Health Benefits of Skiing for Baby Boomers

Skiing holidays can be fun and extremely invigorating. Skiing is considered one of the most popular sports by baby boomers. The crisp, clean air, snow-capped mountain views, friendly people, and best of all, all that snow, make skiing, a fun sport. But did you know there are many health benefits of skiing too?

Improves Balance while Toning Stomach Muscles

The most important thing about skiing is keeping steady on the slippery slopes. Proper balance requires the use of core stability muscles. These are the muscles that begin on either side of the spine and run around the body, ending in the pelvic region. These muscles tighten and tone your stomach muscles. Strong core muscles help you to balance better on the slopes. This also improves overall coordination.

Improves Cardiovascular Health

Your heart will be working hard when you are on the piste. Skiing increases your heart rate, which increases blood circulation and helps extract waste faster from the body. You also burn calories; work your muscles and just half an hour of skiing enables you to get a good workout. If you wish for more exercise, try walking up the slope instead of using the ski lift. This is also good for your lungs.

Works all the Muscles

Skiing engages the whole body and exercises all the major muscle groups. Skiing particularly targets the inner and outer thighs, buttocks, and hamstrings. The lengthening of muscle fibers, through warming up and cooling down, can prevent potential injuries. You also get a good arm workout because you use the poles to steer and control speed and direction.

Enables Weight Loss

According to sources, a typical day of skiing can burn approximately 3,000 calories. This is much more than what you would burn in a gym. In addition, the body is also working harder to maintain body temperature due to the sub-zero temperatures outside. This, along with all that skiing, helps you burn more calories.

Although skiing is a great sport and has many health benefits, you should always consult a medical practitioner or your family doctor before making any plans to go skiing. You should consider a skiing holiday only with a green light from your doctor. Points to note: Always be prepared for the unexpected and watch out for those snowmen in your way!

This article is by ActiveAdultLiving.com®, the best website for your active lifestyle community information.