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When is your offseason and what do you do with it?

Than_Bogan

By Than_Bogan
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Than_Bogan Grand Master

Than_Bogan

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Mine is typically November 1 to about April 10.

 

I take the month of November completely off for a little healing and even more so for the mental downtime.

 

Then December 1 until the ice is completely cleared I hit the gym 3 times a week, mixing up stretching, weight training, rehab exercises, aerobic work, and new-agey strength exercises with balance component.

 

Although I try to be rigorous with getting in there 3 times a week, I rarely push myself much during the winter. I'm looking to build back a little muscle mass, but mostly I'm just trying to NOT lose too much.

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6balls Grand Master

6balls

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Pretty much same offseason, though don't get much water time in Oct.

Historically pound the gym all winter, but hanging it up in terms of competitive bench press. Without that focus, remains to be seen how I handle the gym other than making sure I get there 3-4X/week. Probably more core and waterski related (longevity) exercises. Still may have to push Razor's kid a bit on the bench...we'll see.

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RB Contributor

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Two weeks from now.

 

Usually first Oct. weekend is last day. We start at our place July 4, but can ski a different site starting in May: Depending on snow melt run off.

 

Start P 90 every Nov. do that until spring, then add Mt. Biking. Also snow ski as much as possible all winter.

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jimbrake Mentor

jimbrake

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You poor people. I could ski through October comfortably, but will stop after first weekend in October to:

 

1) go to Mexico to surf

2) get my legs in shape before (snow) ski season

3) get some flyfishing in late October.

4) snow ski and race from Thanksgiving (hopefully) through sometime in April when snow and water ski seasons overlap.

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Texas6 Veteran

Texas6

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My offseason is generally devoted to getting in to the best shape possible for the start of next ski season. The problem is, I work my tail off to try and get in great shape every winter, and then my skiiing is never all that great. It doesn't change how much I enjoy it, and I do stay injury free, I just can't seem to get consistent. This begs the obivous question, why do I spend so much time in the gym if it isn't helping my skiing? Two possible answers to that question: Its possible I would be a HORRIBLE skier if I didn't stay in shape.....OR, I could stop working out because it isn't helping and see if I improve. The latter seems like the path of least resistance, I'll let you know how it goes. Cheers to getting fat this winter!
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Razorskier1 Grand Master

Razorskier1

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Season winds down by end of Oct, starts again when the ice is out (early-April). Spend the winter in the gym 4 days a week plus 2 days a week of short track speed skating. Gym work is both traditional power stuff (chest, back shoulders, legs) and new-school core exercises and endurance work. I also do lots of shoulder support stuff like rotator cuff exercises to ensure the stability of the shoulder joints for ski season. During ski season I don't do anything else. Typically lose 10-20 lbs a summer in muscle, try to put some back on in the offseason, repeat.
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rayn Rising Star

rayn

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This is a good topic. My season is the same as Than's

 

I am interested in the specific exercises you guys are doing for lower back/core and any 'non' traditional exercises you do that are skiing specific. I go to the gym 4-5 days a week in the off season but I am doing the same stuff I have been doing for 15 years and am looking to change it up.

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clemsondave Community Regular

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We are fortunate enough to live near a nuclear power plant lake. We have a course right where the warm water is discharged! ...no, we don't glow green yet. I plan on skiing once a week or so this year. Also plan to make several trips to Okee.

 

I also spend 6-7 days/week in the gym. I don't do a ton of lower back exercises (mainly just hyper-extensions), but I do work all the ab muscles quite a bit which has helped my back.

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Chef23 Grand Master

Chef23

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@skibrain what they do with the Metrodome is pretty cool.

 

I took the boat out on Sunday and have surgery scheduled for a week from Wednesday. Once I recover from that I am going to start my off season and hopefully it will be a big improvement over last year. I am thinking about Crossfit as there is a facility in my town. I am a little worried about starting that when I am not in the best shape because I don't want to get hurt. If anyone has any experience with Crossfit I would be interested in hearing it.

