Skiing is an incredible fun sport that includes physical, mental, social and emotional aspects
Winter is here, and with it the cold, snow and gloomy weather. For some people, it is the signal to get into wool sweaters, scarves and feather jackets. For others, it is time to prepare ski boots, helmets and skis and look forward to going to the mountains. There is hardly anything more exciting in the winter, than viewing proud mountain peaks, thousands of meters high, and going down their slopes.
Skiing is an incredibly fun sport that includes physical, mental, social and emotional aspects. Also, it combines physical exercise, fresh air and sun exposure, so the people that remain in hibernation and in a sort of depressive mood waiting for the spring in the city are deprived of all that.
For those who have not yet tried or are reluctant to try, I have singled out a few reasons that should motivate them to go for this wonderful sport. The vast majority of people who try skiing get permanently “infected with the virus” and cannot wait for the next dose of adrenaline, whistling wind and squeaking snow while “treading the boards.”
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Improves proprioception
Proprioception is defined as the awareness of the position of the body, i.e. the ability to sense that position, as well as the effort invested in the movement of its parts. For example, if you put your fist in front of your face while your eyes are closed, you will still know that the hand is there, even though you cannot see it. Skiing involves a lot of balance and coordination, and you have to be aware of many “small” motions to be able to ski well and / or stay on your feet. Proprioception gets weaker as you get older, and skiing is one of the few activities that slows its weakening.
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Improves flexibility
Skiing is an ideal opportunity to work on the flexibility of your body. Thorough and regular stretching and various ski movements strengthen and “stretch” your abs, external obliques and hips. With the help of skiing, you will be able to perform daily tasks more easily and with much less fatigue. Not only will you have a great time going down the slope, but you will unconsciously increase the flexibility of the body, reduce muscle strain and the possibility of sprains.
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Improves mood
Skiing not only increases physical and mental health, but it also affects the entire happiness and mood, regardless of the frequency and duration of ski activities. So, it comes as no surprise that all skiers would like ski holidays to last for at least a month
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Improves cardiovascular endurance
The combination of big heights, aerobic activity and increased heart rate will improve the health of your cardiovascular system. With an elevated pulse, your body will increase blood circulation, resulting in more nutrients and oxygen reaching the muscles and helping a quick removal of waste products from the body. This process helps burn calories at a faster rate, reaching a value of 400-600 calories per hour. Beginners are in an even better position – they don’t use the ski lift, but climb the hill instead, using the “herringbone” technique.
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Strengthens the muscles of the lower body
Due to a constant specific crouch like position, you will be doing exercises for the inner and outer thigh muscles, quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteus and tendons. You may not, because of the adrenaline and beautiful environment, notice that your legs “are burning”, but the effects will be felt the next day. To reduce the possibility of injury or inflammation, warm-ups and stretching of muscles is highly recommended before and after skiing.
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Provides a good, deep sleep
After all-day outdoor activities, using a large number of muscles and all the biochemical reactions that occur within your body, you will long for a break. There is no better regeneration than a deep and quality sleep, which is guaranteed after skiing.
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Promotes a healthy diet
Since you are faced with an extremely demanding sport, you need to make sure you “recharge the batteries”. So it is advisable that the diet consists of more protein, healthy fats, fruits and vegetables and less sugar and unhealthy snack foods full of chemicals. Also, more attention is paid to hydration. Often skiers keep this type of diet long after the end of the ski season.
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Contributes to good looks
Despite the snow and the cold, your skin will look much better after skiing. After spending days on the snow in the mountains surrounded by beautiful nature, you will get rid of everyday stress. Also, you will benefit from the absorption of vitamin D, which helps in defending you from the seasonal affective disorder, increasingly common in the last decade.
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Improves relations among friends and family
Every journey and adventure sport “smell of a good time.” Descending from the mountain peaks, sliding from one end of the mountain to the other, and even the clumsy falls promise anecdotes that will be hard to forget. Relationships and connections that are established in these adventures guarantee long-lasting stability.
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Increase your respect for nature
Enjoying skiing means that you will spend time in the mountains, as a part of nature, using its benefits. The ones who experience this are more likely to accept that they are part of a wider picture. Skiers accept the beauty and wonders of nature with greater appreciation. They love this sport so much that they are willing to stand up for nature and her status, because global warming is guaranteed to impact skiing and ski resorts. If there were more skiers, the fight for nature preservation would be much easier.
So what are you waiting for, let’s go to the mountains!
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