burning thighs after about 30 to 40 mins of skiing

I find that my thighs are burning at the end of the day too. Beer seems to cure it! :lol:

Burning thighs !

The one major symptom of a "sitting back" skier is burning thighs.

You are not forward enough on skis. Put pressure on BIG TOE at all times.

You are "muscling" your turns, rather than allowing skis to carve for you.

Take lessons.

Go on easy slopes and learn to let skis turn , instead of you "muscling" turns with rear pressure at ski tails.

I hope this helps.

A diagnostic burning thigh exercise.

Stand on level slope at bottom of resort. Feet apart in a comfortable stance.

Lift one of your ski tails 4 cm. ( with tip still touching snow) .

Now lean back on heels and try to lift one of the ski tails.

See what happens ?
Feel the tension on your thighs?

Try this now while going down an easy easy slope.
Just lift ski tail,,,,while putting all weight on other ski.
( NOT ALL THE SKI JUST TAIL while tip rests on snow)

If you can't do this,,,,,,you are leaning too far back on skis thus will have sore thighs.

I have a friend who has come skiing with me a number of times now. He has developed from a very very timid beginner into a reasonably competent but still quite timid intermediate, but fundamentally he can get down a slope without danger.
However, I have been unable to ski WITH him for more than an hour or so, as he says I am selfish and ski far too fast and at my own pace, not his. I have tried offering advice on position, stance, etc in order to assist his development so that he can step up another level and ski the whole mountain eventually and hopefully with me beside him, but he either does not listen, isn't interested deep down, or is physically unable. I have not decided which it is yet!

So, HIS big problem is this thigh burning. He says his legs are literally killing him (as he lights up another cigarette and sits down for another beer - yes there may be a connection.....) so in March I took him to the top of the Cucumelle in Serre Che and followed him down, and the result I believe may be what is the problem for other skiers who claim to have this thigh burning problem.....

Basically he was not leaning forwards, he was in a seated position with his legs bent at the knees to almost 90 degrees (he said his last instructor told him this was the right stance - I beg to differ) and his back straight from the waist up which means his weight, as Pavel says, was all on his tails and therefore he was working his legs ridiculously hard to turn. Add to this that he refused to allow his skis to run and was therefore turning far too often making lots of short turns instead of longer flowing turns, and no wonder by the time he got to the bottom (which took about 4 times as long as I would take because he kept having to stop) he was blowing out of his you know what!!!

I tried to show him the correct position, and he told me I was wrong, he was right, his past instructor had told him so.

Do I take from this that he maybe had an instructor who taught him the wrong stance, or that he has badly misunderstood what "bend zee knees" actually means?
Either way, I insisted on skiing down it again with him, this time with him skiing alongside me in my position. I asked him to allow his speed to build up more before initiating a turn and to lean his weight forwards and press with his toes to initiate the turn using his weight on the outside ski, but the minute we built up any speed he leant back into his comfort position and put in too many short turns to reduce speed.

I can only deduce for this exercise that some skiers (my friend included) are afraid to let their skis run sufficiently and put their weight forwards because of some kind of mental block or concern that they are going to fall maybe? Either way, this kind of comfort position seems to be what is causing all of the problems with thigh burn.

My friend takes great pride in telling me he gets down pretty much any slope he skis (normally only blues, sometimes I make him go on a red) without incident or a fall. He seems to think thats what its all about. If hes happy with that, fine, but i wonder how many other skiers developing into intermediates may well have this very same problem. I don't think its a physical problem, even though the symptomns are physical, and I am convinced it is some kind of mental block which makes them put their body into this defensive, tight and possibly quite rigid position, the end result being slow skiing, lots of turns, and massively increased fatigue.

My frustration is that I won't ever be able to ski the mountain with my friend, because I feel he has a mental block and can't or won't progress as a result of this possible "fear" of speed or leaning forward which may in turn produce a fear of falling over and ultimately injuring oneself. I have, of course, many times suggested to my friend to go and take lessons for 3 days or so during a week away, but he refuses and seems content in bumbling about without seeing much of the ski area at all, or being able to ski with more people in the group.


I wonder how many people out there who have this thigh burning can relate to this, and whether they have a similar issue with either speed or leaning forwards perhaps?

Tony,
It is not fear of speed,,,but fear of loss of control.
Many skiers try to "progress to fast". Skipping basic technics.

I support you. Do not ski with persons who do not want to ski better ( not faster).
Skiing with better skiers makes you better.
It raises your level of skiing competence.

I always require all skiers who want to ski in powder to take a 1 day evaluation test with me.
No matter how much money you have, how much "prestige" or contacts you have,,,you do not come skiing in powder if you do not have basic skills.
"No friends in powder" really applies.

Try waiting for a "poor skier" with +50 cm. of powder !

Just my opinion.
Pav

Tony_H wrote: I feel he has a mental block and can't or won't progress as a result of this possible "fear" of speed or leaning forward which may in turn produce a fear of falling over and ultimately injuring oneself.

I think that hits the nail on the head.
I think instinctively many people fear falling over when leaning forward when i reality most falls are backwards.
Learning to lean forward and overcoming that initial uncertainty of that action was the key to my progression and i am always shouting to Mrs Snapzzz and Little Snapzzz to "lean forward".
When standing on the crest of a steep slope leaning forward into it feels wrong at first so i understand a beginners misgivings but its something that must be overcome.

It drives me nuts that my good lady stands bolt upright and fights what should come natural. It results in falls onto her bum all the time and one day that knee is gonna pop!

I am well over 60, started skiing only in my late 50's and initially had the same problems as Tony's mate. However after a few lessons from a french instructor my stance was corrected, putting my shins onto my boot tongues and getting my weight forward. Not only did I not get SO tired but found I was skiing with far more confidence, better able to control the skies both at low (and higher) speed and had far more time to enjoy the environment around me. I do not think that I am a great skier but am now able to take on virtually all runs from blue to black with confidence, maybe not as quick as some but certainly no slouch either. I am however pretty fit and am positive that makes a lot of difference. I even enjoy a little off piste but have to say I still hate moguls!! :D

bald-eagleman wrote: able to control the skies

Thats an awesome talent.....Send some snow to the PDS next week please!