Ski

Just to be clear, Metz, my "qualifications" are only as a soccer coach and baseball hitting instructor. I taught skiing at Mount Snow to non-racers and just help each season with a small race series at my small home ski hill. But skiing specific exercises are core related. I highly recommend going very heavy with sit-ups, even weighted and inclined sit-ups. Having really strong abs allows you to keep a steady and focused upper body, while the lower half does all the work. Honestly, though, suggesting kids go heavily into weights is using hyperbole to address the fact that typical ski racing kids are below average in fitness and really need to learn how to use the weight room. You sure can't tell skinny kids to be careful not to become muscle bound, if you get my meaning. For someone with a history of using weights and good fitness, I'd suggest light weights with lots of reps. Then at least one day a week with heavy weights. As you know, muscle mass comes from the heavy weights, while definition comes from lots of light reps. Bench, lat pulls, everything. Leg presses, hams, and lunges. Always stretching a lot. And I really would suggest working hard on abs, as well as not shying away from getting some mileage in. Winter running can be tough, depending on where you live, but short runs on cross country courses are great. Finding a dry river bed is the ultimate. As Sib said, Ski Mag has always had great fitness advice. It's spread out of a bunch of issues, but maybe they have it online.

He'll be doing Blue's NASTAR, then will want to beat Jeff at an ASRA. I see that coming.

It's going to be a blast being around you, Jeff, and maybe Doug on race days...

I'm not sure you need a coach to teach basic stretching, Rob...I'm sure they'd all be glad to tell you how to warm up just prior to a race run, where there's limited space and kids have a tendency to tighten up from the cold...leg swings and forward lunges...that sort of thing. But for skiing, we always take a very low speed warm-up run, click out of bindings and do leg stretches, hamstrings, etc. Personally, I'd have made 'Dude and his teammates run 15 miles+ every week of the summer, as well as a bitchload of stairs. And they'd be benching their weight plus 30%...er, 40%. Strength is the most overlooked aspect of ski racing by far. I don't disagree that the kids should stretch. I had my 4 and 5 yr old soccer players doing jumping jacks before practice. Bode in the back seat? Actually, he's an amazingly balanced skier that is very forward when he's doing things right. He's tall for a skier, maybe 6'2", or so, as opposed to former greats like Tomba and Giardelli. His long limbs are often flailing about for balance, but he still keeps his mass going down the fall line. But Bode's only in the back seat when he's bouncing off his ass after a mistake or riding out of a rut, like at the Beaver Creek GS he won. Bode is an amazing athlete that probably isn't worth a damn as an example of what to do, unless he's teaching someone from birth. His abilities are Michael Jordan-like, they are not something that can just be written down, passed out, and duplicated. Bode is simply one in a billion, but I'd rather my daughter skied more like Michael Von Grunigen any day.

Just be sure to take everything Bode says in it with a huge grain of salt. Bode needs a good PR guy to calm him down. Did you read what he did after the last slalom? He refused an equipment check and skied away from the FIS tech guy. The US coaches publicly refused to talk to the FIS on his behalf; they are fed up with him. Bode's going to end up like Terrell Owens, with most people just thinking he's a talented clown.

Nah, that's Rob's stage name at work... uh-oh...j/k

Yeah, he has Bartek and I have people like JohnnyP...it's a humbling experience. I assume they accept memberships on race days, but I don't want to give you bad info...email AJ Foy at ajfoy@adelphia.net Or just post the question on the ASRA message board (skiracer.com).

There aren't that many Class 1 racers (21-29yrs), so you should seriously consider getting an ASRA membership, which lets you race for your age class overall title. You still compete for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place medals each race without a membership, but it's cool to have a season long goal. They take your top 8 finishes during the regular season and apply the World Cup points scale...100 points for a first place finish in your age class, 80 points for 2nd, 60 for 3rd, then on down. Also, members that compete in five races are invited to Nationals Weekend at Killington. Just a thought...

I think Rob's more the "there's no bad publicity" sorta guy, though, Doug. I definitely sense Jeff's about to be challenged to a rematch with 'someone's' kid...and I heard Papa's seriously been looking to take me down. 8*)

Any pics of your mom, stevo? j/k

Ha, MS, I'd love to see the comments section of your report cards some time...I have a sneaking suspicion your teachers will remember you for the rest of their careers.

I'm in.

If you ski every day, though, you start looking at conditions differently; your skiing improves and you can have fun on crud that used to toss you around, or ice that you couldn't previously hold an edge. If you live this side of the Mississippi, worrying about conditions sure can limit your fun. And, btw, I never heard a hardcore MRG skier care much about conditions, since you people generally take such pride in skiing crappy, ungroomed, ice patches all over the place. MRG lovers should feel right at home in the Poconos

Don't bash you because you have a mechanic? Heck, I know I have better things to do than work on my own Jeep. So would this guy be a good guy or a typical Ranger?

Man, I just took my little one up for a few runs and there was no line at the Shuttle lift at 2pm...the weather hit day ticket sales really hard this week.

Bummer...MC gets hit hard when the weather is sketchy.

Any word on yesterday and today's races at MC? Did they even run them?

I wouldn't be too quick to crank your bindings just because of a pre-release (although that's pretty hypocritical 'cause mine are always at 14). But what seems like a pre-release can be the binding doing it's job...you can hit a small rut in just a certain way that creates a ton of tork that you don't feel. Spend a lot of time in moguls and you'll sometimes just seem to step right out of your bindings. But if you see it on video, you realize what really happened. Bode Miller had a GS run earlier this season where he came out of a ski in a fairly tame turn. In slow-mo, though, you can see he had stepped into a rut diagonally and it sucked his ski right off. Any shop is capable of doing a quick test for you.

What and cover up your fancy shirt?MS Rippin' it

Sexkitten riding Blue Knob. I can just hear Beavis and Butthead snickering.

Did 'Mom just suggest sexkitten and Jeff hook up?

Gates, but not very off-set...

You'll have lots of local opportunities for that, Metz. And if you're free Thursday nights, go to the Blue website and grab some $5 coupons. Ha, no, we'll just be hiking for our Hideout turns by then.

Eh, which one don't you have to drive 200 miles to get to? I haven't been to Blue Knob in years, but the skiing and ammeneties were similar to CB. If I had the choice and all things being equal, I'd just pick the one that I hadn't skied much in the past. CB does have the new hotel with the indoor waterpark nearby...