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Improve Your Skiing Skills For Intermediates

Get a different perspective on the ski Canada resort and an opportunity for the whole family to enjoy the mountain under the sunshine no matter what type of activity you enjoy. In this article we share some hints and tips to make your skiing more fluid and less like hard work. This article is aimed at those with some skiing ability and experience who feel ready to take the next step and move up tot the next level.

The definition of an intermediate skier varies greatly, there is no set way to determine who is and is not at the intermediate level. Usually they will have a fair amount of experience, perhaps 4-10 week’s worth of skiing under their belts. They may be at ease on green, blue, and red runs, turning comfortably and confidently, though perhaps as yet unwilling to try more expert slopes, or able to complete them but with less confidence.

It can be hard to take the next step once we have largely mastered the green, blue, and red runs of the mountains. The next step is quite a big one, more of a transition than green to blue or blue to red. That said you will find the whole experience less exhausting and get more from the slopes if you exercise before you go and maintain a regular set of ski orientated exercises while you are away.

Fitness is extremely important when skiing, and your level of fitness will affect not only the quality of your skiing but how long you can physically stay on the slopes. By investing in your fitness in the months leading up to your ski holiday you stand to get more value for money as you should be able to ski for longer each day than those less fit.

Your legs take a lot of the pressure while skiing, and the better shape they are in, the easier you will find it to control your skis and the longer you can be out on the slopes without aching muscles. Your core muscles also play a big role in your ability to ski for longer and with ease. So strengthening these is also crucial. Always read up on the best way to exercise before you begin.

It is also important for an intermediate skier to maintain their confidence. It is easy to feel that we have lost the skill, with 12 months normally passing between trips and a stay duration of a few days or two weeks per year. Try not to underestimate yourself or knock your own confidence, with a little practice and muscle memory it should all come back quickly. Poor confidence leads to mistakes, falls, and a further drop in confidence.

Revisit a training centre or ski instructor to ‘fine tune’ your stance and balance. Even confident skiers can fall into bad habits over time and you may find you are working harder than you need to or causing aches and pains that could be minimised. You may wish to consider taking a few more skiing lessons one in one, even if you are quite competent. Group lessons do not allow for the differences between individuals and a blanket style is usually applied with suits some skiers better than others. There is always more to learn and an extra couple of lessons may be enough to tip you out of intermediate and into the more ‘expert’ share of the skiing fraternity.

Let’s Bust Some Pilates Myths

Our beauty salon Northern Beaches are professional, high quality, enjoyable and – most of all – affordable. Pilates has definitely come of age and it’s a trend that’s here to stay. Today, celebrities, sportspersons, working professionals and business people are turning to thisexercise form, and with good reason. But there are a number of myths surroundingPilates and in this article, webust some of them:

Myth 1: Pilates will help you lose weight fast

You may have read about how Pilates can help you lose weight fast, but this isn’t exactly the case. While the exercise form has a number of distinct benefits, it strongest one isn’t weight loss. When it comes to pure fat loss and calorie-burning, cardiovascular exercises like jogging, running, riding a bike etc. will be far more effective than Pilates.

However, because Pilates is excellent for strengthening your core,improving flexibility and reducing the risk of injury, it allows you to work out in a more consistent manner. When you do Pilates regularly, you will feel more energetic; in turn, thiskeeps you more active and helps you slowly lose weight.

Myth 2: Pilates isn’t for men

Because it is effective in strengthening thepelvic & lower abdominal muscles that are crucial and many studios advertise their prenatal Pilates classes, people often perceive it to be an activity specifically for women and it’s why many men stay away from it. Since there is no use of heavy steel (dumbbells and other weights), men often perceivethis exercise form is too “soft” for them. But nothing can be further from the truth. A number of world-famous world male athletes, sportspersons and celebrities include thisexercise form in their health and fitness routine. They use it to maintain function, flexibility and core strength.

Myth 3: Special machines are needed to do Pilates

It’s true that one particular type of Pilates routine necessitates the use of special machines such as Wunda chair, Cadillac,and Reformer etc. While these machines can give you a more productive workout, they aren’t completely necessary because there are a number of basic routines that need nothing but a simple mat. So you can easily do Pilates when you are at home or traveling and don’t have access to a Pilates studio or prenatal Pilates classes.

Myth 4. Pilates will increase your strength phenomenally

Pilates is great for improving your abdominal muscular endurance because most of the exercises involve core, lower back, and abdominal exercises. And if you are just a beginner; these exercises will surely improve your strength. But Pilates won’t help you improve full body strength in the manner that weight training will.

It’s a fact that some of the machine-based exercises taught in the Reformer class will help you push your muscles and build strength. However, the standard Pilates class at most studios will focus only on your flexibility and low back and abdominal muscular endurance and not on building full-body strength. It’s a good idea to include some of weight-training into your weekly routine while you are attending Pilates classes.

The bottom line is that Pilates is an excellent form of exercise and will help you build flexibility, muscle endurance,and core strength and improve your overall health.