It snowed in several places this weekend. Snow – that complete and total sign of winter arriving and where there is snow – there is skiing. Skiing is one of the best forms of aerobic exercise and no matter how cold it is outside, one of the things I remember most about skiing is that you can actually get hot on a 4 degree day as you plow your way downhill whether it’s a green, a blue or a black. (Admittedly, I’m a bit of a coward, I prefer the greens – the blues are just too steep for me and don’t get me started on the blacks!)
What is it about Skiing?
Skiing is like a state of mind. There’s whoosh of the wind against your face as you swish back and forth down the green. There’s the cold, wintry air that actually has a taste. There are the clothes – oh yes – the clothes from the jackets, to the jumpers to the ski pants. You can wear tan. You can wear red. You can wear blue. Every person looks like a jewel against the wintry white backdrop and there’s so much fun to be had whether you prefer the black diamonds and the jumping over the moguls or the smooth, lazy greens that are as picturesque as they are fun.
There’s snowboarding too – not just the skiing. There is taking breaks for hot cocoa and warming up before you get back to the ski lifts. The great thing about skiing is you don’t have to be great at it to have a really great time or get a good workout. You build coordination, strength, stamina and endurance. The great thing about skiing is that you can be any age when you are learning how to do it. I’ve seen six year old’s whooshing down the slopes – arms out wide and yelling “I’m flying!” I’ve seen sixty-year olds strapping on skis for the very first time and laughing freely as they learn how to V their skies and plow for the first time.
As a sport, skiing is great for novices and experts – whole families can enjoy skiing and if you’re lucky enough to live within driving distance of a ski resort, you can get a season pass that lets you spend as much or as little time on the slopes as you can make it. Skiing may be a seasonal activity, but you can get ready to ski at any time of the year that you want whether you are training on elliptical, roller-blading, hiking, running or just walking regularly. You want to build up your leg muscles and your lung capacity. Still, the motions of skiing are a great way to keep lean and build lean muscle throughout the winter.
Just talking about it makes me want to head out to the ski slopes. We lived near them for years – I wish we still did. If you have the opportunity, check out skiing this winter and work with a ski instructor if you’ve never skied before. You and your whole family can reap the benefits from skiing.
Do you enjoy skiing?
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