Guest Blogger: Tips from John Egan, from Sugarbush Resort

In the morning I like to awaken my awareness of balance, and I do this by skiing with my boots unbuckled. Without the advantage of leverage, you can really feel the reaction from the ski when you pressure it. This way, you get a great feel for what the ski can do and how balance, not leverage, will work for you. Most days my boots stay unbuckled all day!

- Tips from John Egan, Sugarbush Resort

Guest Blogger: Tips from John Egan, from Sugarbush Resort

Pre-season conditioning tip – move your road run to the trails!

As many already know, running is a great way to get in shape for the ski season. It not only improves your cardio, but it also wakes up those skier thighs!

However, no matter how hard you train on pavement, it never seems to be enough. Day 2 soreness seems inevitable. It’s true – there is no better prep for skiing and riding than skiing and riding.

Whether you like bumps, trees, or groomers, snow sports require both an agile mind and body. You are required to constantly react to variable pitches, surfaces, and conditions. Your typical road run on the same route at the same time of day, cannot fully simulate and prepare you for the variable and dynamic nature of skiing and riding.

The good news… you can enhance the effectiveness of your pre-season runs simply by moving them to the trails. The uneven surfaces, hills and elevation better address the mind body dynamics of skiing than a road run. Here are some things to keep in mind to make your trial run fun, effective and safe:

• Look for uneven surfaces and terrain (hiking trails are great, even the side of the road right off the pavement can be good)
• Start out on trails with lesser elevation gain and gradually build up
• When running, place your feet on the bigger, stable surfaces and avoid plants and wobbly things – this really works your eye/foot coordination
• Watch your feet and each step, but also don’t forget to frequently look ahead to see what’s next
• Run with a friend and follow all safety and environmental rules as any hike or run

- Tips from John Egan, Sugarbush Resort

Guest Blogger: Tips from John Egan, from Sugarbush Resort

I like to ski with a friend and take turns leading and following. When in the lead try to design a run that is hard to follow with different size turns and rhythms not speed. When following try to be smoother, softer in your touch and more fluid than the lead. Make sure you can talk tease or at least communicate while skiing as this will help you to relax and be more aware of your surroundings.

- John Egan, Sugarbush Resort

Guest Blogger: Tips from Norm, from Sugarbush Resort

Perhaps the most important philosophy we use in teaching kids is the idea that while skills are important, it’s creating a positive experience that really matters. Of course we want kids to improve and excel at their chosen discipline, but more than that, we want them to learn to love skiing and riding. It’s only through that love that they will continue to be motivated to be on the hill and to be a part of a family’s skiing and riding lifestyle.

As instructors, we go out of our way to create those positive experiences while you are here with us at Sugarbush. On the hill, in the Adventure Den, and at functions like Blazer parties, our goal is create a positive association with the sport. However, you can create those positive associations at home, too, by bringing your love of skiing and riding into your everyday life. Watching ski movies (or making them…), hanging posters up on walls, and having books available to read all help to keep skiing and riding a part of your and your kid’s day, and serve as a reminder of great times, past and future, that your family can share.

A great friend of the Children’s Programs here at Sugarbush sent us a list of the books he and his kids read at home. I can’t say I’ve personally read them, but knowing how important skiing is to the family that sent the list, I am sure that you will find them to be great additions to your family’s reading library. The books include:

• Do Teddy Bears Ski? by Rick Sanger
• Adventures of Fraser the Yellow Dog – Rescue on Snowmass Mountain; by Jill Sheeley
• SNOW; by P.D. Eastman
• First Tracks; by Jonny Boyd
• Ollie’s Ski Trip; Elsa Beskow
• The Race of the Birkenbeiners; by Lise Lunge-Larson
• Curious George In the Snow; by Margret & H.A. Rey
• Trouble with Trolls; by Jan Brett

Our dad’s list also includes a DVD: The Backyardigan’s Snow Fort which includes an episode on being on Ski Patrol. Dad also reports that most or all of these can be found at the major bookstores, from the New England Ski Museum, and even at your local library. For that matter, take a few minutes and search for “snow,” “skiing,” “snowboarding,” or “winter” at your local library and see what you find. If it's good, let me know and I’ll make sure it gets added to future Tips From Norm.

Last, but not least, the Snow Monsters series has a free DVD that we have and give away at lots of our on-hill events. Come join us for the Hot Dog Race or the Teddy Bear Race, or some other family-friendly event, and we’ll get you a copy.

Until then, Think Snow, and when you can’t be on the hill, find ways of bringing the hill home to your family.
Thanks for checking in. We’ll see you out there.

-Tips by Norm