IN THIS SECTION
BODY WORK
The Gym Scene [pg. 2]
The Gym Scene [pg. 2]
WINTER PROTECTION
Picking the Perfect Lens [pg. 3]
Braving Black Ice [pg. 4]
Beating the Elements [pg. 5]
Left Dryland training at Zenergy.
Right Muffy Ritz and Kate Whitcomb using ski ergs at 5B Crossfit.
THE GYM SCENE
Trying to avoid that haven’t-skied-in-a-while body hangover? Or need a push to make the transition from mountain biking to skiing the slopes, or from hiking boots to gliding on skate skis? Hook up with a local gym and get your body in shape for any type of winter sport. From KettleKross to Boot Camp, there are plenty of local classes to help you shine on the slopes. -Sara Sheehy
5B CrossFit
Hailey 415.860.2515
“We train people to be good at life,” reports Alex Margolin, co-owner of 5B CrossFit. Located in Hailey, 5B CrossFit teaches participants to control their body and build on their strengths and weaknesses—creating a well-rounded athlete. “Our athletes are ready to ski in June!” joked Margolin. Using a unique combination of a warmup and fitness challenge in every class, participants cheer each other on while completing the workout in a given time frame. Using functional movements only, 5B CrossFit aims to increase participants’ GPP, or “general physical preparedness.” A typical workout includes athletes challenging themselves with double-jump rope and kettlebell swings, followed by ski pole races on a nordic poling simulator.
Angela’s Gym
Ketchum 208.720.7433
Angela’s Gym is a private, personal fitness center located in Ketchum. Owner Angela Freeman sets her gym apart by opening only for specific classes or private training. Welcoming all abilities and genders, Angela says she, “enjoys teaching ski conditioning in particular because it’s so fun to teach—people just want to get killed!” In addition to a “ton” of leg work, class participants work on functional core training with exercises like the hanging plank and reverse crunches. Core work is the center of Angela’s method to ski conditioning, and participants can expect to get an intense workout.
BCRD FitWorks
Hailey 208.578.2273
Conveniently located in the Community Campus (next to the high school in Hailey), the Blaine County Recreation District’s FitWorks program offers a wide variety of options to get your body in gear. With two full fitness rooms, including cardio and circuit training equipment, free weights and two double-pull SkiErg meters, which simulate the arm movements of Nordic skiing, FitWorks provides the perfect, affordable training option for anyone looking to get in shape. FitWorks also offers a variety of classes including Boot Camp, Pilates and Spinning, as well as personal trainers for a more tailored workout. Popular group and private Nordic skiing lessons at Quigley Canyon also take place once the snow starts flying.
High Altitude Fitness
Hailey 208.788.4955
Ketchum 208.726.1959
High Altitude Fitness gears up athletes for winter sports with several different classes. To keep the body in tip top shape, owner Kevin Mora suggests trying a recent addition to their training repertoire—Kettlebell training and KettleKross, which both use Russian-style kettlebells, a cast iron weight designed to be used with a range of movements. Kettlebell training focuses on posterior movement, working out the hips, glutes, abs and spinal rectus. Take kettlebell a step further with KettleKross, a class combining basic kettlebell movements with body weight exercises. KettleKross uses tires, ropes, sledgehammers and specialty sandbags to complete a typical workout.
Zenergy Health Club and Spa
Ketchum 208.725.0595
Recently selected as one of the “most luxurious fitness clubs” in America by CNBC, Zenergy Health Club prides itself on offering something for everyone. Whether you want to bomb down Baldy in a thigh-busting tuck or you simply prefer your workouts to be away from the snow, Zenergy can help. “We can keep you in shape, no matter what your favorite sport is,” explained Zenergy’s Kerry Samudio. Offering over 65 on-going classes in everything from Kettlebell training to Master’s swimming, from dry land training to yoga, classes at Zenergy are open to the public and run in four-week increments. Among their most popular classes are the “Boot Camps,” like the winter sports training class taught by seasoned trainer, Eric Hall, who summed up the Zenergy staff attitude by explaining, “I work hard to make sure each class is fun, to keep participants looking forward to the next one.”
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PICKING THE PERFECT LENSES
Finding the right sunglass or goggle lens can be a challenge. Luckily, the Wood River Valley boasts two of the world’s finest winter sport lens manufacturers, which develop and test their products right here in our backyard. To learn which lens works best when, check out the tips below. -Sara Sheehy
Lens Tips
VLT
Choosing the right lens has everything to do with light—specifically the Visible Light Transmittance, or VLT, the amount of light the lens allows to pass through it. Those infamous flat light days are “not a result of a lack of light,” explained Smith Optics’ Greg Randolph. “It is an abundance of blue light to be precise. Blue light overloads your eye making it unable to see any contrast or shadow. Our lenses filter out the blue light to enhance contrast so you can see the surface definition you need.”
UV Rays
Do you only ski on those blue bird days? Look for an amber–or gold–tinted lens to dampen those bright rays.
No More Fog
Keep a micro-fiber lens wipe handy! If you get snow inside the lens, gently wipe it away with the cloth. Never use cotton or your fingers. Touching the inside of the lens will cause it to continue to fog. If all else fails, head to the lodge to dry them out as soon as possible. Make sure to store your goggles properly between uses, i.e., NOT hanging from the rearview mirror. The sun will quickly break down the foam.
