Fit for the slopes

To reach your peak, Mark Frary, The Times skiing correspondent, tests two new machines that help to keep aches and pains at bay

Sunday January 15, 2005
The Times

Some things are inevitable about skiing holidays, such as glühwein-induced hangovers and fancying instructors. What may be avoidable, though, are the aches and pains you suffer after your first day on the slopes. With recent research at the the University of Vermont blaming these aches on microscopic muscular tears caused by a lack of conditioning, the key to escaping them may be to get fit first.
The Ski Club of Great Britain appears to agree. It recommends exercising two to three times a week for at least eight weeks before skiing. Getting fit reduces the chance of classic ski injuries such as tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in your knee.

So, how to get fit? Gyms have spotted a market in out-of-shape skiers and health clubs such as David Lloyd, Cannons and Champneys now run pre-season ski fitness courses. Exercise machines that emulate skiing are also becoming increasingly popular.

Skier’s Edge The Americandesigned Skier’s Edge has been introduced at David Lloyd clubs in Worthing, Sussex, Oxford and Bristol. This machine consists of a horizontal hand rail and two footplates which run laterally along humped tracks. The footplates swivel independently and can be set at different spacings to emulate various styles: close together for tight turns and wider apart to simulate powder skiing, which means skiers of all levels can benefit.

It exercises . . . Trying it out in Worthing, I could feel how the machine tones your abs, hip and ankle muscles, and instils the sense of rhythm that is so important in becoming a good skier. Jason Howard, a personal trainer at the Worthing club, says that five minutes on the machine should be combined with other exercises, particularly those that build core strength in the abdomen.

Realli-Ski An innovative piece of equipment called Realli-Ski offers an even more authentic experience. Currently available only in Canterbury, it comprises a rolling carpet that can be inclined at slopes of between 5 and 30 degrees to mimic everything from a beginner’s slope to an expert-only precipice.

It exercises . . . Jonathan Showan, the designer, says that his machine exercises the hamstrings, calves, abs and glutes. This is as close to the slopes as you can get inside a gym. Wearing ski boots and shortened skis called Snowblades, you can adjust Realli-Ski’s speed between zero and 16 km/h. This might sound slow, but it isn’t. Luckily, you are belted into a harness which cuts the power automatically if you fall.

As an experienced skier, I found the Realli-Ski a little unusual at first but soon got into the rhythm required to keep turning. Particularly impressive was the satisfying crunch of the carpet surface when you make a sharp turn. As with real skiing, your turns can be wide and leisurely or short and quick. Realli-Ski does more than boost fitness. Duncan Adamson, a qualified instructor, believes the machine helps you to learn 15 times faster than on snow or a dry slope.