Going away to college presents students with the opportunity to redefine themselves and to solidify who they are, and fashion is an essential element of that definition.
CU Independent

Build endurance.

We’re familiar with the body-types of many top athletes: we know that swimmers tend to be tall, muscular, and lean like Michael Phelps, and that cyclists tend to be smaller, strong-legged people like Lance Armstrong. But when you see skiers on television, you don’t really see what their body looks like. So it’s understandable if you’re a little confused about the type of condition you’ll want to be in case you want to be a more frequent downhill skier. Here are five tips that should help you understand a skier’s body.

Tip #1: Be a flexible runner. By “flexible,” we don’t mean that you should be a runner who can put their elbow behind their head. Instead, be a runner who avoids the narrow-track, treadmill style of running so many people employ today. Go running on a hiking trail, or find terrain that twists, turns, and challenges you. This will help build up the right muscle groups that will contribute to your overall strength when twisting and turning down the ski slope.

Tip #2: Build endurance. Skiing can be a day-long activity, so you can’t expect to go from couch potato to downhill skiing machine overnight. You’ll want to build endurance. Endurance is built simply by pushing yourself to go farther and longer than you did before – eventually, your systems will adapt to the demand you place on them and your endurance will grow.

Tip #3: Keep your legs strong. Mountain biking is a great way to accomplish this, working your leg muscles while putting you through some tougher terrain, similar to tip #1. Since skiing can be an unpredictable way to travel from A to B, you’ll want your legs to be strong and capable of adapting to different bumps and changes along the way. You can also incorporate a number of different leg workouts to build up leg strength.

Tip #4: Build your core. The “core” can be a tricky part of the body to exercise, so you might like this suggestion: play tag. Remember running around, twisting your body, and making sudden shifts in direction as a kid at recess? Playing tag is a great way to get that core going again; you will probably feel sore the next day if it’s been a while. If you don’t have anyone to play tag with, simply simulate it by running around randomly as if you were. You’ll look a little nuts, but you’ll also get in shape!

Tip #5: Practice what you want to become, and ski! If you want your body to adapt into a skier’s condition, there’s only one true way of getting there: you’ll actually have to ski. The other workouts can help you cross-train, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore the slopes.

Photo Credits: William A. Franklin

Originally posted 2010-02-02 03:40:48.

Ski Snowboarder

It snowed pretty hard wednesday night, about 16 inches where we were hiking. Almost too deep for the slope we were one and the steeper terrain didn’t quite have enough coverage. The powdersurf ruled the day although I had taken a new proto up for a test ride. Its intended to be a deep resort board. Fat at the waist and a short length I’m hoping it will be fairly manageable on the groomers but still have a powder skate feel off piste. It did good on the steep stuff but bogged if it was on mellower slope.

The back yard is taking shape and its actually snowing as I type. Still a few storms away from being rideable though.

Since you are a ski instructor, you likely learned to ski many years ago. That feeling of uncertainty at the sight of the long slog down the beginner trail is a distant memory to you. For our students, it is foremost in their minds when they start sliding down the hill. One of the best ways to understand your students’ feelings, and therefore be able to help them be successful in the lesson, is to become a student yourself.

I’m not talking about taking a ski lesson; we all know we can be successful in that or you wouldn’t be reading this blog. I’m suggesting you try an entirely new sport, with new skills and situations that will help you empathize with your students once you return to the snow. Hey, you might even have fun while you do it.

This past summer I took whitewater kayaking lessons with Liquid Adventures Kayaking School. I had a couple of lessons last year and a couple of rolling sessions this year, on flat water. Wave-free, no current, and very non-threatening water conditions. I still managed to tip my boat over on a somewhat regular basis, but overall my comfort level was fairly secure on that flat water. Boy did that feeling change one Sunday morning.

After some stroke work in flat water, we moved onto maneuvers in the current. At first I was pretty ok with the idea, we did a lot of work ‘attaining’ various spots in the canal, which meant the boat was pointed upstream and we were paddling against the current. Kinda like climbing uphill in the duck walk. But then my instructor introduced the idea of ‘ferrying’ across the river, from one eddy (spot of calm water) to another. He spoke of maintaining the angle of the boat nearly in line with the current, and paddling in order to move the boat sideways. This is where my uneasiness began.

The water was moving fairly swiftly (in my eyes, which incidentally, were wide open with fear) and some rocks underwater were causing little waves and unevenness in the water surface. Watching my instructor (Tom) demonstrate the move, I was convinced the current was going to flip my boat over. I sat back while the rest of the class made it across the water (Yep, I’m a classic ‘watcher’). With great trepidation I ventured into the current. To my surprise, I made it across fairly easily. Small victory over my fear. Until we started working on ‘peel outs.’

