Being overweight can create challenges for you regarding participating in things you love. Many people struggling with excessive weight avoid doing sports, especially skiing. It is because many believe they will not get the best-suiting equipment or it will be hard for their health.
That is far from the truth. People misconceive plenty of things about skiing. So, here are six tips for skiing when overweight and common misconceptions.
Most snow lovers stay away from skiing because of their weight, as they believe they will have an issue finding the right equipment, their body is unfit, they need to be patient more, and rumors about their skiing abilities.
If you like to ski, nothing in the world should stop you. But first, you should prepare for the sport and go for it! Read on to learn more about skiing with excessive weight.
1. Get The Best Equipment For Your Body Type
Plus-size ski equipment does exist, and you can find it easily. Every sport can cater to all its fans. You need to be logical and go to the right places to find your size. Let’s discuss this.
Ski Boots
Getting the best fit for your ski boots and clothing is essential. If you are comfortable in your skin while going down the hill, you will have a complete focus on your skiing technique. Giving undivided attention to your skiing techniques can reduce your chance of getting injured.
There are plenty of places you can find plus-size ski boots. However, as you have large legs, it will be wise to get boots with a wide opening and flexibility to fit your foot without hurting you.
It is best to get your ski boots instead of hoping the resort will have stock. Your size is unusual, so the lodge might not have it. Buying your ski boots is the best option. Always remember to check the size chart before ordering or purchasing.
Ski Apparel
Besides ski boots, you will also need to get ski clothes that are a perfect fit. Ski clothes play an essential role in your skiing skills. If you bring clothes, you must fix them every second; you will be unable to focus on your skiing and injure yourself.
Various shops can provide you with a large size of clothing that will fit you best. Find your proper size that is tight enough and not too baggy before you go skiing.
Lengthy Skis
You will need long skis to support your weight. If you are a beginner, that might be challenging for you to gain control of your skis. However, longer skis will have more surface area to handle your weight and prevent injuries.
Buy your skis beforehand and try them out once or twice with an instructor to learn how to manage them.
Helmet
Whether a beginner or an expert skier, you will need protection for your head. All skiers fall on the terrain once or twice. Do not avoid a helmet, as it can prevent significant injuries that can be fatal.
Wear out your helmet before skiing, so you know how it feels and feel comfortable in it.
2. Get In Better Shape
There is no need for you to lose weight instantly if you want to try skiing. Skiing will help you lose weight as it requires cardio and strenuous exercise on the powdery slope.
However, you will need to enhance your stamina, build your core, strengthen your muscles, and improve your skiing balance. You can improve your fitness level by doing the following exercises every day.
You will need a solid core for managing your skis flawlessly and making sharp turns on the snowy mountain. Here are a few exercises you can try:
Cat Cow
Bend on all fours as a cow would and keep your back arched. Curve your back as much as possible while keeping your face towards the sky. Bring your face downwards and bend out your back in a C, as much as possible. Do this for 30 seconds every day.
Quadruped Limb Raises
Stay on your fours and extend your left leg and right arm as far as possible. Then, come back to the bent position and switch your limbs. Keep your head down to avoid straining your neck. Do this for 30 seconds every day.
Tabletop Crunches
Lie down and lift your neck by putting your hands under it. Next, raise your legs while bending your knees to make a 90-degree angle. Keep your lower back attached to the floor. Do slow crunches toward the ceiling in this position.
Low Plank Knee Drops
Get in a plank position. Bring your knees down as almost touching the ground and bring them back up in a regular plank position.
Superman
Lie down flat on your belly and extend your legs and arms as if you are superman. Then, come back to a lying position and repeat the superman pose.
Your legs also need to be sturdy to support your weight while skiing. Although skiing requires plenty of leg work, you should prepare your body for the exertion before time. Here is what you can try:
Squat With Support
All you need is a chair and some elevation under your heels. Hold the back of the chair for support and bend down in a sitting position. Bend down as much as you easily can without straining your muscles.
It should be enough for the beginning, as you must keep your weight in mind and not overburden your knees.
Skiing requires excellent stamina and endurance. In addition, you will need healthy lungs and a body that can stay in fight mode for as long as you want to ski. Here are a few exercises:
Brisk Walk
You can walk briskly to get your heart racing and your muscles comfortable with the motion.
Mild Jogging
Jogging is also a good option as it increases stamina and endurance. It will also help you practice breath control, which will come in handy on the snowy peak.
For Arm Strength
You will need strong arms to work those ski poles for hours. Unless you are a snowboarder, you will need your ski poles to make sharp turns and control speed. Here is what you can do to make your arms used to work:
Push-Ups
Push-ups are a great way to build your arm muscles. However, you want to avoid putting a strain on your arms to lift your weight, which can be a lot. Hence, it would help if you tried the alternative push-ups with your knees touching the ground while you do your push-ups.
3. Be Patient
Skills take time to learn. Therefore, every individual who wants to learn something new must be patient and tolerate the time it takes to master it. Skiing is not easy, and being overweight will not help you.
The exercises mentioned above will be best to make your body comfortable around mild exercise before jumping into skiing adventures.
Do not lose heart after a few days of practice or exercise, and do not compare your success level with others. Every person has their own pace, and you should trust the process. Never feel like you are not doing good enough, and always remember you are doing your best.
Two Most Common Skiing Misconceptions
Being overweight is not easy when people spread rumors about what you can and cannot do. Unfortunately, skiing is a sport riddled with misconceptions regarding overweight participants. Here are the most common ones:
The Weight Limit For The Chair Lift
The purpose of a chair lift is to transport multiple people at a time from one spot of the mountain to the other. Hence, chair lifts do not have a weight limit. Therefore, you can freely use a chair lift even if you have excessive weight.
There Are No Skis To Support You
Usually, skis can support 230 pounds of weight on average. If you are heavy and cannot find suitable equipment, you look at the wrong place. There is always gear that will fit you and support you on your skiing trip.
Final Word
When you make up your mind about something, you should do everything in your power to achieve your goal. Being overweight should not stop you from skiing your heart out. All you need is a little care in preparation and finding equipment that fits you. Do not lose heart; look in the right place!