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BRAVING BLACK ICE
Snow on the slopes invariably means snow on the Valley’s roadways. So here are a few winter driving tips with help from Car Talk producer Doug Mayer to keep you safe on your way to carve turns, or wherever you may be headed.
Clear Snow and Ice
Clear off the entire car, not just a little peephole in the windshield. You need just as much, if not more, visibility in poor conditions because you have to keep your eyes peeled for pedestrians, and every other knucklehead or animal on the road. Make sure every glass surface is clear and transparent by using a snow brush and/or ice scraper. Your side-view mirrors and all lights should be brushed and cleared as well. It’s the law in most states.
Drive Defensively
Even with good coolant, snow tires, stability control, all-wheel drive and the bag of Doritos in the trunk, keep in mind that driving in snow, sleet, and ice is very treacherous. And even if you maintain control of your car, not everyone else will. So don’t ever get lulled into a false sense of security. Do everything slowly and gently. Remember, in the snow, the tires are always just barely grabbing the road. Accelerate slowly and gently, turn slowly and gently, and brake slowly and gently. To do this, you have to anticipate turns and stops. That means what? Going slowly and leaving plenty of distance between you and other cars.
Understanding your Car
Every car has different handling characteristics. You should know what your car can and cannot do in the snow. (Hint: It can’t do any of the things it was doing on the TV commercial that made you buy it.) You should know if you have front-, rear-, part-time or full-time four-wheel drive; antilock brakes; traction control; and stability control. You should know what kind of tires are on the car, and how all those things work and how they help you or don’t help you. In fact, it’s not a bad idea to do a little driving in an empty parking lot on a snowy day just so you know what to expect from your car when you drive on snowy roads.
Gain Control in a Spin
If you find yourself spinning on a slippery roadway, don’t panic. Or, as our Car Talk friends, Click and Clack, the Tappet Brothers, advise, “Rapid movements lead to skids and loss of control. Drive as if there were eggs on the bottoms of your feet—step on the gas and the brake pedals so gently that you don’t break the eggshell.” If you do find yourself in a spin, without panicking or overcorrecting, slowly remove your foot from the accelerator and/or brake and try to follow the skid until your tires regain traction.
How to Avoid Wildlife
Deer and elk are typically on roadways during dawn and dusk, while moose and bear move around at night. If you see an animal on, or near, the road, slow down until the animal has moved. Frightened animals are unpredictable and may run in any direction. Turning in the direction that the animal is moving will increase your chances of collision. If a collision is unavoidable, make sure to let off the brakes right before impact to ensure that your front end stays high (braking does the opposite–moving the car’s center of gravity forward and lowering the front end) which will hopefully keep the animal from hitting your windshield.
-SVM
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BEATING THE ELEMENTS
Winter is here! And living in this dry, cold and, of course, sunny climate (we are in Sun Valley) brings with it a whole new set of skin challenges for your skin. -Laurie Christian
Protecting | Apply sunscreen thoroughly and often.
While it seems like common knowledge, wearing sunscreen during the winter months is extremely important, as important as wearing it to the beach or on a hike during a hot August day. Goggle tans are no longer cool, so wearing sunscreen every day is one of the best things you can do for your skin. With advances in skin care technology, there are now sunscreens made for all skin types—moisturizing, oil free, organic, all-natural and even mineral-based. The most important factor is to apply thoroughly and often. People typically only apply 25-50% of the amount needed for protection. The recommended quantity is one ounce (a full shot glass) of sunscreen to cover exposed body areas sufficiently. It’s important to use a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.
Moisturizing | Keeping skin hydrated can be a challenge.
As the seasons change, it’s also important to modify your skin care routine. There are many things you can do to keep skin looking its best and feeling soft and moisturized. During the summer months a light lotion may be just fine, but during the winter months you may want to use something a little heavier such as a cream or oil-based moisturizer. Look for non-pore-clogging oils such as avocado, primrose or almond oil. And, if you think an oil-based moisturizer or cream is too heavy for your skin, there are all kinds of oil-free moisturizers that work great, too, with ingredients such as aloe, green tea, hibiscus and cucumber, which all absorb easily and instantly into the skin, refreshing and protecting the skin from dehydration.
Eating | What you put in your body is just as important as what you put on your body.
While moisturizing topically is an important way to keep skin looking and feeling good, what you put in your body is just as important. We all know that eating right and exercising have positive effects on your overall health, but they are also imperative to great-looking, healthy skin. Foods rich in antioxidants, such as blueberries, strawberries and raspberries, are rich in vitamin C, which helps to increase collagen vital to younger looking skin. Essential fatty acids found in oily fish, such as salmon and sardines, are also a great way to keep skin moisturized and hydrated. EFA’s (essential fatty acids) help reduce inflammation in skin and help to retain skin’s moisture. Nuts, seeds, avocados and olive oil also contain large amounts of EFAs and also include vitamins E and A, which help protect your body and skin against environmental pollutants and sun damage. Almonds, walnuts, sunflower and pumpkin seeds are also great sources for these rich oils. Dark leafy vegetables such as spinach, watercress and romaine lettuce are great sources of antioxidant vitamins A, C, E, and the mineral iron, an essential for keeping your blood healthy and your skin bright. Green tea is also bursting with antioxidants which help fight viruses and slow-aging. As proof positive of the potency of these food choices, it is common to see antioxidants, Omega 3 fats, EFAs and green tea as some of the top ingredients in anti-aging lotions and creams.
