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MID SEASON
PETE VORDENBERG
Contributing Editor for The Master Skier
Pete Vordenberg is the assistant coach of th U.S. Ski Team, and is a National Champion. He writes and races every chance he gets. Vordenberg is a two time Olympian and an NCAA Champion.
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The U. S. Ski Team is on a mission.
In pursuit of international success we’ve begun developing a protocol for nearly everything. The idea is to eliminate variables, to leave as little to chance as possible.
Getting sick can ruin a few days to a week of training or, at the wrong time, an important series of races. Staying sick can ruin half a season, and training or racing sick can even ruin an entire career.
- Members of the U. S. Ski Team not only have a lot invested in their health, but their training, racing and travel schedule puts them at great risk for getting sick.
For this reason, with the help of our medical, nutritional and coaching staff as well as our experienced athletes we’ve gathered some ideas on staying healthy throughout the training, traveling and racing season.
The most obvious methods of staying healthy are also the most important. These pertain also to recovering well from training, as well as just living well.
Master skiers can benefit as well by following our protocol.
Sleep like a baby.
If your day is well planned and you still can’t get your requisite amount (likely around eight hours) of sleep, then you need to realize that you cannot perform (at work, home or on the ski trails) optimally; and that you will be susceptible to illness unless you cut down on one or more of your daily activities.
It is better to do less well than more poorly.
Drink a lot of water.
You’re basically made of it. Everything that goes on in your body uses and demands water. As athletes you use and therefore require much more.
Getting enough sleep and drinking enough water make up the two most important means to staying healthy, feeling good and being energetic.
The amount of water you’ll need depends on the environment (humidity, altitude, temperature, etc.), exertion, lifestyle and individual factors.
Keep track of your weight before and after training. The weight you lose in a single training session, or a single day is water weight – not fat.
Eat right.
Like sleeping, eating deserves the time it takes to do it right. Avoid junk, and you know what that means, there are no secrets or miracles here.
At the same time, realize that the more you train, the more active your life is, the more and better fuel you need.
Run low on fuel and not only does your performance suffer but so does your immune system. When your body doesn’t get the nutrition it needs it gets run down and becomes very susceptible to illness.
It is probably wise to take in some extra vitamins and minerals, but don’t depend only on them.
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