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Ham_Wallace Proficient

Ham_Wallace

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The season slows down with early darkness and partners that don't like cooler temps.(one is getting better and will go when it is cooler). We'll ski once or twice a week until we lose daylight savings time. And try to stay with it after that until Thanksgiving and duck hunting season. Then we consume some beers, watch Tennessee Titans football, Alabama Football, Tennessee Football, cook (gumbo, grilling, smoking). P.E.T.A- People Eating Tasty Animals. Shoot some ducks and spend family time. It is a good time to heal up from slalom tweaks and jump falls.(for those that don't jump: Don't, it is addicting and at my age, recovery from falls takes a lot longer than it did 10 years ago). After football season and duck season, it is a weather related thing. Water Temp + Air Temp=100 degrees, we are at it again. Anything less requires rubber and takes too much effort. So we go to the 1 set each, try to get out and drain the boat before dark and head home. If we can ski 1/2 dozen sets in February, a dozen sets in March and have some warm rain, April is game on (depending on the floods that held us off for weeks the past two years). I haven't found a suitable workout that reduces soreness other than skiing, so "here we go again"!

Oh yeah, keep up with Horton and MS on BOS! Horton is right, MS is wrong!

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GAJ0004 Mentor

GAJ0004

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In PA at Lake Latonka, most of the skiers hang it up at the end of September, but a few of us go until the end of October. I usually sink the slalom course for the winter the weekend before Halloween. I prefer to get my boat indoors if it starts to drop below 40 degrees at night. I just start wearing my drysuit when the water gets under 70 degrees that way I am used to skiing in it as the water starts getting colder. They usually lower the lake the first week of November. After that it is watching the Steelers. We start skiing again as soon as the weather permits in April. The 2012 start may be delayed for me because it will be time for my boat to need some service at the marina.. Tune up, steering cable, and some upholstery skin replacement. I take it in for service every 400 hours, I am closing in on 1600. In the winter I am a total gym rat. 3 days of weight, and core training for the first half of winter, and 4 days of cardio and/or swimming. The second half of winter 2 days of weight training, and 5 days of cardio and/or swimming. Lots of stretching. Instead of a day of rest I do a lighter workout on my rest day. I spend Halloween weekend winterizing, and detailing the boat and putting all the outdoor stuff away for the winter. Since I live in OH I will make a monthly trip over to the lake to put the boat battery on the charger, and put a coat of teak oil on the platform, any other maintenance items that my come up with the boat.
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Marco Mentor

Marco

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We ski May to mid October here in Co. Skied yesterday morning with air 65 and water 60, with just a rash guard. Yesterday afternoon skied with just trunks as the air was mid 70's, and the water warmed up to 64. This could be the end of no-rubber skiing today, as its supposed to get down to highs in the 50's near weeks end.

 

After mid October, Elk season starts, so there will be plenty of time in the woods, with lots of excersise tracking those critters up and down the mountains. Then snow ski season begins around Thanksgiving. Hope its a good one. This will be my first season back on the mountain after a 4 year hiatus. I still like summer the best...

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Deke Rising Star

Deke

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We'll probably pull our course next week, ironically, if the weather is good enough. Just not enough interest from other members and no one is there to maintain it. So I guess off season starts then even though the water is still around 60. There is kind of a lull in the fall and then, like Marco, I snow ski from late November through April but ice hockey is my favorite winter sport. What a workout!
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jipster43 Mentor

jipster43

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The next month-and-a-half will be spent earning browny points and hall passes for when the snow falls and snow skiing begins. When the mountain closes I'll have about the same amount of time to woo my wife before the lake is skiable and the madness can resume.
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KM Enthusiast

KM

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My water ski off season is from October 1 through April 1. My water ski off season is not really an "off" season. When I am not water skiing, I am cycling until snow skiing season starts. Once snow skiing is over, I am back to cycling and/or water skiing in which the seasons overlap.
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Marco Mentor

Marco

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@skier2788- We have a private lake in Montrose on the Western Slope, where we ski in the summer. We live and work in Telluride, and snow ski there in the winter.

 

You should come out for our tournament next summer!

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MZito Collaborator

MZito

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Will ski from mid April through last day in Oct. Polar Bear Ski in Mid Dec. The nights here in Detroit are in going down to the 40's and low 50's right now so we have the dries on now.

