Active Recovery FoR Skiing

Active Recovery for Skiing 

What is the difference between active recovery and passive recovery? Passive recovery is exactly as it sounds, kicking up the feet, logging some couch time, Netflix and chill, taking a nap, you get the idea. Active recovery however is a way to help the body recover by circulating more blood through your system with light activity, light massage, or even contract baths. Both forms of recovery are appropriate in an athlete’s routine but as we get into the racing season active recovery becomes more and more important so that we can feel our best on race day. 

How much activity is the right amount to be considered active recovery? I believe it will be different for each individual but I can offer some insight into what many World Cup skiers do for active recovery. 

Directly after a hard workout or race the first step in recovery is fuel and rest. Get some good calories in and embrace some passive recovery for a few hours. After that however getting out the door for some active recovery will help your muscles recovery quicker for the next day. The reason skiers opt for a spin or a jog is because it’s a great way to get active cardio in without over taxing the same muscles you have been using to ski. Optimal duration will be different for everyone but in the 20 – 45 minute range is a safe bet. Enough to circulate some blood but without requiring a high caloric output. 

This active recovery technique is often used by skiers between sprint rounds but is also effective during an active recovery workout in the afternoon following a super hard, high-lactate effort. The idea is to put in a short 5 second acceleration every minute for 10 – 15 minutes. Think of your muscles like a sponge. By adding in more aggressive muscle contractions for just 5 seconds each minute we are helping to ‘ring out’ our muscles of accumulated lactic acid, which if left in the muscles can make the legs feel even heavier for our next session. 

Foam rollers and roller balls are a great form of active recovery especially for skiers who don’t have regular access to a massage therapist. Spending 15 minutes hitting the major muscle groups in your legs, back, and arms with a roller before heading out for a recovery jog can help increase blood flow to damaged muscle fibers. 

Not for the faint of heart, some athletes swear by this active recovery technique. The US Ski Team travels with an inflatable ice bath than can be set up in hotel bathrooms or spas and we have used it a lot over the years especially while recovering for back to back races. A regular bath tub will work fine too, but in order to contrast you will need a separate hot shower or tub. The protocol consists of spending 1 – 1.5 minutes in the cold tub (we shoot for under 10c or 50f) followed immediately by 2 minutes in the hot shower or hot water. Repeat 5 - 6 times.  

This technique is great for stimulating more blood flow than just traditional ice baths and has the same ‘ringing out’ effect as our muscles contract in the cold water and release in the warm. It's a great active recovery option if you have easy access to the materials.