In winter we’re all skiers. In summer our adventures take different forms but the focus remains the same – to get ready for skiing again. We cycle, climb, run and hike. We train our bodies, and our minds. We enjoy the warmer weather and longer days but one thing is always on our mind – winter is coming.
Wherever your summer adventures take you, getting ready for skiing requires body and mind preparation. We collaborated with Uphill Athlete to develop a training program specifically catered to skiers, and we spent a day on the mountains with two of our athletes to see how they prepare for winter.
"For 15 years I have been getting people ready for skiing."
Meet Neil Maclean-Martin - Chamonix sports physiotherapist, mountain athlete and coach. When we found his CHAMONIX MOUNTAIN FIT program at UphillAthlete.com we realised skiers could get more out of their great equipment and have an even better mountain experience from day one, on each of those precious days.
The workout developed by Neil is forty minutes long, covering the main elements of training with lots of progressions and specifics for downhill, free ride, touring and Nordic. Everything a skier needs.
The workout developed by Neil is forty minutes long, covering the main elements of training with lots of progressions and specifics for downhill, free ride, touring and Nordic. Everything a skier needs.
We joined two of our athletes in their own backyards on a summer day to see how they’re preparing for an unforgettable winter season to come. We met freerider Ari Tricomi deep in the Dolomites in Italy, her homebase. Ari is one of the best freeriders in the world and a three-time world champion. Fun and freedom are at the core of her riding, whether she’s sending it down steep mountain faces, charging through powder, or hitting the park.
"It’s not always easy. But it’s what makes me happy.”
Ari filles her days with biking, surfing and climbing, and discovered more than just physical strength along the way. These are the mountains where she grew up, her playground from a young age, and her joy is contagious.
Climbing requires immense full-body strength and endurance, but also provides more than just a physical challenge. It trains the mind to overcome fear and challenges to stay in the zone. It is a thrill. An individual endeavour that also strongly binds people together.
“Climbing has made me very, very strong in my head, and I’m super thankful for that”.
There’s an element of fear – a slow fear – as Ari describes it. Training the mind to be calm and keeping the breath steady has clear benefits when it’s time to click in to the skis.
Ari approaches climbing with the philosophy of fun and freedom as she has on skis. She sees it as a mental game. She knows it’s going to put her in uncomfortable and serious situations that she needs to solve and find a way through.
Climbing requires immense full-body strength and endurance, but also provides more than just a physical challenge. It trains the mind to overcome fear and challenges to stay in the zone. It is a thrill. An individual endeavour that also strongly binds people together.
“Climbing has made me very, very strong in my head, and I’m super thankful for that”.
There’s an element of fear – a slow fear – as Ari describes it. Training the mind to be calm and keeping the breath steady has clear benefits when it’s time to click in to the skis.
Ari approaches climbing with the philosophy of fun and freedom as she has on skis. She sees it as a mental game. She knows it’s going to put her in uncomfortable and serious situations that she needs to solve and find a way through.
On the other side of the mountain, we caught up with our skimo athlete Davide Magnini. Usually found rocketing uphill on skis in winter, his summer challenge is trail running the Dolomites of Alta Badia.
"I just love getting lost on these moments."
For Davide, trail running is an essential part of his training regime. Different terrain provides different opportunities, all of which are key when the skimo season begins. The lower forests give an opportunity to train his speed, while the steep high mountains provide the perfect environment for increasing power and strength. Foot placement, line choices, and knowing when to push and when to cruise are crucial both on foot and on skis.
Trail running also provides a much-needed mental break. The same trails in winter take on a whole new form in summer, a fresh perspective. Wildflowers bloom where powder pockets once were and the contour of the land becomes more obvious. If you’re on holiday and longing for the mountains, finding a local trail can offer a mini adventure and chance to explore.
“Trail running is one of my favourite things, and one of my favourite training sessions to prepare for the winter skimo season.”
Trail running also provides a much-needed mental break. The same trails in winter take on a whole new form in summer, a fresh perspective. Wildflowers bloom where powder pockets once were and the contour of the land becomes more obvious. If you’re on holiday and longing for the mountains, finding a local trail can offer a mini adventure and chance to explore.
“Trail running is one of my favourite things, and one of my favourite training sessions to prepare for the winter skimo season.”