Off season is all about hockey 3 to 4 times per week and TRX suspension training with kettle bells 3-4 times a week. will

get down a few Lbs. before spring.

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JohnN Enthusiast

JohnN

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Now til mid-October, ski as long as the weather holds, then winterize the camper, the boat, and pull the course. Right now the water is warming up with 85deg days. That's the dream, reality is haul kids to football 4 days a week, start prepping skis for mid-Oct start of training for ski racing. Workout regimen for the winter consists of packing and unpacking the truck, filing, waxing and brushing inordinate amounts of skis. Should've got the kids into swim team...
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jimbrake Mentor

jimbrake

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JohnN - where are you that you can start your race training mid-October? That sounds great. I will be in ski prep mode shortly too (and new equipment procurement), but always feel lucky to be on snow by Thanksgiving. Sounds like you are the family ski technician like me. I need my own base grinder/stone grinder at home. Too much hand work.
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Dirt Veteran

Dirt

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No off season required. It gets pretty cold but skiable. This year season started on 02-07-11. 135 days skiing so far. 194 Rides. 1110 passes, many not complete. Not sure how many buoys. 3 trick rides and one jump ride not over the ramp. Got some good tips on 39 today from Skidawg and of course didn't run 38...figures.
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JohnN Enthusiast

JohnN

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jimbrake - The kids and I train out of Loveland (www.lovelandracing.com, www.swissam.com), and season typically starts mid-Oct and last year we ran til mid-June. The guns are in place and just waiting for overnights to get below 30. November is way cool up there, lots of National teams training and the NORAMS at the end of Nov.

 

That being said, I waterskied last night, no wetsuit or anything, and it was comfy. Pretty crazy for October in Colorado, and may be a little longer fall.

 

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jimbrake Mentor

jimbrake

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Hey JohnN. I just realized who you are. Sorry about that. I should've known! I have a friend who goes to an early season masters camp in CO every year. I think it's at Copper. He has pictures from past seasons with Hermann Maier, Bode, Daron Rahlves, etc. Sounds like they are always sharing hill space with national teams like you said. Very cool.
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Boody Proficient

Boody

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Richard, Dirt and all others skiing thru the winter......Right on! I am going to ski thru the winter for the first time. Nice to know others are as crazy as I am. I know a lot of the Warman folks do the same.
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Razorskier1 Grand Master

Razorskier1

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Mini-offseason this week while I let my aching body rest after about 6 weeks of skiing every day including 5 tournament weekends (multi-rounders to boot). Start up again on Saturday when my son and some of the ski team come up for a pre-nationals practice weekend. Then ski through mid-November (yep, freakin cold!). Then off until the ice goes back out in April.
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MrJones Mentor

MrJones

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Does anyone else look forward to the off season? I mean I really enjoy getting away from it (skiing) for a few months. Do some other hobbies. Try to actually slow down a bit. If I am going to ski I want to be training all out. Once a week in a wet suit won't allow me to do that.

 

A guy in our region was talking on the phone with me a few years ago in mid October. He asked if we were skiing and I told him we were shut down 'till March. He told me I needed to be training more. Maybe so... but I am still skiing and I haven't seen him at a tournament in about 2 years.

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ral Veteran

ral

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For me here, offseason means snow skiing. I guess it is hard to find two sports that complement each other so well.

 

When my body and mind are a bit fed up with waterskiing at the end of the waterski season, snow skiing comes along. When a a bit fed up with skiing at the end of the ski season, waterskiing comes along.

 

And I enjoy visiting OB's place in waterskiing offseason as well!

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jimbrake Mentor

jimbrake

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Mr. Jones, I'm with you. I need a mental break mostly. That plus I love the winter and snow skiing. Come spring I am really ready to get back on the water after having a few months of not worrying about: my ski, my fin, the boat/pp/zo, my pullout, turn in, too much load, skiing light, angle, speed, vision, edge change, handle release, skiing back to the handle, blah, blah, blah....plus all that for my kids, too. Actually, I love all that stuff, just not 12 mos. per year.
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