I should ad that im an intermediate skier who skis mostly blue squares and black diamonds. Does anyone know of some excercises I could try that could help with my issue?
Thanks
-Cade
TDD536Having soreness/shaking/cramps on your second run is not natural. Do you have a proper fitting boot?
I use my dads Boots, we wear the same shoe size with my toes being mabey 2-3mm longer then his. I have never gone to get fitted for boots before and I dont really know how a boot is supposed to feel if it fits. The boots I use are 27.5 and my toes are not really scrunched but they do push up against the toe box of the boots. I also am able to lidt my heals in the boot about 5-10mm when most of the buckles are as tight as they go. Idk if this info helps but this is how the boots feel.
It sounds like you might be dehydrated, definitely would suggest drinking more water as that could cause the shakes and cramping. Also you could work on your leg strength with excercing such as squats etc.
I strongly recommend getting your legs stronger if you're trying to become a more confident skiier. Get a good burn on the resistance bike, stare master, wall sits, squats, leg press, box jumps, lunges with weights, monster walks with resistance band, etc... just get a consistent "leg day" routine going and you're skiing will benefit. This is also a good way to prevent injury.
Don't forget to stretch!!! Before, during, and after your workout as well as skiing... fuck what people think about that, blowing your knee sucks ass. A proper stretch and post ski bike session should really help with soreness.
drink a lot more water, do squats, go running (pref trail running or hill or stair sprints), go biking, walk up hills backwards, youll be stronger in no time!
It could be many or one of many causes. Weak legs, ski technique, and/or poor fitting boots come to mind. A lot of beginner skiers tend to "sit on the backseat", or lean back while skiing. This is like staying in a bodyweight squat position all the way down the mountain which will tire out your thighs. If you don't have good fitness/strength in your legs then the effect is even greater. Sometimes if your ski boots don't give you proper support or if they don't fit properly that can also cause you to overwork your muscles, especially for non-advanced skiers.
Having read the leg work suggestions in this thread I will say it's also important to strengthen your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. Having muscle imbalances can lead to all sorts of trouble (including weak knee ligaments), so if you work your quads work everything else too.
Muscles have a "use it or lose it" quality to them. If you're not skiing very much (8-10 times a year like you said) this means all the smaller muscle connections between your larger muscles are underworked and underused. You have very strong muscles in your legs, hamstrings, quads, glutes, those are large surface covering muscles, meaning they get used the most. You have smaller muscles underneath and between those that don't get the same use by walking around or doing non-specific exercises. Your body uses those bigger, stronger muscles cus we look for the "easiest" most energy efficient way to get the job done. That's why you're sore and shaky, the smaller muscles are now being used in ways they haven't been the rest of the year. There's nothing wrong with it other than you need to strengthen those muscles.
Bosu ball squats (cus they're my favorite): take a Bosu ball half (the one with the hard plastic bottom) turn it upside down so the plastic is facing up, get up on to the Bosu ball and do squats, hold for 10 seconds at the bottom. The reason this works is cus you're forcing those smaller connections to activate while you're balancing. You don't have to use weights, it just forces you to use more muscles to hold your body stable. Core: always core, everything core, if you're not doing core you're going to have a bad time. Any type of core, if you want to get core and legs at the same time, look for exercises that require a level of balance control. V-sits, single legged deadlifts, yoga (no seriously, I thought oh it's yoga, whatever, no it kicks your ass if you do it right). Anything that gets you shaking means your body is fighting the pull of bigger muscles and using smaller ones. Some more core focused exercises are things like leg lifts, Russian twists, planks, push ups will get ya too.
Cardio: jump rope is good for more plyometric moves if you're down with that, I would suggest something with more resistance for the leg issue, rowing machine or a spin bike. I almost solidly used a spin bike when I had a spinal injury cus I wasn't allowed weights or too much bending motion. Gets the legs pretty good while strengthening your cardio endurance. Meaning when you're out skiing, you'll have a higher cardiovascular endurance but cus you were using a machine that you can change the resistance on, your muscles will be able to use the oxygen you're breathing in more effectively. Rowing is solid cus it gets everything top to bottom if you have good form, chest, arms, core, legs, solid everywhere. Good cardio endurance has a direct impact on muscular endurance.
Calf exercises: don't neglect this sh*t, you always see guys walking around with a massive upper body and no calves. I don't care what people think on this one, it's important. Do a proper calf raise by bending your knees, if you don't bend your knees and have locked legs while doing calf exercises, you're mostly just working your hamstrings and glutes. Two powerful muscle groups that will begin to pull your backline tense, leaving your frontline/core to weaken.
