Fun & Fitness over 50

OK. Off-season training for skiing becomes in-season training for cycling. But in addition, this year I am going to work more on mobility and flexibility. Not only will this help me next ski season I think it is also good for us aging, *ahem*, Masters.

For a guide, I am using the book "Total Skiing" by Chris Fellows. He has a series of mobility, fitness and skills assessments that are then used to develop a training program. The scoring is on 3 levels. #3 is basically you're OK you just need exercises to maintain that level, #2 you need some improvement and #1 you need a LOT of improvment.

I scored myself a #1 in mobility but as I'm trying to do the prescribed exercises, I find some of them very hard and even impossible.

My biggest problems are my right shoulder which has had extremely limited range of motion and pain for several years and my right knee which I injured this winter (not from skiing).

To correct these problems, I have books from Rick Olderman, the "Fixing You" series. One on shoulder and elbow pain and one on order for hip and knee problems.

So what I'm planning is to ride bike 3 days a week and do exercises in between. Kind of intersperse the "Total Skiing" stuff that I can do with the gentler "Fixing you" corrective exercises and stretches. As my range of motion and flexibility improves I will do less of the correctives and more of the mobility and stability drills.

Also, for more summer fun, I would like to try Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) which was recommended in "Total Skiing" as a way to get out of the gym and get a good core workout. The boards can be pretty pricey but it's probably a good idea to rent first. I see a place out in the Finger Lakes that rents for $25 an hour. An hour is probably enough to start.

That's the plan and I've already started.