Summer is here and so is the heat… so what does that mean for a ski athlete? It may be the off-season for skiing but it’s the perfect time for fitness and conditioning! Proper fitness impacts an athlete in many ways. It can mean the difference between a good race time and a great race time. It can lend an athlete the strength necessary to be able to focus on improving technique without being distracted by sore muscles. And most importantly it can help an athlete to avoid injury during the ski season.
One of the best parts about summer in our Valley are the myriad offerings to improve one’s fitness while also enjoying the sun, scenery and friends. I am a firm believer that any fitness is good fitness but fun fitness will keep you coming back and therefore in the best shape. Do you have exercise equipment in your home that seems to stare you down during quiet moments coaxing you into a workout with an unspoken dose of guilt? Is it hard for you to stomach the idea of a few hours in the gym while the sun is shining and the lakes are beckoning? Fitness should be fun, not a chore.
So this summer remember your fitness and conditioning and it’s significance but more importantly- find your “fun” fitness- go for a bike ride on the shady trails in Lithia Park, rent a stand-up paddle board out at Emigrant Lake and paddle around, hike with a friend up Table Rock, Grizzly Peak or for the more ambitious, Mt. McLoughlin! Run a race, challenge yourself, set a goal, make it fun. Banish the dirty looks your exercise equipment is silently giving you and find your fun fitness. You will get stronger, feel better and your body will love you for it. And the bonus? It will make you a stronger skier too.
Candy Barnard
MARA President and Parent Coach
