How Skiers Can Rejuvenate After a Day on The Slopes

 

Skiers know how exhilarating a great day on the slopes can be. It’s only when you stop that you realize just what kind of a workout you put your muscles through. If you’re experiencing aches in your back, hips, thighs, and calves, consider these ideas for rejuvenating after skiing.

Prepare Before Ski Season

The best way to ensure a good post-skiing recovery is to make sure you’re in good shape before ski season even begins. Cardiovascular exercises like running, biking, and using a treadmill or elliptical machine can help you increase stamina.

 

Use weight machines to build strength, incorporate stretching exercises to enhance flexibility, and try yoga to improve mobility. In addition, eating well and maintaining a healthy weight will improve your performance when you hit the slopes.

 

Before and During Skiing

Before stepping into your skis for the day, start your morning by doing a series of stretches like squats, lunges, and torso rotations to make your body loose and limber. Have a balanced breakfast with plenty of complex carbs and protein (e.g., eggs, whole-wheat toast, oatmeal, and fruit) to fuel your body for physical activity. To help with endurance, start hydrating before you even get on your first chairlift, and continue drinking water throughout the day.

 

Apres-Ski: Hot Tub Relief

At the end of your ski day, you may experience pain in muscles you didn’t even realize you had. One of the best ways to find relief is by heading to the hot tub. Hot tubs didn’t get to be a staple at ski resorts around the world without good reason. They are among the best ways to soothe aching muscles. Some skiers prefer the combination of an ice bath followed by a soak in a hot tub. The ice reduces muscle inflammation, while the hot water provides relief from soreness. The same results can be achieved by using a cold compress followed by a hot compress.

 

So, whether you’re staying at a ski resort or heading home from the slopes to enjoy your own Jacuzzi® Hot Tub, spending 15 to 30 minutes with jets of warm water pulsating against your muscles will make them feel like new again.

 

Replenish Your Energy

 

Just as eating a good breakfast is an important way to start your ski day, having a healthy dinner is an important way to end it. Again, focus on carbs and protein (lean meats, whole-wheat pasta, mixed vegetables, etc.) to replenish your energy. Also, make sure you get a good night’s sleep, since rest is one of the best ways for your body to heal itself.

 

Pamper Yourself With a Massage

 

If your muscles are still balking, a sports massage or hot tub hydromassage can be another effective way to recuperate. The advantages of a massage are many. It can help relieve soreness, improve circulation, improve flexibility, and help muscles recover from strains or pulls.

 

Following these steps will allow you to make the most of every ski day and leave you feeling relaxed and rejuvenated—just like a vacation is meant to do.

 

Heading to the slopes abroad? Explore these 5 best places to ski and snowboard in Europe first.