Newbie Skiier

meggmoff · Feb 10, 2015

Hi all,
So I recently went to Sugar Loaf Mountain over the weekend with friends & alpine zone. I had the best time! I took a lesson to learn how to ski and it was very fun & easy. Lets just say I didn't make it off the bunny hill but I am determined to continue skiing and get better. My biggest issue was I kept tensing up which caused my calves to hurt like hell. Any suggestions?? Sugar Loaf is a great place and I will continue to go every year with alpine zone!

Abubob · Feb 10, 2015

meggmoff said:
My biggest issue was I kept tensing up which caused my calves to hurt like hell. Any suggestions??

Probably not used to using those muscles. Maybe steer with your whole foot rather than your toes. And by all means - keep skiing. :thumbup:

Cornhead · Feb 10, 2015

Welcome, my only advice is to ski as much as you can. The more you ski, the more relaxed you'll become. You'll also strengthen those muscles used while skiing. Most of all, have fun!

meggmoff · Feb 10, 2015

Sounds good thanks!!

meggmoff · Feb 10, 2015

Thank you! I plan on making it a new hobby

Cornhead · Feb 10, 2015

Cool, I hadn't skied for nearly 20 yrs, I picked it back up when I took my Son skiing when he was 5, he's now 25, so I've been skiing for the last 20 yrs. Enjoy your new hobby, careful though, it is addictive. I think I'm up to 40 different ski areas that I've skied since returning to the sport. Hi, I'm Bob and I'm an alpineoholic...hi Bob.

dlague · Feb 10, 2015

Yup new muscle use for sure! As you ski more your turns will become more fluid and you will not tense up as much - well at least on easier terrain. It is all about confidence.

BenedictGomez · Feb 10, 2015

I remember taking hot baths after learning how to ski when I was young because muscles I didn't even know I had were sore. Skiing definitely exercises some muscles that see light usage otherwise.

ss20 · Feb 10, 2015

Find a small mountain that's cheap where you can practice. Take a couple of private lessons. Watch others from the chairlift. Don't be afraid to try new things. The soreness will go away pretty soon. If you're serious about making this a hobby, get some decent used skis. People on this site will help you out with gear and anything else you'll need.

BenedictGomez · Feb 10, 2015

ss20 said:
Find a small mountain that's cheap where you can practice. Take a couple of private lessons. Watch others from the chairlift. Don't be afraid to try new things. The soreness will go away pretty soon. If you're serious about making this a hobby, get some decent used skis. People on this site will help you out with gear and anything else you'll need.

All great advice. You should pretty much follow all of this.

dlague · Feb 10, 2015

ss20 said:
Find a small mountain that's cheap where you can practice. Take a couple of private lessons. Watch others from the chairlift. Don't be afraid to try new things. The soreness will go away pretty soon. If you're serious about making this a hobby, get some decent used skis. People on this site will help you out with gear and anything else you'll need.

BenedictGomez said:
All great advice. You should pretty much follow all of this.

+1

meggmoff · Feb 10, 2015

BenedictGomez said:
All great advice. You should pretty much follow all of this.

Yes very good advice from everyone! Thank you all

ss20 · Feb 10, 2015

meggmoff said:
Yes very good advice from everyone! Thank you all

Where are you in CT? We'll give you the intel you need. Which mountains to ski, shops to see, and coupons you can find.

legalskier · Feb 10, 2015

meggmoff said:
My biggest issue was I kept tensing up which caused my calves to hurt like hell. Any suggestions??

You need to find out why you're tensing up. I suspect it could be fear, at least in part, which is nothing to be ashamed of. Everyone has their own way of dealing with it. Skiing more & more will build not only your confidence but also your strength. Here are some tips:
http://www.yourskicoach.com/YourSkiCoach/Saying_Goodbye_to_Fear.html
http://www.skiing-without-fear.com/blog/
http://www.epicski.com/t/91196/how-to-get-over-the-fear-of-skiing

To paraphrase Yogi- "Skiing is 90% mental, the other half is physical." So here are some skiing exercises I do on off days that focus on leg muscles:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/138699-the-best-leg-exercises-skiing/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_RYVmpWDq4
http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/guide/strengthening-calf-muscles

Finally, it's good to stay loose with stretching exercises. I try to do yoga for that.
Good luck!

Nick · Feb 10, 2015

meggmoff said:
Hi all,
So I recently went to Sugar Loaf Mountain over the weekend with friends & alpine zone. I had the best time! I took a lesson to learn how to ski and it was very fun & easy. Lets just say I didn't make it off the bunny hill but I am determined to continue skiing and get better. My biggest issue was I kept tensing up which caused my calves to hurt like hell. Any suggestions?? Sugar Loaf is a great place and I will continue to go every year with alpine zone!

That's awesome! Glad you had a great time & glad to see you posting up on AlpineZone!

Bunny hill is great, we all started there, and Sugarloaf has a nice long one. Were you renting equipment? Rental boots can be ... pretty painful to say the least. Also, if you do things like tuck in your pants into your boots, you can create some pressure points no your calf and ankle.

If it's more muscle soreness, then it's probably what Abubob said and is just getting used to it. I'm sure when you first start skiing it's very tense! After a while (= days on snow) you will get more comfortable and can relax more.

Nick · Feb 10, 2015

And yes, small mountains are great - you don't need to head all the way to Vermont or New Hampshire to practice. Start at Sundown (if you are in Connecticut, which I think I read). Try to go regularly - if you want to improve, you should go at least 1x per week. You'd be amazed at how much progress you will make in 2 years if you ski weekly.

SIKSKIER · Feb 10, 2015

Your probably in the backseat too much.Many newbies tend to sit back defensively and this can be very taxing on your quads and calves.Actually,it can be tiring for high level skiers also.Try a little more neutral stance with your weight slightly forward to pressure your tips.

KevinF · Feb 10, 2015

ss20 said:
Find a small mountain that's cheap where you can practice. Take a couple of private lessons. Watch others from the chairlift. Don't be afraid to try new things. The soreness will go away pretty soon. If you're serious about making this a hobby, get some decent used skis. People on this site will help you out with gear and anything else you'll need.

I keep hearing this "watch others from the chairlift" advice being given to newer skiers... what exactly are they supposed to be looking at? Who are they supposed to be watching? When you're a beginner, everybody who is staying upright looks like an expert, but there's a lot of people out there who shouldn't be used as technique role models.

ss20 · Feb 10, 2015

SIKSKIER said:
Your probably in the backseat too much.Many newbies tend to sit back defensively and this can be very taxing on your quads and calves.Actually,it can be tiring for high level skiers also.Try a little more neutral stance with your weight slightly forward to pressure your tips.

Yep. Athletic stance. Knees and arms at slight angles. Your calves should be feeling the front of the boot. If your butt is in the back then your weight is in the back, which is bad. If your weight is in the back then the tips of the skis will be up and you'll have a lot less control.

When I'm teaching four-year-olds, I strip skiing down into the 2 most important things: "pizza" and basic stance. That's how important stance is.

meggmoff · Feb 10, 2015

SIKSKIER said:
Your probably in the backseat too much.Many newbies tend to sit back defensively and this can be very taxing on your quads and calves.Actually,it can be tiring for high level skiers also.Try a little more neutral stance with your weight slightly forward to pressure your tips.

Yes you're totally correct that's what I was doing! I tried leaning as forward as possible but it was hard for me to concentrate on the pressure of my feet & when I went to fast I would sit back again.

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