If your goal is to prevent injuries and reduce pain while making tracks this year, Opedix apparel may be the answer.  We got the scoop about their technology directly from the Opedix Team at this years SIA Show.  According to Opedix, they use proprietary fabrics designed specifically for comfort and support.  Their Opedix Knee Support System utilizes a patent-pending anchor and sling design to provide support to the outside of the knee, which reduces the amount of damaging outward movement and decreases the stresses or “load” on the knee joint.  Check out our interview for a closer look.

Last week I was having lunch with David Berkoff, a Duke Sports Medicine physician and fellow skier. He mentioned a new therapy (at least new to me) called P.R.P or Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy. P.R.P may help heal injuries more quickly and less invasively than other traditional treatments. I found this treatment so exciting I asked Dr. Berkoff to talk about it on camera.

Read more about P.R.P.

• P.R.P Information Brief
• New York Times Article on P.R.P

Author and yoga aficionado, Sage Rountree, discusses how yoga can improve your focus, flexibility and muscular endurance on and off the mountain.  She demonstrates three great Yoga moves to help improve your skiing performance and prevent injuries.  For more yoga information check out her books, "The Athlete's Guide to Yoga" and "The Athlete's Pocket Guide to Yoga".

Three Yoga Poses for Skiers:
1. Chair Pose
2. Eagle Pose
3. Warrior Three

Olympic skiers, big mountain athletes and those of us who just want to navigate through the trees and rocks a little easier can alll benefit from incorporating plyometrics into our workout routines.  The linear ski bound exercise will teach your muscles to "store" energy and become more "elastic" so you can move more quickly through the toughest terrain.  For a custom set of plyometric exercises to help you improve your ski performance check out My SkiCoach!

There are many modes of exercise that can help improve your skiing fitness.  That being said, if you haven't tried the slide board, it's a great movement that helps improve your lactate threshold and targets ski specific muscles (i.e. the adductors, quads, glutes, abdominals, etc..).  Try performing 5 sets of 60 second intervals with 60 seconds of recovery between sets after your next workout.  Increase your intervals by 1 set per week until 10 are reached and then add 30 seconds to each work interval after that. This will teach your body to buffer lactate acid more efficiently and allow you to ski more intensely for longer periods of time.  For a more customized workout check out My SkiCoach.

Many of you may be planning your ski outings and wondering how you can improve your performance, prevent injuries and increase your skiing longevity.  My SkiCoach is the first online ski specific training application that allows you to get customized training plans that meet your unique goals and abilities.  At the heart of the My SkiCoach training system is Coach Hooge’s four-phased approach to improving a skier’s performance. Read More

My niece, Elora is a great example that it's never to early to get your kids on the slopes.  At only 16 months old, Elora is already learning that exercise can be fun.  The more we get our children engaged with fun outdoor activities the better chance we have of building lifelong fitness habits.  Check out WinterFeelsGood for more great information on how to get your kids fit for the slopes!