Living a healthier life through sports

Reprinted from Helium.com with permission of author

By Lisa Marie Mercer

For every sport, there is a season, and a time to train for each and every athletic purpose. To complement these sports, we have been graciously given the gift of four unique seasons. Do you accept these gifts, or do you run from the snow and hide your head in the sandy beaches? All seasons have their beauty. If we are to be truly whole, we should embrace each of them.

Some people shy away from winter's embrace, and endure a condition known as seasonal affected disorder. Ironically, winter sports can be the perfect cure for this condition. The sunlight on the mountains can make up for the lack of sunlight caused by shorter days and longer nights. Furthermore, winter sports provide weight bearing exercise, which might eventually protect you from osteoporosis. As if that was not enough, winter sport activities improve your balance, which can protect you from injuries in non-athletic activities.

Although there are a few different types of snow sports, they all have one thing in common. Each winter sport requires you to surrender to gravity and allow the mountain or hill to become you dancing partner. In John Denver's song Downhill Stuff, he urges us to "keep a movin' in a forward direction and to let ourselves go with gravity."
With that in mind, it seems fitting that we begin with downhill skiing.

Downhill Skiing

Downhill skiing is also known as alpine skiing. The skis for this sport skis vary in length and shape depending on your height, weight and the type of terrain you prefer to ski. In general, downhill skiers use ski poles. The boots are made of reinforced plastic. Bindings keep the boots completely attached to the skis. Bindings keep the boots completely attached to the skis. However, telemark skiers use boots that do not attach their heel to the ski. For this reason, telemark skiers are sometimes called "free-heelers." Very few sports can provide that same sort of thrill, excitement and challenge you can experience through downhill skiing. While the learning curve might be steep, mastering the required skills is deeply satisfying. Since alpine skiing is my sport of choice, it will be mentioned quite frequently throughout this book. However, rest assured that the fitness programs I present are applicable to other snow sports in that they all involve a dance with gravity.

Cross Country Skiing

While downhill skiing provides the thrills, cross-country skiing provides a great workout. Depending on your weight, the intensity of your skiing, and whether or not you choose to ski hills, cross country skiing may burn between 400 and 1400 calories per hour. Since cross-country skiing involves a simultaneous use of the arms and legs, many exercise physiologists consider it to be one of the best forms of aerobic exercise. The primary difference between cross-country Skiing and downhill skiing is that in cross-country skiing, the boot is attached to the ski only with the toe of the boot. The free heel allows cross-country skiers to climb uphill which is not very comfortable in alpine skis.

Snowboarding

Snowboarding is a sport that was once in the exclusive domain of the younger generation. In the past, it was considered a youth-cult fad. However, it looks like snowboarding is here to stay. In fact, in recent years, it has begun to gain popularity with the over 40 crowd. Some even claim that it is easier on the knees. Many love the soft, comfy boots, which are a welcome relief from the stiff plastic boots worn by alpine skiers.
Snowboarding involves having both of your feet on one board. Shifting the upper body and hips will swivel the board from its left edge to its right. To stop, you either turn uphill, or deliberately cause yourself to fall by plopping down on your butt!

Snowshoeing

Snowshoe enthusiasts tell us "if you can walk, you can snowshoe." If you have always dreamed of venturing out into the snowy woods without having to learn to backcountry ski, snowshoeing is the answer to your prayers. On today's short, lightweight snowshoes anyone can experience the joys of enjoy winter hiking trails just by putting one foot in front of the other.

Snowshoes grip the snow with crampons that are located at the toe and the heel. This is why you can simply walk along without slipping. Planting the snowshoe flat on the surface enables the crampons to grip the snow and provide stability. Snowshoeing can burn over 1000 calories per hour, making it an excellent form of winter fitness.

Once people get involved in a winter sport, they usually become inspired to stay active in the other seasons. This often means that they participate in hiking, cycling and other activities that supply a healthy dose of sunshine.

Parents have found that having their kids participate in a sport is a great way to teach them about team work and cooperation. It does not even have to be a competitive sport. Here in Colorado, we have seen improved grades and better classmate relationships displayed by kids who participated in the Snowboard Outreach Society programs.

Whatever sport you choose, playing outdoors is the best way to improve your entire outlook on life. What can be healthier than that?