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How to Improve Your Skiing When There is No Snow on the Ground

Is there a way to step up your performance on the slopes without putting time in the gym? The answer is yes! One of the most valuable tools an athlete uses to improve their performance is mental visualization. It can be done anywhere, anytime. You don’t need snow on the ground to do it and it only takes a few minutes each day. Sounds almost too easy, right?!
Mental visualization is not fantasizing yourself as Marcel Hirscher dominating through the gates. It requires a a little more specific technique.
First find some good imagery or video of the level and style of skiing that you aspire to. If you don’t have any on hand here is a good bank of video segments we’ve collected: https://www.youtube.com/user/skinastc/playlists
Once you’ve found some good images, watch them, a lot. As you watch, try to feel the ski bending underneath your foot, feel the skis slide over the snow, the pressure shifting along your foot and against your shin. The idea is to live it! and feel it while you are watching.
The next step is visualize yourself as the skier. The action is from your perspective as the skier. Try to incorporate as many senses as possible when you do this. Can you feel the cold on your face? Try to hear the sound the skis would make as the slice or slide over the snow. Can you feel the tension and engagement of your muscles. See the line, the transition and the apex of the turn.
You can even focus on what it is you are trying to improve like a specific part of the turn or sequence of movements.
You can do your visualization while you are taking your first few sips of coffee in the moring, while you are in the shower or watering the plants. It just takes a few minutes each day to benefit from this incredibly powerful tool. If you have any questions, just email us and one of our coaches will help you out.

South America’s Turn for Big Snowfall

It’s been blasted all over social media about how much snow has fallen in the Chilean Andes. Could this be Chile’s year for an epic season? We certainly think so. This is the largest snowfall, Chile has received in recent memory. There was so much snow that the road up to Portillo was impassable and took over a week to clear. Immediately our thoughts turned to what it would be like to ski in all that snow! Portillo truly shines when it’s a big snow year. If you’ve been to Portillo and it was an average or less than average year and you still had a good time…”you know nothing, Jon Snow.” The terrain expands by 30% at least. If you enjoy hiking and earning your turns then the skiable terrain expands by even more.
As more pictures and stories come out from the opening week at Portillo, we might begin to salivate with anticipation for when it’s our turn in August to experience all the fun.
NASTC’s annual camp in Portillo is August 13-20. Save the dates if you w! ant a piece of the fun this summer/winter.

NASTC International Adventures – Portillo, Chile

US Men’s Alpine Ski Team Go On Vacation

Well sort of. Habitually the training schedule for the U.S Ski Team has included on snow training throughout the summer months. This year they are switching things up a little bit. The US Men’s Alpine Team finished up the season with a month long intensive training camp in Norway, where they trained side by side with the Attacking Vikings. They will not get back on snow until August when they head to the southern hemisphere to kickstart their training for the upcoming season. The men’s team will have 3 full months of snow, their focus will be directed towards conditioning during their time off. It will be interesting to see how switching up the training calendar will affect performances and the health of the athletes this coming winter.

Climb Your Way to a New Adventure

Rock climbing has a reputation for being a sport for the intrepid outdoor sportsman or the adrenaline seeking adventurer. Rock climbing is more of a zen-like experience that keeps you in the present and puts your mind and body to work as you try to puzzle out a route to the top a granite slab wall. Your often rewarded with some pretty spectacular views and a feeling of euphoria, just don’t look down over the edge or that feeling might get replaced with something else.
Rock climbing is also a family friendly activity, kind of like skiing, everyone doesn’t have to be at the same fitness or experience level to share the fun together. It’s also a strong bonding experience because the atmosphere is almost always positive and supportive rather than competitive.
If you want to give it a try, let us know. We have a terrific team of guides that know how to put a fun day out on the rocks together.
NASTC KIDS CLIMBING CAMP: JUNE 29-30
This is our popular annual kids! climbing camp. It’s a great way to introduce your kids into the sport of climbing and to transition from climbing indoors to real rock. Kids always leave the camp with new skills and beaming with confidence. We look forward to this camp every year because it is such a fun and special two days.
Please email or call the NASTC office for more information

Rock Climbing Tahoe-Truckee