Long Tom

Just signed up for the Wednesday hooky bus to Bachelor. I'm so excited! I've been a total ski bum at times of my life, but had to miss the last two seasons due to a head injury suffered in a car wreck. The first missed season was just months after the accident and my brain was still WAY too prone to re-injury to even consider it. The neurologist was very blunt and i think actually used the word "idiot", lol. Not to mention, in hindsight, I was a bumbling mess still. Last winter, I think I could have, but my reflexes were still real slow, my processing would max out easily (like when driving) my balance was still not right, and I was battling emotional detritus (PTSD) still from the injury. Anyway that's my excuse <grin> but now I'm 90-something percent back and fuggit lads and lasses- I'm going skiing! What a great feeling to feel.... back!

Cycling has been absolutely key to reclaiming my soul from the abyss. I do wonder what my legs are gonna feel like up there. I climb a LOT of steep hills and my legs feel strong and in good trim, but I'm curious what you avid cyclists who are also skiers feel when you get on the mountain? Any weird muscle imbalances?

I'm so excited, I feel like a new penny!

expatbrit

I skied Saturday, cycled Sunday.

Legs were a bit tired on Sunday from skiing, but no obvious imbalances. If anything, cycling has helped my skiing by making the legs stronger.

Have fun!

Zero7

We ski every year, and cycling will def help your legs. Have never experienced any muscle imbalances.

Great that you're getting to ski again! Have fun!

Cheers

elcruxio

Like cross country?
I usually don't feel anything in my legs when I'm skiing. It's the arms and cardio that get the workout.

f4rrest

Try not to pedal going downhill.

gc3

you'll probably break one or both...

dfischer1

Skiing is much more akin to mashing rather than spinning. So if you spin, your legs may get a little shaky in the afternoon. See if you can "wake them up" with some 3 reps each of 10 squats and lunges, but it may be too late. Just enjoy! Bachelor is great.

Cookiemonsta

I have found that jogging will better prepare you for the sort of workout your legs will get when skiing than cycling will. Or at least that was always the case for me.

When I go skiing after only cycling, I get that kind of pain after the first day that takes 2 days to go away. The kind of pain you only get when you do something you have not done for a long time, and used muscles you typically do not use much. I even get it the first time I go jogging, or if I play soccer (or when I ski) after I have been cycling exclusively.

That said, cycling is still a lot better than not having worked out at all, and once you get past the initial discomfort associated with doing a sport you have not done in a while (and therefore using muscles in a way you have not done in a while) you will be fine.

achoo

What to expect from your legs after skiing?

A bone or two sticking out.

blacknbluebikes 

Quads and glutes are very happy on the hill. Hip flexors and ankle control don't get much development from cycling, however. Calves may show surprising soreness, too.

Long Tom

Thanks guys. Still very pumped but sorry for the initial gushy post. It just marks such a turning point.... anyway.

I rode my usual winter route yesterday, which is 34 miles of hills with some in the 15% grade range or even steeper. Plenty of mashing <g>. I should be recovered just fine tomorrow. One thing I'm really looking forward to is having good aerobic "wind" on the mountain. Bachelor is a big mountain, and on long runs- like the Summit, or off NW Express, I'd usually stop for a blow a couple times. Curious to see how that plays out now that I'm in much better shape aerobically than I have been in decades. Here's a couple pics from years past. It's just spectacular up there.

tigat

Beautiful pictures and congratulations on turning the corner.

I think you will be pleasantly surprised by the transfer of biking condition to skiing condition. When I broke my hip in July, biking was the method I used to get on it. By December, after more than 2000 miles of road and stationary, I was able to ski. First outing was Jackson Hole, first run was a double black diamond off the top of the tram, an idea hatched by my 21 year son: "You'll know in 5 turns where you're at." Where I was at was a few muscle groups needed the attention that only skiing can give, but everything else was fine.

Have a great and safe day!

Long Tom

Thanks! I'm gonna sneak up on it.

Long Tom

Well, my sneaking up on it consisted of qty (1) run on a blue to warm up the legs, followed by a "fuggit!" And a traverse over to the NW Express lift, where I banged black diamonds for the first 2/3 of the day. Simply divine. Long, steep, narrow, snaky, bumpy runs with great snow conditions. I banged it. Then I did the long cross-mountain trail over to the Summit lift and finished with a bunch of runs off the top of the mountain. "Spectacular" does not capture the day. I'm in love over here.

Cycling got me back to a place where this was possible, and to answer my own question, while it was a "first day" on the mountain, it was by far the best first day ever physically. My wind was good, my legs felt strong though let's be honest here, skiing is a far more high-impact or perhaps better said, high-usage sport for the legs. EVERYTHING gets a workout. I'm gonna be sore, but my baseline conditioning turned what would have been a tentative stab, into a triumphant return. **** yeah.