My six-month plan to go from being a couch potato to a mogul masher. I had a revelation and a wake-up call on the slopes of Heavenly Mountain Resort this winter while skiing a few runs with the resort’s director of skier services. I had not taken my own advice regarding pre-skiing conditioning or done anything to lose the pounds[Read More…]
Here’s What You Can Do To Manage Your Inevitable Osteoarthritis. If you’re a snow-sport enthusiast and subscriber to SeniorsSkiing.com, you are most likely a senior with an active life style. We know from our SubscriberSurvey 2015 that many of our respondents not only enjoy Alpine skiing, but also Nordic and snow shoeing, and you ski a lot. More than 55[Read More…]
Poling While Hiking Is An Exercise Multiplier Roger Lohr is co-founder and editor of XCSkiResorts.com and a noted writer on all the varieties of Nordic skiing. More than 10 million Europeans of all ages and fitness levels are Nordic Walking (also known as Ski Walking) with special Nordic Walking Poles. This new fitness activity turbo-charges the normal walking regimen burning as[Read More…]
Shifting From Snow To Summer Activities? Beware Of This New Menace. We’re starting to hike or bike in the woods between the receding snowbanks here in New England. We’ve just learned that you better make sure you review your tick-avoidance-and-protection practices. Powassan virus is yet another tick-borne disease that, according to this new report from CBS, can be lethal. So, this is[Read More…]
Is This Trendy Therapy Right For What Hurts? Just a week ago, a skier friend underwent stem cell therapy for his painful knee. Ever since, he’s been sending me emails extolling the wonders of this cutting edge technology. We’re all skiers and our knees take a beating over time, so when he began singing praises about adult stem cell therapy,[Read More…]
Cross country (XC) skiing is a terrific way to enjoy the great outdoors in winter. Is it great for older people that want to stay active? You betcha! From Roger Lohr, founder and editor at XCSkiResorts.com and prolific writer on cross country skiing The pleasures of XC skiing can be a wonderful change of pace for winter activities. Whether you seek[Read More…]
Huffington Post Features SeniorsSkiing.com’s co-founder Jon Weisberg On Light, Goggles and Lenses We’ve all been there. Flat light conditions, slow down, stop. Take your goggles off and put them on. Peer down the slope. Proceed slowly, cautiously down, perhaps calling it a day. In his latest Huff Post Post-50 article, SeniorsSkiing.com’s co-founder Jon Weisberg explores the impact of aging eyes[Read More…]
Carry Water On Your Back Like A Camel. In my younger days, my friends and I launched our adventures without giving a thought to proper nutrition, hydration and so on. On one fondly remembered camping trip, provisions were down to shredded wheat, peanut butter and warm beer, and we still had fun. Now we have the benefit of decades of[Read More…]
If you want to get back to skiing, learn to love your physical therapy. It took my expert knee replacement surgeon one hour to cut, saw, hammer and install each new knee. It took me a year to rehab them. I was astounded by how long it took. I was in good physical condition before surgery, and I had the[Read More…]
Lots of Chocolate: Nordic Ski and Snowshoe Events Collected By XCSkiResorts.com From Roger Lohr, XCSkiResorts.com: Want a guilt-free way to indulge yourself with food while exercising? XC Skiing is one of the best forms of aerobic exercise but if you go on a “Gourmet Ski Tour” on your xc skis or snowshoes, you may very well eat your way to[Read More…]
Adaptive Ski Instructor Provides Advice on Predictable Issues for Returnees Alisa Anderson, Smuggler’s Notch’s (VT) adaptive skiing program manager, is a highly-specialized PSIA instructor who, over the past 20 years, has applied techniques and tools for skiers of all kinds who need a little extra help getting down the mountain. She trained at the National Sports Center for the Disabled,[Read More…]
How To Identify An Athletically-Empathic Surgeon. I’m lucky to live in Salt Lake City. There are 10 ski resorts nearby, and there are opportunities for an active lifestyle year-round. Because of that, there are many top surgeons here who put athletes back together when they get injured or need replacement parts. But when I needed to have my knees replaced, I[Read More…]
Nationwide Health Insurance Program Supports Senior Fitness. Tune yourself up for ski season and beyond. Get started by checking your health insurance plan to see if it includes Silver Sneakers. It’s a nationwide program sponsored by many health insurance plans, and it encourages older adults to get fit in whatever way they want to. Silver Sneakers gives you access to[Read More…]
Here’s a Must-Read for Seniors Before They Head for the Slopes. Paul Petersen, who begins his 38th season running Bear Valley Cross-Country in California this winter, is 56 years old and comes with the kind of credentials that should make you sit up and take note of what he has to say! He’s been a certified alpine and cross-country ski[Read More…]
How’s Your Magnesium Level These Days? Feeling fatigued on the hill despite intense pre-season training? Muscles cramping during or after a day on the slopes? Magnesium deficiency may be the culprit. Magnesium, essential for normal muscular contraction and relaxation, is a key player in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body, including production of ATP, the main source of energy[Read More…]
Practical tips to help you evaluate surgeons Inspired by a Brighton, Utah, ski patroller with two artificial knees, I buckled down and researched the knee replacement process. I soon felt like I had a PhD on the subject. I’m glad I did the homework. It charted my course. Make a list. From my research, I generated 20 questions to ask[Read More…]
Carrying Identification Can Help The Ski Patrol Help You. Accidents happen. And when they do, the ski patrol will likely be your savior. But the patrol needs your help. Here’s what you should have with you every time you ski or ride–just in case. Carry identification. If you’re injured and can’t speak for yourself, the patrol will have to figure[Read More…]
Get Ready Now to Ski and Snowboard! Cold weather is approaching fast. Don’t procrastinate. There’s still time to get ready for the ski season. Fitness can help prevent injury, improve abilities and ensure a long, safe season. Alpine fitness programs routinely include movements to enhance balance and stability, strength, power, agility, mobility and flexibility. Workouts often combine exercises in a[Read More…]
Tips to Kick Start Your Research A Brighton, Utah, ski patroller with two artificial knees assured me there’s definitely life – and skiing – after knee replacement. Her unbounded success motivated me to launch into research. I’m glad I did my homework. What I learned affected the direction I took, the outcome and ultimately my success. Here are some tips[Read More…]
Inspiration Is The First Step. There’s a saying: If you can’t run with the big dogs, stay on the porch. I had to stay on the porch. My knees had quit, and I spent ski days mostly on the deck of the ski lodge while everybody else went skiing. I slathered on the sunscreen, drank hot chocolate and chatted with visitors.[Read More…]
Check Your Assumptions: Physical Obstacles Don’t Have To End Your Runs. The first time I witnessed blind skiers I was blown away. I assumed vision was a prerequisite for being on the slopes, but was I wrong! That was years ago. Today, adaptive sports programs around the country train both specialized instructors and the visually impaired. The National Ability Center[Read More…]
While a great mid-winter day on the slopes may nourish the soul, it can do the opposite for aging skin. It’s common knowledge that our skin changes with age. It becomes thinner, loses fat, loses sweat and oil glands, and generally takes longer to heal than it did in younger days. Fortunately, with a little extra effort, skin can be[Read More…]
It is a sunny and cold Thursday morning in early February. There are a handful of other skiers on the mid-New Hampshire ski area lift. I decide to go right at the top. Trail is untouched, the corduroy grooming marks fresh and waiting. I turn, effortless. Ahhh. I turn again, making a big, wide arc. The feeling is like floating,[Read More…]
