Shape_USA-January-February_2017

68 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 SHAPE.COM

Finlay Mackay/Trunk Archive

It’s OK to go slow

The basic stuff is what’s

important when it comes to

your slopes skill set. “People

who are the most successful

and have the least fear are the

ones who take the time to truly

learn the foundational stuff,

like how to properly walk in skis

or get yourself up on a snow-

board from a sitting position,”

Schorling says. When you ace

simple skills, you create an

awareness that prepares your

body to react to the unpredict-

able, such as a sudden change

in terrain or getting around

a downed rider. So the more

you can practice being off bal-

ance, like by moving around

a tree and jumping in place or

while sliding, the more you’re

able to learn the many ways

to regain control in various sit-

uations, Schorling says.

There’s no
adventure ceiling
Once you’re comfortable with
the basics, there are a ton
of ways to up the adrenaline.
For example, trying out a new
mountain or resort can make
the sport feel totally fresh, says
Amie Engerbretson, a back-
country skier with Spyder.
“Or you could check out the
backcountry, which is any

area outside a ski resort,” she

says. (Make sure to sign up with

a guiding service, so you can

navigate the ungroomed ter-

rain safely.) Because there are

no lifts to get you back to the

top of the mountain, you’ll hike

up, which makes for a full day

of pretty impressive exercise,

Fasani says. Or visit a terrain

park to experiment with how

different surfaces and obsta-

cles change the experience.

“At terrain parks, the surfaces

intentionally change—you may

encounter a side hill, a ramp, or

a half-pipe—so you’re really

training your eye-foot coordi-

nation,” Schorling says.

You can always

up your skills

There’s no end to how much

you can challenge yourself by

moving more dynamically,

exploring different terrain, or

practicing new tricks, says Amy

Gan, a snowboard instruc-

tor and a member of the

PSIA-AASI team. Sometimes

that means signing up for a les-

son. “Getting feedback from

a pro can give some direction

as to what you should be work-

ing on next and helps drive

you to go out and practice on

your own,” Gan says. Trying dif-

ferent skills can also increase

Explore

areas

outside ski

resorts for

a more

challenging

workout

and extra

adventure.

tryathlete

your calorie burn, the Journal

of Sports Science & Medicine

study says. For example,

skiing in a short-turn style,

characterized by compact

turns with a high frequency,

is a more dynamic way to ski

that elicits more effort from

your legs, says study author

Thomas Stöggl, Ph.D.

#socialperks

“Snow sports are all about

the experience, which

includes hanging with friends,

seeing new places, and of

course après ski festivities,”

Engerbretson says. In fact,

even though you’ll likely ded-

icate a day to being at the

mountain, you’ll probably be

actively skiing or riding only

about 45 percent of the time,

according to research. That

leaves plenty of time for fire-

side snacks between runs—all

with like-minded people.

Downhill sports bring together

a community who enjoy the

thrill of being outside and

exercising in nature, so you’ll

likely make new friends with

similar interests, Fasani says.

Many resorts even host

women’s-only weekends so

you can connect with others at

your level and build your skills

in a supportive environment. →