Skiing is unarguably one of the most coveted recreational activities. And if you haven’t given it a shot, we are sure that you’re ecstatic to do so. But your weight seems to betray you. It doesn’t allow you to maneuver around skillfully as you would have wished.
Am I eligible for skiing? You might have asked yourself that question. Then you have come to the right place. If you want to become a partaker of the adrenaline rush, but you are overweight, we’ve got you covered. This simple guideline covers everything that you need to know about skiing and weights.
Is There A Weight Limit For Skiing? Basically, there isn’t a weight restriction on skiing. You have difficulties physically as it can be a demanding sport, and it can be challenging sourcing equipment depending on your size. However, there is no weight limit on ski lifts as they are capable of carrying multiple people at a time.
Table of Contents
What do you need before you go skiing?
Let’s put your overweight aside for a moment and begin from a common ground. There are some of the things that you will need before you venture into this recreational activity, as outlined below.
Skin Protection
Did you know that sunburns in the ice are the same as the burns in the Kalahari Desert? When the sun reflects on the snow, it hits back on your body, which is dangerous. So ensure you take a lip balm with you to moisturize your lips when they get drier. Plus, sun cream for your face is essential. You won’t spend the last three days of your holiday with cucumber over your eyes.
Helmets
Helmets are a must. However, you only need open face helmets which are safer than full-face helmets which bring with them loads of disadvantages. You can pass by the shops to get a comfortable, perfect size.
Ski Boots
As a novice in the game, you will notice that the ski boots are very uncomfortable. In some instances, you won’t feel the thrill of the game at all. As you continue, though, you will get familiar with it.
It’s good that you look for an expert to assist you in tightening so that it doesn’t disturb you when you begin skiing. Furthermore, trying three or four pairs isn’t a sin. At least, you are trying to get the perfect fit that will give you an easy time.
Overall Fitness
For you to nail it in any sport, you must be physically fit. It’s because you are subjecting your body into constant and immediate movements. If you are not fit, it won’t be long before you are panting heavily or throwing up. This does not mean that you have to do Ronnie Coleman-style of exercising. Light and small amounts of exercise are still okay. They give your body the oomph and strength to take over the snow hills with ease.
Now that we have settled the bases let’s ask ourselves a few questions on our way to skinning this cat effectively.
Is There A Weight Limit For Skiing?
Without further beating around the bush, let’s set things straight here; Yes, it is possible to ski while being overweight. Don’t get too hyped yet; there’s more. It depends on a variety of factors, for instance, what do we mean by being overweight? If you are excessively overweight like weighing 130 kgs and above, you might hit the gym to lose at least 30 kgs. Also, another factor to consider is which body part is more massive and how able are you to control your body?
Let this sink in your mind. Yes, you can still ski when you are overweight, but the price that comes with it is that you will require either double or triple the energy others use. If you figure out what your weight is making a plan of coming against you in the winter, well, it is time to start hitting the gym or watching your diet early in advance.
If you weigh over 230 pounds, the ski rental shop may have an uphill task looking for something that can accommodate you. The weight is the set limit that gives you the go-ahead to ski. You can still ski if you are above that limit, but you will have to wait a little bit longer as the rental shops scour their shelves looking for the right skis.
Do ski lifts have weight limits too?
This might be a significant concern since it’s not easy to get such answers online. You’ll have to go to the farthest corners of the internet to get credible information. With that said, there is no limit to the ski lifts. It’s not a shock to you if you already knew that one ski lift could hold up to eight people at a go.
A few tips on How to Ski when you’re overweight
Now that you have decided to let bygones be bygones, you still have to arm yourself with a few tips to prevent any injury. Before we delve deep, the first and most essential hack is to prepare in advance. What does it mean? When winter approaches and you are sure that your weight will bring your troubles, hit the gym ASAP. Come up with a weight loss diet plan and prepare yourself physically.
If you are unlucky and winter has caught up with you, you need not worry. We still have a few, but practical tips under our sleeves that may help a great deal.
Get all your equipment before time
An expert skier has all they need in their basement or store. If you are a newbie, hiring your equipment beforehand is vital. It gives you enough time to familiarize. Plus, with an expert on your side, you’ll get thorough lessons on how to fit everything easily. Your primary concern should be with the boots. Since you are overweight, your ankles are probably more significant, and the boots may fail to fit. Remember that with the wrong boots, your dream of skiing will be turned into a nightmare.
You can go to the nearest ski shop to check for the boots. For starters, go to credible shops with good reviews for the right tools. Secondly, don’t just take any boots that the staff will throw at you. Let them take their time to look for something worth your money.
Not to forget, the ski sizing matters since we are talking about weight here. This is the general rule of skiing – If you are heavy, you need longer skis. They can withstand the weight and distribute it effectively for optimum balance and keep up with friction. Remember that you have additional force and pressure. So ensure that the ski shop has put your weight into consideration to avoid any accidents.
Learning how to get up in case you have fallen
If you’ve watched a wrestling match of those massive guys, you probably noticed that they have a hard time getting up when they fall. It may be hilarious, but you may be in the same scenario when you fall when skiing.
We all know that getting up when you’ve fallen while skiing is a great deal. And it’s one of the first steps you are taught when you go for skiing classes. It’s all about techniques, and it might get the better of you when you are overweight. So you must know how to go about it in case you fall.
Falling on a Vertical Plane:
Getting up when you’ve landed on a vertical plane isn’t a hard nut to crack. Follow this procedure to get up.
- It all begins by positioning the skis in a direction that you won’t slide down on your quest for getting up. You do this by uncrossing them.
- With your poles, push up to get to the center of gravity. It should be far from skis. Try as far as you can.
- You can then stand up upright slowly
Maybe the above process may fail. In such a case, slowly unclip your skis (but only if you know to take them back). Ensure that the area is not steep and you won’t go sliding down.
Falling on a flat terrain:
This is another case of its own and making a comeback is an uphill battle. Since you can’t “mend” the angle of the mountain, it’s the hardest ways of getting up with your skis on. However, it’s the perfect spot to take off your skis and stand. Once they are off, you can rise from any position.
Take care of the Knees
Let’s face it – skiing is tough for your knees and even tougher when you have more pounds on your shoulders to carry. The pressure and the force are immense, and skiing may be a tough sport for you.
When you notice your knees start to pain. It never hurts to take a break. Pushing too far beyond your limits may cause injuries which can take long before healing.
Also, you can learn a few injury prevention techniques. There are many videos you can learn through beforehand.
Conclusion
Does it mean that you can’t enjoy your hobby just because you’re overweight? Not necessarily. Your weight shouldn’t limit you from skiing. All you need is to grasp the above-mentioned tips and you are good to go. Remember, practice makes perfect. The harder you practice, the better you’ll become.
You can check out our other ski articles here.
