Skiing

Everything about skiing: how it started, how healthy it is, and how to prepare for it

This month, the Winter Olympics took place in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Skiing is one of the main events.
Skiing has existed for a long time and originally began as an efficient way to move through snow. It wasn’t until the 19th century that it became a sport. The word “ski” comes from Norwegian — the country where modern skiing was invented. The word means “split wood,” referring to the two skis. In the past, people also used one long stick or spear for balance.

In the photo below, you can see skis used around the year 1880. They were still rough wooden planks, tied to the feet with leather straps and ropes. Regular leather winter boots were used — not the stiff ski boots we have today. Later, modern smooth skis were developed.

Skiing is actually a perfect mix of strength training and cardio. Because of this, you can burn up to 7 calories per kilogram of body weight per hour. So someone weighing 75 kg can burn about 525 calories in one full hour of skiing. Keep in mind that this doesn’t include time spent standing still or sitting in the ski lift.

Skiing isn’t a year-round activity. Good exercises to prepare for skiing outside the ski season include:

• Squats – to train leg muscles and stability

• Balancing on one leg and leaning forward – for single-leg stability and strength

• Side plank – to strengthen core and side leg muscles
  Don’t forget cardio training too — go cycling or running, for example.

And most of all, skiing is fun! Enjoy the scenery, the company, and don’t forget to do a few fun jumps now and then.