Get Ready for Snow by Slackline, Vew-Do, Soccer

It's usually about this time of year that cooler days and downright frosty nights make the coming winter seem, suddenly, a reality. Now is also when I realize I may have relaxed my normally stringent powder day training regimen over the past few months. Oops. 

There are a lot of skills and muscle movements required on the snow, and you don't have to spend hours in the gym, lifting weights or doing lunges and sit-ups to get ready for ski season. Slacklining, soccer, juggling, Vew-Do boards - they'll all do the job, and are WAY more fun! 

Stratton is bringing them all to you over Columbus Day Weekend, at the Pre-season Skills and Balance Camp. Here's a sneak peek of what campers will learn and what they can take away to keep getting stronger before and during the season. 

Slacklining, from Meghan Minogue of Yogaslackers 

Meaghan Minogue, Yogaslacker

We were first wow-ed by Meghan at Wanderlust, when she taught us to walk, sit and balance on slackline, a one inch wide piece of webbing suspended off the ground between 2 anchor points. How does it relate to on-snow? "Slacklining is a practice that requires a great deal of focus, core stability, concentration and determination. In these workshops, we will be focusing on kneeling exercises standing, and even arm balances." 

Hand-eye Skills and Juggling, Iain McInnes 
Building coordination is essential for skiing and snowboarding, and juggling is the ultimate test. "Learning to break complex tasks into their simplest parts is key; success is found through mastery of the smaller elements first, so never be daunted by the overall challenge when considering learning a new skill." Iain coaches anywhere from three ball juggling to advanced juggling skills including tricks, four, five, six and seven ball, clubs and more. 

Rhythm and Coordination in Soccer, Trevor Daniel of Elite Soccer Club 
"Every athlete regardless of the sport has to get their bodies to move and respond to the demands of that sport. Athletes need to be able to control & command their bodies to be in the correct form, whether skiing, snowboarding, swimming or playing soccer, when performing different skills to excel." Trevor's sessions will focus on a series of rhythm and coordination drills along with some fast footwork drills that will set the foundation for success in soccer and beyond. "To be a master of the ball, one must first be the master of their own body..." 

Vew-Do Balance, with the Vew-Do Team
 Members Hailing from Manchester, VT, the Vew-Do team will share tricks for their balance boards, a long-standing piece in balance training routines.

To find a favorite way to play and be winter-ready all year round, check out the Pre-season Skills and Balance Camp, October 6 & 7.