In a peel out, you move your boat from an eddy (that’s calm water) out into the current, and let the current take your boat down stream. Looking at the maneuver, I thought of the top of a garland, where we let our skis drift into the new turn just by letting them fall into the fall line. Then I keyed into what Tom was saying: “Lean your body in the direction of the current.” For those of you following along, that’s leaning downstream. At that moment, I was thinking, “Are you nuts? I’m going to lean downstream? The current will flip me!” Then I burst out laughing. I realized that my students very likely have the same thoughts when I tell them to move their bodies into the new turn—down the hill. A tentative move into the current and an even more tentative lean downstream and my first peel out was complete. Wow, my heart was pounding but I had a great feeling of accomplishment. Small victories really make us happy when we are learning new skills.

When we moved onto eddy turns I was ready for another “Fear Factor” moment. Imagine my surprise when Tom described the move as something akin to a hockey stop on skis. “You know, that quick sideways move skiers make to stop quickly.” While riding in the current, point the boat at a 45 degree angle to the current, and lean into the eddy (which is basically leaning upstream). I had a great big smile on my face as I completed the first one. I think part of my confidence stemmed from knowing that I could already do this move on snow, how different can it be on the water? After all, water is just melted snow. The transfer of skills really worked, and immensely helped my comfort level in trying the new move.

PSIA refers to this method of teaching as transfer of learning. (Core Concepts, 2001) Tom utilized my past experience in another sport to help allay my fears about a new task in the lesson. Not only was he responding to my emotional needs (putting fear to rest), he made a physical connection as well so some of my confidence was due to muscle memory in making a new move.

In your lessons on snow, try to bring your students’ prior experience into your presentation of skills. They will likely appreciate it and it may even help their learning. And don’t forget to become a student yourself sometimes. Not only will you learn something new, it may help you become a better instructor. Hey, you might even earn a bigger tip since you have become a better instructor. Knowing what they may be feeling will help you recognize fears, or other blocks to their success. I will add, that you might just fall in love with a new way to spend the off-season as well. See you on the river! Until the snow falls anyway…

Diva Ski Tips

The CU Independent will not publish Nov. 20 through Nov. 28. Look for more great stories Monday, Nov. 29!
CU Independent

Steamboat’s Record Season—was it really that good? Uhh…..Yea man, It was!

In a short-lived MTV sketch comedy show called “The State,” there lived a kooky, re-occurring, energetic character named Louie. He was the smashing hit of the party everywhere he went for wildly wielding two ping-pong balls and the timely catch phrase  “I wanna Dip My Balls In It.”

Good Morning Colorado powder Day!

With that attitude, I headed out Steamboat Colorado for the 2008 season. Yes, I wanted to dip my balls in the legendary Steamboat Champagne powder. (Figuratively of course, otherwise it would have been cold, troublesome, and possibly life threatening.)

Growing up in the eastern United Sates coast, I had long heard all the snow stories of the great western resorts. In particular, the tales told of the Rocky Mountain western town where ranchers and hippies coexist-Steamboat Springs. I had seen the famous montage of Warren Miller’s snorkel clad powder hounds blasting through waist deep POW with grins like Cheshire cats. I had seen the pictures featuring the surreal shadows of aspen trees staked through deep, dry, choking powder. These iconic, haunting, cornerstone images have hallmarked the “Champagne Powder” trademarked reputation the resort has come to enjoy and the one I wanted to get to know intimately.

The Chron-dola

My snow bum story started much like the rest. At the time, I was coming off a shakey, 2007 season that posted such buzz-kill as a 63-degree, warm, rainy New Year’s Day prompting the addition of “the snow bunny” to the New England endangered species list. I was struggling with the haunting decision of graduate school, as such my western dreams of powder were saddled on the east coast realism of post-grad poverty, weighted with student loans. I figured if I was going to be working my ass off and still had a pair good knee’s, heck, I might as well spend the winter driving them through some sick powder and figure the rest out from there. Bedside’s, grad school wasn’t going anywhere, and neither was Steamboat Springs, but the latter was well known as the territory that first introduced snow bunnies into the wild.

With barely enough money to cover two weeks of groceries and loaded with redemption, I touched down in Colorado mid-November ready to instruct, ride, and to dip my balls in a few glasses of that frozen crystal champagne. Well, the season stood me up on our first date and I wondered if somehow it had gotten word of my dubious intentions. Opening day was pushed back and pushed back again. With no ski lessons to make the “cashish”, it wasn’t a promising start. It turned out as with all things great, it was just biding its time to arrive fashionably late. At the exact moment when my last dollar went to a bag of enriched white rice and I had desperately convinced myself to do a “smash and grab” job on the local jewelry store to cover rent, it finally showed. It was like I had fallen through the wardrobe into Narnia, with my balls leading the way.  Yes, the stingy Colorado fall slinked out the door and in came Father winter, flipping the endless mountain sunshine switch “off”, pulling the blanket of dark grey clouds overhead and instantly making everything that stands, chandeliers of diamond powder.