Before I sound like a lecture-based class, try to think of your body as your whole self. That means what you strengthen year round will be there for you to access when you need it. The first few days of a season are always going to wipe you out a big, it's a given, but you can diminish it by keeping up on your strength the rest of the year. It's not about getting the swollest body, I see guys everyday who have massive biceps, but cus they were sat at the gym doing preacher curls, they have tiny forearms. Big biceps and tiny forearms don't function well for athletic purposes. Just like massive quads but no calf or core isn't going to function well for skiing. Use your body in the gym for the purpose of using it outside the gym for real function. You don't have to get huge, you don't have to make it perfect but I really think working full body brings awareness in everything you do, especially when it comes to athletics.
SkierBetchMuscles have a "use it or lose it" quality to them. If you're not skiing very much (8-10 times a year like you said) this means all the smaller muscle connections between your larger muscles are underworked and underused. You have very strong muscles in your legs, hamstrings, quads, glutes, those are large surface covering muscles, meaning they get used the most. You have smaller muscles underneath and between those that don't get the same use by walking around or doing non-specific exercises. Your body uses those bigger, stronger muscles cus we look for the "easiest" most energy efficient way to get the job done. That's why you're sore and shaky, the smaller muscles are now being used in ways they haven't been the rest of the year. There's nothing wrong with it other than you need to strengthen those muscles.
Bosu ball squats (cus they're my favorite): take a Bosu ball half (the one with the hard plastic bottom) turn it upside down so the plastic is facing up, get up on to the Bosu ball and do squats, hold for 10 seconds at the bottom. The reason this works is cus you're forcing those smaller connections to activate while you're balancing. You don't have to use weights, it just forces you to use more muscles to hold your body stable. Core: always core, everything core, if you're not doing core you're going to have a bad time. Any type of core, if you want to get core and legs at the same time, look for exercises that require a level of balance control. V-sits, single legged deadlifts, yoga (no seriously, I thought oh it's yoga, whatever, no it kicks your ass if you do it right). Anything that gets you shaking means your body is fighting the pull of bigger muscles and using smaller ones. Some more core focused exercises are things like leg lifts, Russian twists, planks, push ups will get ya too.
Cardio: jump rope is good for more plyometric moves if you're down with that, I would suggest something with more resistance for the leg issue, rowing machine or a spin bike. I almost solidly used a spin bike when I had a spinal injury cus I wasn't allowed weights or too much bending motion. Gets the legs pretty good while strengthening your cardio endurance. Meaning when you're out skiing, you'll have a higher cardiovascular endurance but cus you were using a machine that you can change the resistance on, your muscles will be able to use the oxygen you're breathing in more effectively. Rowing is solid cus it gets everything top to bottom if you have good form, chest, arms, core, legs, solid everywhere. Good cardio endurance has a direct impact on muscular endurance.
Calf exercises: don't neglect this sh*t, you always see guys walking around with a massive upper body and no calves. I don't care what people think on this one, it's important. Do a proper calf raise by bending your knees, if you don't bend your knees and have locked legs while doing calf exercises, you're mostly just working your hamstrings and glutes. Two powerful muscle groups that will begin to pull your backline tense, leaving your frontline/core to weaken.
Before I sound like a lecture-based class, try to think of your body as your whole self. That means what you strengthen year round will be there for you to access when you need it. The first few days of a season are always going to wipe you out a big, it's a given, but you can diminish it by keeping up on your strength the rest of the year. It's not about getting the swollest body, I see guys everyday who have massive biceps, but cus they were sat at the gym doing preacher curls, they have tiny forearms. Big biceps and tiny forearms don't function well for athletic purposes. Just like massive quads but no calf or core isn't going to function well for skiing. Use your body in the gym for the purpose of using it outside the gym for real function. You don't have to get huge, you don't have to make it perfect but I really think working full body brings awareness in everything you do, especially when it comes to athletics.
So ah, go forth and get yourself solid!
Did you really just recommend bosu ball squats for an athlete? Lol.
And curiously, if your ankle is locked tightly in mild dorsiflexion, how are calve exercises going increase skiing performance?
And curiously, if your ankle is locked tightly in mild dorsiflexion, how are calve exercises going increase skiing performance?[/QUOTE]
Honestly that was more of a just in general type of thing. I dunno I personally find it helps me, it's not going to damage someone to see if it works for them.
