Recovery Time

[ToddW]

byronm,

Here's a page entitled "fit to ski" that was prepared several years ago as an aide to get instructors ready for opening day.  http://pmts.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=44&Itemid=18

You could also check out the exercises in the short paperback "Ski Flex: Flexibility, Fitness, and Conditioning for Better Skiing" which is out of print, but is available used from Amazon for very little or new for $49.

If you're really adventurous, you could emulate Bushwacka's amazing mountain biking off-season exploits.  That guy has built up some serious legs.

Until you finally navigate to that gymn place, think about energy efficient ski technique.  There's plenty of discussion of this on the web.  One source is what racers do.  They have to be very efficient to be able to cope with the physical extremes they encounter.  When scaled down to the level at which most skiers ski, this leads to high quality skiing with lower than normal expenditure of effort 

[byronm]

thanks guys....got Ski Flex on it's way....used from B&N for under $10 with shipping.
 
Got to buy a bike now..well..one without a motor anyway...not looking forward to that...I know zilch about bicycle's..any of you cyclers have suggestions for "entry level" bike. Do I need to go to bike shop or does wallyworld have decent enough models?

[Johnny2R]

This has been an interesting thread for me to read. It's probably revealed that I'm not really skiing hard when I ski, because I know I can go 6-7 days at a stretch without a break and not feel beaten up at all (I've stopped because of having to catch the flight back home, not because I've needed the rest). As a competitive distance runner, I'm certainly going to be way fitter than most people of my age (51), but I doubt I'm fitter than a lot of you guys. Mind you, not a lot of this is soft snow skiing, and I'm sure that makes quite a difference. Still, I must try harder!

[byronm]

SkiFlex book came in yesterday....starte d some of the stretches and exercises. Great guide for ski specific, stretch and exercises. It even has pictures for those like me who went to a small school...  
Rude awakening about how out of shape I really am...lots of catch up work to do....
 
Thanks TodW and Max