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Maintaining fitness while instructing?

rustypouch

Getting on the lift
Skier
Joined
Jan 30, 2018
Posts
168
Has anyone else struggled with it? Six weeks into the season, and I've already felt it slipping when I'm free skiing.

If I'm on the carpet all day, it's not really a problem, as I can skate up and around for a workout and to keep warm.

If I'm with students who are on the chair, it's mostly beginners and intermediates. It's low effort physically, while still taxing mentally. I'm still exhausted at the end of the day. I feel I should work out, but have a hard time finding the energy. Any thoughts, advice, or just suck it up and do it?
 

martyg

Making fresh tracks
Industry Insider
Joined
Nov 24, 2017
Posts
2,216
Can you fat bike / skate ski close by? I could load my fat bike and ride up groomed trails that the snowmobile tours used at our area.

Maintaining fitness while teaching was always an issue for me. At the start of bike race season I was gassed. It is one of the many reasons why I may not actively instruct in the futures.
 

LiquidFeet

instructor
Instructor
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Nov 12, 2015
Posts
6,697
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New England
Has anyone else struggled with it? Six weeks into the season, and I've already felt it slipping when I'm free skiing.

If I'm on the carpet all day, it's not really a problem, as I can skate up and around for a workout and to keep warm.

If I'm with students who are on the chair, it's mostly beginners and intermediates. It's low effort physically, while still taxing mentally. I'm still exhausted at the end of the day. I feel I should work out, but have a hard time finding the energy. Any thoughts, advice, or just suck it up and do it?

When you are on the carpet all day, is that satisfying in and of itself?
 
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Pako

It’s only skiing.
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Jan 1, 2020
Posts
10
Location
Alta UT
Have you tried a rowing machine for cross training. I love mine (conept2 rowing machine), I think it is a great cross trainer for skiing and mountain biking. Just getting on it twice a week for an hour does wonders for my conditioning for skiing and overall fitness.
 

karlo

Out on the slopes
Inactive
Joined
May 11, 2017
Posts
2,708
Location
NJ
Has anyone else struggled with it? Six weeks into the season, and I've already felt it slipping when I'm free skiing.

If I'm on the carpet all day, it's not really a problem, as I can skate up and around for a workout and to keep warm.

If I'm with students who are on the chair, it's mostly beginners and intermediates. It's low effort physically, while still taxing mentally. I'm still exhausted at the end of the day. I feel I should work out, but have a hard time finding the energy. Any thoughts, advice, or just suck it up and do it?
I get free skiing runs in before lineup and, having a quick lunch, at lunch break. And, I do the free skiing with intent. Short turns. Carving. Bumps. Whatever. I have also recently found that what I can get in is far more effective if I first warmup and mobilize my joints at the top of the lift, before first run down
 

LiquidFeet

instructor
Instructor
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Nov 12, 2015
Posts
6,697
Location
New England
Has anyone else struggled with it? Six weeks into the season, and I've already felt it slipping when I'm free skiing.
....I'm still exhausted at the end of the day.....

I'm curious about what you are worried about.
Do you get any muscle soreness afterwards? Any quivering muscles while skiing?
Is your exhaustion accompanied by your heart racing?
Is the issue simply total body and mind exhaustion without other symptoms?
Do you fall asleep ridiculously early once back at the house?
How different is this year's daily skiing from last season's daily activity?
 
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TS
R

rustypouch

Getting on the lift
Skier
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Jan 30, 2018
Posts
168
I'm curious about what you are worried about.
Do you get any muscle soreness afterwards? Any quivering muscles while skiing?
Is your exhaustion accompanied by your heart racing?
Is the issue simply total body and mind exhaustion without other symptoms?
Do you fall asleep ridiculously early once back at the house?
How different is this year's daily skiing from last season's daily activity?

Mainly, it's an endurance and exhaustion thing. When I'm freeskiing the way I like to, the lift ride doesn't give me enough time to recover between runs, so I need to take actual breaks on the hill. Plus feeling like I'm not getting enough rest in general.
 

LiquidFeet

instructor
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Nov 12, 2015
Posts
6,697
Location
New England
@rustypouch, the reason I asked all those questions is I'm wondering if it's some health issue that is impacting your endurance instead of the instructor job somehow making endurance go down.

Cardio fitness is what I think of when I hear endurance and exhaustion. Those things suffer when the heart is not delivering enough oxygen to the muscles, right? That can happen because you ask it to keep you going longer than it is used to doing, meaning your fitness level (VO2 max) is low given the task you are doing. Or it can happen because your heart is not providing enough oxygen for other reasons. Or it can happen because you are aging and your maximum heart rate is going down, as it does for all of us, and you are asking it to get to max rate and beyond when you free ski.

