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Quick note from an old newschooler

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STAUSS
Posts: 8232 - Karma: 3,311
Hello,

My name is Jack and I live in Utah by way of Vermont. I've been skiing for 25 years and from ages 13 - probably 24 I was a pretty regular newschoolers user/ contributor. While I haven't used NS in the last 5ish, I have been skiing a lot and following the sport closely. Over the years I have transitioned from primarily park (competition, fun, filming) to all mountain freeride and ski touring. It has been a great adventure! I've been inspired by the generations before me as well as those that have come up in the last few years. It's awesome to see the multitude of different styles, forms, progressions of skiing out there.

So, I want to give some of you an unsolicited piece of advice/ cautionary tale to some of you younger fellows out there. It is one I wish I had heeded earlier. From banging myself on rails and hardpacked snow for a decade, several of my major joints (ankles, knees, hips, elbows, and shoulders) do not function as they are supposed to. I am 29 and have arthritis. I often wake up unable to do normal tasks, having to creep into my day slowly warming my body up to just put my socks on. My back is fucked up, deep pain that comes and goes randomly sometimes dormant for months, only to come back and floor me for a week.

I went park skiing for the first time this season two days ago and while it was really fuckin fun, and I didn't even really slam... I was unable to even walk the dog on my return home. Fuckin hobbled.

So basically my conclusion and advice is two fold: first... get into a training pattern now while you're young and carry on with it as you age. Strengthen your core and your back. If I had learned this when I was 14 I am sure I would be in a lot better shape. Get into a flow where you make it as important as skiing is to you. The second part is don't get tunnel vision. There is more to life than skiing park, shit there is more to skiing than skiing park. Learn other styles so you can make skiing a sustainable life-long endeavor. I am back-peddling now, spending 80+ days on the skintrack, which has be awesome and less intensive but perhaps starting younger I would have saved my joints.

Anyway, I'm sure a lot of you know this already but I also know there are some kids on here that do not. So please, take my advice and don't fuck your body up.

Keep those tips pointed down the hill and hope to see ya out there.
Mar 28 2019 12:10PM
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juanborlando
Posts: 3598 - Karma: 2,539
less booze, less tobacco, keep your core strong, eat decent and stay active. partying hard and skiing non stop while youre in your late teens to mid twenties are the best times there are, but it will catch up, trust me.
Mar 29 2019 4:48PM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51738 - Karma: 163,429
juanborlandoless booze, less tobacco, keep your core strong, eat decent and stay active. partying hard and skiing non stop while youre in your late teens to mid twenties are the best times there are, but it will catch up, trust me.


It's the best times, fucking send it. You can't be a total degenerate forever, but there's something special about them carefree times. If I could go back, I'd do it again, maybe even harder.

We'll always get older and look back on wilder days and thing "what in the fuck was I thinking"? Advice is good but I think most of us know/knew that drinking, drugs, etc was bad. There's something about that lawless vibe.

I say do it while you can, and adjust as you can't. There's more to life than skiing and partying, but if you're having a blast, not dead, and want to continue for a bit I don't see the issue.

I would def give myself a few pointers to steer me around some things, but other than that just send it. This year is the most comfy I've felt in the park in a decade almost(at least on days lapping with friends). Had strings of injuries and confidence suffered. Knees are fucked, back is fucked, brain is fucked. I don't regret it though. Getting in shape is great. Been trying to strengthen knees more this season and that's helped, kicked the craft beer habit and dropped a few pounds.

Don't do ridiculously stupid shit all the time, but don't focus so hard on the future you miss out on what's happening now. Older people talk for ages about the people, and places they came across while they were young. The wild times, their favorite stories. Don't be a idiot, but splurge a little bit, dip into your immortality.

You're only young once. Most people, even in good health aren't going to be skiing park when they're 40 regardless. Hell, a lot of people won't even be skiing. There's plenty of there's plenty of other shit to dabble in there, with the reckless times in the past.

The saddest thing to me would be to wake up and realize your 40+ and be bored with regrets.


"partying hard and skiing non stop while your late teens to mid twenties are the best times their are" fucking send it.
Mar 29 2019 5:19PM
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PsychicMigration
Posts: 2099 - Karma: 10,537
Glad to see some super og’s comment and share if their knowledge very humbling. Plus it makes acid look like a absolute dumbass for calling himself og.
Mar 29 2019 5:30PM
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jps2.0
Posts: 476 - Karma: 2,395
does anyone have any good yoga practices for skiing?
Mar 29 2019 6:05PM
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SuspiciousFish
Posts: 2781 - Karma: 16,812
jps2.0does anyone have any good yoga practices for skiing?