Ned Cremin Cutting Down Trees

The season passed like the flash of a powdery face shot. My balls got dipped and they got dipped deep. So deep in fact, it was more like they got soaked. Steamboat received a record 490 inches over the next four months with three 100 plus months of snow in a row.  It was like I was living inside a giant snow globe that never needed shaking or as if I was living in a dream version of Groundhog Day. Daily, I staggered home up my walkway, dragging my feet through shin-high freshly fallen snow. My face reverse raccoon eyed, my hair statically charged like Einstein, legs wobbly as yogurt I would collapse on the couch. Immediately I would raise a chapped, triumphant fist into the air like Bob Marley and declare, “Today was the greatest day of My Life“.  A sweet routine indeed.

The 2008 season surpassed everything my balls or I, could have asked for. Buried in the powder all season, they didn’t make it out until April 6th…. when the mountain disappointingly closed despite over two feet in the final week and a 70-inch base.  I packed up to return home. I was at a loss for words when I tried to describe the season to friends and family. Ironically, the only phrase that somehow fit right was confessing that I indeed “dipped my balls in it”.

Tomas Hansen  “Feeling The Freedom”

Another summer of edging, mowing, and hedge trimming followed and I finally gathered the time to reflect on the winter high I had been riding. What happened between those sacred four months in 2008 will always be remembered as a spiritually heightened experience. (Shared with nature and…a few lucky snow bunnies as well)  It was a four month long climax from sweet, tender turns of love with the snow gods. As the mercury drops low here in 2010, I’m prepared this season to head back for my much-anticipated return. Hopes are high and my balls even stronger. But this season, my expectations are greater, and I’m setting the bar higher, and deeper, at the same time. This season, I’m taking on a whole new mantra for 2011—“I wanna dip My Nipple’s in it!

Tomas Hansen Burying The Knees

Ned Cremin currently lives in Steamboat Springs, Co. and is a certified ski and snowboard instructor.

Photos and words by Ned Cremin.

Homeboy Ski Blog

If you’re new to the sport of skiing, it goes without saying that you’ll want to find the right ski hill for you. The problem, of course, is that if you’re new to skiing, you don’t know what “the right ski hill for you” even means.

Luckily, there are ways to find out what this means, and there are even ways to start your skiing career with some good information. Finding a ski hill that suits you is about some of the common-sense things (such as logistics, location, etc.) and the not-so-tangible (such as fun ratings and service).

Here are some quick tips and tricks to finding the ski hill that’s right for you:

• Start with logistics first – If you’re looking for a ski hill in your area, and you realize that there’s only one within reasonable driving distance, that severely limits your options, to say the least. Before you start narrowing down a list of ski hills to visit, you’ll want to do a pretty sweeping search of ski hills in your area and find out if you really do have options. Having the logistics in mind, you’ll be able to choose between some higher-level diferences later.
• Research: read testimonials or, failing those, ask around – Online testimonials are great feedback to help you get a preview of what your skiing experience will be like, but there are other ways to find out about the ski resorts and ski hills in your area. Don’t be afraid to ask around, or even call these ski hills ahead of time to see what admission prices might be, open and closing times, and other vital information.
• Know what kind of time you’re after – Depending on the kind of skiier you are, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to make some more discerning decisions based on what the ski resorts appeal to. Family resorts are ideal for the novice skier since they’re more likely to include options like flatter hills, easy access to food and beverage, and other basic amenities. If you’re more advanced, you’ll be looking for something maybe more upscale and challenging.
• Sample – You can’t know everything about a ski hill before you go there, and let’s face it: research isn’t all that fun! So go on a little skiing adventure of your own design and actually sample what the local ski hills have to offer. It may take a few times to get a feel for how much you really enjoy one particular one, but the more avid a skier you are, the more this will come naturally to you anyway.

Keep in mind that skiing – unless you’re doing it for money – is about fun and exercise. Ultimately, snow is snow, and hills are hills; when you’re sliding down around a curve and feeling the ground moving beneath you, you’ll probably do best to forget the resort itself, cut loose, and have a good time.

Originally posted 2008-11-14 12:22:22.

Ski Snowboarder

Our early season dump kinda melted off. More snow in the forcast though. Southern Idaho still has some pretty good coverage. Check out what Jeff and Cory found. Hit the link to view the video > Early season launch!

It won’t be long now and the excitement level seems to be very high for the upcoming season. Just pressed a new, fatter 51″. Only a proto but should be able to accomodate deep conditions. Strapless just released a teaser. Man the Tahoe area has some STRONG riders. Can’t wait for this video to hit the masses.

Patricia Forget, a 19-year-old open-option major, is facing charges after being arrested with for a DUI and careless driving while riding her bicycle.
CU Independent

If you are looking for a great way to please your family, a ski vacation is the right choice. ski vacations are relaxing for the family and you can enjoy the various winter sport activities like skiing, snowboarding, sledding and tubing. Winter holidays are extremely popular in the state of Maine. Sugarloaf, located on Sugarloaf [...]
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