How old are you? Have you had your heart checked lately by your GP? You might want to eliminate such potential causes before assigning blame for your exhaustion to skiing around in a wedge with kids all day. My teaching days can be quite exhausting on their own.

I'm old (69) and skiing around in a wedge with kids or adult students behind me is more exhausting than free skiing bumps all day. I think I get exhausted because I'm old, the kids are short and clumsy, adult students are tall and clumsy, and the job involves keeping all of them safe. I just had my heart checked by my GP. Just sayin'.
 
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Corgski

Getting off the lift
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Dec 5, 2017
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375
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Southern NH
@rustypouch
Cardio fitness is what I think of when I hear endurance and exhaustion. Those things suffer when the heart is not delivering enough oxygen to the muscles, right? That can happen because you ask it to keep you going longer than it is used to doing, meaning your fitness level (VO2 max) is low given the task you are doing. Or it can happen because your heart is not providing enough oxygen for other reasons. Or it can happen because you are aging and your maximum heart rate is going down, as it does for all of us, and you are asking it to get to max rate and beyond when you free ski.
I agree that someone hitting their aerobic limits while downhill skiing could be a cause for concern. But exhaustion and endurance is not necessarily cardio/aerobic. Downhill skiing, like many sports, is more anaerobic, you can be in great shape from a cardio/aerobic perspective but have limited anaerobic endurance. I would think in downhill skiing most people would hit the limits of their anaerobic capacity way before their aerobic capacity.

I am open to correction here, but my understanding is that anaerobic training develops aerobic capacity but aerobic training does not tend to develop anaerobic capacity. Also aerobic endurance training focuses primarily on slow twitch muscle fibers, much of our strength and ability comes from the anaerobic fast twitch muscle fibers. Bit of a paradox that long distance running can actually slow you down and slower strength exercises can make you faster. Basically strength first, then perhaps something like HIIT, then maybe traditional aerobic training coming in last. Which seems almost like blasphemy for those of who remember the old 1980s style workouts.
 
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no edge

Out on the slopes
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May 17, 2017
Posts
1,300
I agree that someone hitting their aerobic limits while downhill skiing could be a cause for concern. But exhaustion and endurance is not necessarily cardio/aerobic. Downhill skiing, like many sports, is more anaerobic, you can be in great shape from a cardio/aerobic perspective but have limited anaerobic endurance. I would think in downhill skiing most people would hit the limits of their anaerobic capacity way before their aerobic capacity.

I am open to correction here, but my understanding is that anaerobic training develops aerobic capacity but aerobic training does not tend to develop anaerobic capacity. Also aerobic endurance training focuses primarily on slow twitch muscle fibers, much of our strength and ability comes from the anaerobic fast twitch muscle fibers. Bit of a paradox that long distance running can actually slow you down and slower strength exercises can make you faster. Basically strength first, then perhaps something like HIIT, then maybe traditional aerobic training coming in last. Which seems almost like blasphemy for those of who remember the old 1980s style workouts.


This is spot on in my opinion. Some aerobic training is ok but that is not the energy system that is used in skiing. When someone is skiing and finds themselves sucking wind, that does not call for long, slow, distance type training.

I believe that strength is lost quickly during the winter unless one is lifting heavy or skiing a lot. This is especially true as one ages. Use deadlifts, front squats, back squats with the bar, not machines. Technique is important so coaching is a must for the newcomer. It is often suggested that women do weight bearing strength training. That's what lifting is - not machines.

Uphill running is great for the hams. I like cleans, too. Many trainers suggest 8 plus reps. Start off slow but lift heavy 4 to 6 reps, and down to 3/2/1. Not too many times per week and add some upper body lifts. It works and it is fun.
 

Ken_R

Living the Dream
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Joined
Feb 10, 2016
Posts
5,775
Location
Denver, CO
Has anyone else struggled with it? Six weeks into the season, and I've already felt it slipping when I'm free skiing.

If I'm on the carpet all day, it's not really a problem, as I can skate up and around for a workout and to keep warm.

If I'm with students who are on the chair, it's mostly beginners and intermediates. It's low effort physically, while still taxing mentally. I'm still exhausted at the end of the day. I feel I should work out, but have a hard time finding the energy. Any thoughts, advice, or just suck it up and do it?

Hot Yoga. Try it. Even done once or twice a week it will make a difference.
 
Thread Starter
TS
R

rustypouch

Getting on the lift
Skier
Joined
Jan 30, 2018
Posts
168
What altitude do you teach at?

I mostly ski in the Canadian Rockies, so elevation isn't really an issue.

Since things have shut down, I'm feeling much better. I think it was mostly a lack of rest. I've got the summer to think about how to deal with it next season.
 

CalG

Out on the slopes
Pass Pulled
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Feb 5, 2017
Posts
1,962
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Vt
I run a bike on rollers whenever I question my fitness.

30 seconds in each of 21 gear sets does it ;-)
 

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