This is a good beginner DVD: Do the energizing one before you hit the slopes and the rejuvenating one with the girl after you ski.

https://www.amazon.com/Rodney-Yees-Yoga-Beginners-Yee/dp/B001F76OKC/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=rodney+yee+beginners&qid=1553897505&s=gateway&sr=8-3

In general, hip openers are really important and the standing poses will help your form quite a bit.
Mar 29 2019 6:14PM
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GayWolf420
Posts: 37511 - Karma: 121,338
Threads cuz I appreciate all your advice OP and as a dipshit 23 year old stoner myself, beginning to get into more stretching/fitness/wellness stuff not just for skiing but for everyday life. Small things like diet adjustments, supplements, vitamins, better sleep, etc., can all improve your game so much more, especially like some have said about the whole partying aspect of skiing. No shame in skipping beers during apres after a insane powday youre stoked on or even during if you just wanna focus on crushing it, no need to go barhopping everynight if you live in a ski town. Take care of yourself so you can get after the goods and kick everyones ass.


Might I also add that brain health is extremely important in my opinion as well. I battled back hard from a terrible concussion years ago though theres some damage that will be with me for life but I cant stress to NS enough about how yall should be wearing helmets. Seriously.
Mar 29 2019 6:22PM
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beckums
Posts: 342 - Karma: 631
I definitely think working out regularly is a big factor in sustaining a proper healthy body. You not only stay fit but really do train yourself to be prepared for that fall and injury to come when it does. I’ve done this for skiing for the past year, and it has greatly improved my ability to be able to spill bad and get up and still go for the rest of the day and the following ones.
Mar 29 2019 7:29PM
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osm
Posts: 76 - Karma: 338
i need to start stretching
Mar 29 2019 10:41PM
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Chunderface
Posts: 2523 - Karma: 9,923
I'm an old man now. But I had a full career as a bike racer. Retired from that and got a BJJ black belt, and competed and taught for years. I ski 60 days a year now. I don't ski park but I ski really goddamn hard. Been skiing my whole life.

This is the single best piece of advice I can give regarding this issue:

Yoga. Yes, its hard and gay and sucks or whatever the fuck. Just do it. Don't just try it. You need to do it at least 3 days a week for a solid hour at a time to really realize what it can do for ANY sport you're in. I've been doing it since 2006 and I 100% know it has allowed my to go as hard as I do. If you do it consistently, what it will do for your core, quads, hamstrings, KNEES, ankles, and just total body integrity can't be matched with weightlifting or crossfit or anything else long-term. It is super low impact (for the most part) and you can taylor it around injuries or fitness level, etc.
Mar 30 2019 1:26AM
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MCwiseman
Posts: 34 - Karma: 71
Idahoethis season was the first season I actually started to notice soreness after I ski, especially in my knees. I'm 17 and I've been skiing since I was little. I've been trying to strech before and after but it sucks to see your friends sending and know if you were to do that you probably wouldn't be able to walk once you get out of your boots.


22 years old honestly get on the bike, the first year I moved out west my knees were in shambles with mcl sprains on both sides. Learned the smooth controlled roll of the bike is really good for the ligaments around the knee, highly recommended to work into the routine. Haven't had any issues since and was even able to ditch my brace while skiing.
Mar 30 2019 1:55AM
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ReturnToMonkey
Posts: 6416 - Karma: 69,668
TubeBroYoga. Yes, its hard and gay and sucks or whatever the fuck. Just do it. Don't just try it. You need to do it at least 3 days a week for a solid hour at a time to really realize what it can do for ANY sport you're in. I've been doing it since 2006 and I 100% know it has allowed my to go as hard as I do. If you do it consistently, what it will do for your core, quads, hamstrings, KNEES, ankles, and just total body integrity can't be matched with weightlifting or crossfit or anything else long-term. It is super low impact (for the most part) and you can taylor it around injuries or fitness level, etc.

