Every late fall and early winter, I have the same thought: I should do more to prepare for ski season this year. It’s not like I’m just sitting around waiting for snow to fall. I try to ramp up the trail running as October fades into November and put more emphasis on fast walking uphill and down. Every so often I’ll do a few squats and lunges. Surely something is better than nothing, I reason.
This fall, the newly launched Alpine Performance Labs (APL) gym in Carbondale announced a six-week ski prep class. Perfect! I jumped at the chance to sign up. One week in, I don't just feel my quads and glutes getting stronger, my core, arms, shoulders, basically the whole body is getting worked.
If you’re like me, someone who sees every ski season as an opportunity to improve their skiing but maybe doesn’t know where to start, APL makes it easy. They offer virtual and in-person coaching as well as personalized small group training sessions that blend individualized strength programs with small group accountability. The ski prep class I attended falls into the latter category. For an hour on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, the coaches take me and a small group through a circuit of mobility and weight bearing exercises design to hit the major muscle groups and movements our bodies use to ski well. It's gym atmosphere but with hands on guidance and everyone there is stoked about skiing.
Alpine Performance Labs was started by strength and endurance coach (and Carbondale local) Danny Blake with the goal of redefining how mountain athletes train, recover, and perform. The lab offers a combination of coaching, advanced lab testing, and cutting-edge contemporary sports science to help athletes of all levels push their limits. Whether you’re a trail runner, skier, biker, climber, or general mountain aficionado, APL provides structure, coaching, and systems to support you in going farther, faster, and longer in the mountains.
Interested in what APL has to offer? Check out their website to sign up for the ski prep class, see other small group training offers, or check out their online coaching program. Maybe I’ll see you there!
-Manasseh, CCBB Marketing Manager