How would a broke kid go about getting a yoga routine without classes or those videos on DVD?
Mar 30 2019 9:42AM
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skierman
Posts: 8368 - Karma: 7,577
ZiggyZagSkzzHow would a broke kid go about getting a yoga routine without classes or those videos on DVD?


Youtube, you fuck.
Mar 30 2019 10:00AM
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SuspiciousFish
Posts: 2781 - Karma: 16,812
ZiggyZagSkzzHow would a broke kid go about getting a yoga routine without classes or those videos on DVD?


Just get the Rodney Yee Beginner DVD from Amazon, its like $7 and each exercise is like 15 min.

https://www.amazon.com/Rodney-Yees-Yoga-Beginners-Yee/dp/B001F76OKC/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=rodney+yee+yoga+for+beginners&qid=1553969015&s=gateway&sr=8-3
Mar 30 2019 2:04PM
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Chunderface
Posts: 2523 - Karma: 9,923
ZiggyZagSkzzHow would a broke kid go about getting a yoga routine without classes or those videos on DVD?


If I couldn't go to classes that I enjoyed there is for sure no way I would do it enough to get the benefits. I'd try Youtube, see how that goes. Plenty of free stuff on there.
Mar 31 2019 12:34AM
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bennwithtwons
Posts: 1413 - Karma: 11,525
don't forget that no matter how big or small an injury may be, giving yourself the proper amount of time to fully heal is crucial to longevity. you might miss an urban session or a pow day or two now but if you treat yourself well and ski within your limits you'll gain all those days back (plus some) in years to come
Mar 31 2019 12:59AM
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ChadThundercock
Posts: 3071 - Karma: 830
one word: steroids
Mar 31 2019 5:22AM
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STAUSS
Posts: 8232 - Karma: 3,311
To echo a lot of y'all, yoga is sweet. I do a lot of yoga. It helped me recover from that park day last week i referenced in the original post. Youtube actually has some good yoga classes. it's a little weird doing it in your house, alone to your computer but hey it's better than paying $100+ a month for a membership (unless you can afford that, then going to a yoga studio is fucking sweet). I've had some questions about other specific exercises. I do a lot of kettle bell swinging, planking routines, situp/ back up?, dips; a lot of kind of general lifting with free weights (chest press, curls, shoulder flys etc). In the preseason I do a lot of spinning and that rowing machine is pretty sick for a whole much of different ailments and just cardio. Get some friends psyched, make a plan, talk to someone with experience.

I started climbing a few years ago and that, like ski touring, has helped me want to get fit / eat better/ drink less (I sound like an old pedantic asshole here, not my intention. Those that know me, I don't think I know abortionator? know that I still love to party, hit cliffs, rip sick lines, and am definitely not trying to say "STOP SKIING PARK, YOU'RE GONNA DIE!"). I really value all the years I have had and continue to have to get weird and fuck shit up. I know though, if I had spent like 15% more time thinking about my joints, I would be in less pain right now. Yes when we're 40 or 50 we will all feel like shit. I'm not 40.

Just educate yourself and gain some tools to make skiing a lifelong endeavor. maybe talk to a coach at school, if you can afford a visit to a physical trainer, or therapist do that and ask em for some exercises. Also, listen to your body if shit hurts chronically then figure out why and how to fix it. I would, for years ignore nagging things that now I cannot ignore. I'm not an expert (far from it), just an old (fuck not that old tho right?) skier who came back to say whatup. Also cool to see some familiar names in here... On my first day ever hitting a rail in Utah (Brighton preseason box 2008!) I met Willem! Skied a lot with him and JB and got mad respect for them, the community and all the rad shit it has allowed us to see and experience over the years. keep doin the thing!
Mar 31 2019 6:48PM
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DominatorJacques
Posts: 11234 - Karma: 76,358
I don't stretch ever. I don't workout. I don't do yoga.
What I do as an older dude is keep it smooth as possible when I ski.
When I watch the park kids it's not hard to see who is smooth and who bangs things way hard.
It may seem cool to bang hard, but if you want to out last your skis, just keep it smooth as you can!
I know one park dude that still sends it pretty good at like 35 he will be soon. I call him Dillion Be-Smooth!
Oh BTW I am 58 now.
Mar 31 2019 9:04PM
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johnblaze
Posts: 1480 - Karma: 2,624
Transition from beer to tequila too so you don't get too fat when that metabolism slows down.
Apr 2 2019 11:03AM
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