# Rest Days: How many and when?



## tonicusa (Feb 27, 2008)

How many of you guys ride everyday? Do you take rest days? I find if I ride three days on and take two off my legs recharge to the point where my riding is at full tilt and progressing. If I ride everyday straight at day five I have less pop, power and mental alertness, which becomes consequential in the pipe, jumpline, trees etc. Anybody using compression gear, cold soaks etc to speed recovery?


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## SnowDogWax (Nov 8, 2013)

I ride 6 days a week off on most Sundays, no problem with legs except my hip seems to require an ice pack lately.


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## tonicusa (Feb 27, 2008)

Yeah I pull that schedule sometimes but I notice that when riding slope style with a lot of jumps and pipe that I do so much better with fresh legs. I hate taking rest days it drives me crazy but the difference in performance is so noticeable. I just hate taking days off.


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## mhaas (Nov 25, 2007)

The past 4 seasons Ive ridden everyday there is soft snow to be found. and the last year and a half its been pretty much all splitboarding. The most consecutive days I have ridden was 11. Last Feb I rode 24/28 days. I try to combine my rest days with days I have things to do or when its a better day weather/condition-wise to fish than ride. I do feel refreshed if I take a day or two off but if its more than a few days I feel my fitness level starts to drop and I start sucking wind.


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## readimag (Aug 10, 2011)

When I was ridding 90+ days I would take the weekends off as that is when it gets crazy crowded more Sunday then any other day.


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## CassMT (Mar 14, 2013)

everyday...but usually 3-4 hours...for me its a good amount to avoid general fatigue and burnout but still progress. when its bad conditions i don't hesitate to leave, i've had a few one-run days this season...has to be really bad to do that though

ice, heat, asprin, arnica, whatever it takes to get back up there...starting out with one pain or another is normal, it goes away after a few runs


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## Varza (Jan 6, 2013)

Holy crap, are you guys pros? :blink: Or just live on the mountain? Equivalent in my book.

The most I've ever done was 5 days in a row and by the 5th day, my legs decided to stop doing my bidding as readily as they had been. Jello legs = called it a day at lunch time. That trip was also when I learned that falling can be quite exhausting. Yes, I am still learning. And I'm supposedly more fit than your average chair-dweller.

Normally, I can only get a bunch of weekends in a season. I hate it when life gets in the way of snowboarding!


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## BurtonAvenger (Aug 14, 2007)

I've already got close to 100 days for the season. You just learn to take a day off when you're not feeling it or your body needs it.


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## speedjason (May 2, 2013)

man you guys live in the mountains?
I only get to ride on weekends.:huh:


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## hardasacatshead (Aug 21, 2013)

BurtonAvenger said:


> I've already got close to 100 days for the season.


Fuck you ..i..  ..i..


When I'm at the hill I'll ride at least 6 days a week. Was in Jackson Hole for 42 days and rode 35 of them (plus two days at Targhee). If my legs are a bit fucked I'll just do a half day but I get all antsy if I stay away for too long, particularly when I have to travel to get there.


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## DToay34 (Oct 30, 2013)

I've done 5 days in a row but I feel the same way you do tonicusa. After day three my legs are basically shot, and the next two days I don't progress that much. I am 210 lb so that may have something to do with my leg fatigue.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

I take a day off a week or so. I'm at like 85 days this season. My son is around 105-110. It's hard to keep track if you don't pay attention or ride on an rfid pass every day. Minimum is 2 hours for a day when.I work at 11. I am at work now so not riding today. I rarely work.in the morning but it means 16 hours of overtime doing a double shift today..... Fucking kills me to be here on a pow day but I could use the break.

I count my "season" starting in Oct


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## ThisIsSnow (Dec 7, 2013)

speedjason said:


> man you guys live in the mountains?
> I only get to ride on weekends.:huh:


yeah, how in the world are you guys getting these numbers?! is everyone on this forum ski patrol/works in a mountain ski shop/unemployed?!


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## hardasacatshead (Aug 21, 2013)

I don't know how the other guys do it but I worked for nearly ten years in the middle of the desert in an underground mine, saved up my coin, sold my shit and travelled the world chasing snow. 

Got about 160 days last season in Japan, Canada and France. Should get at least 60-70 by the end of this season and will probably hit NZ again mid-year for their winter. Work hard, play hard. :thumbsup:

The bus driver who drove me to Grand Targhee from Jackson took that job because he needed to stay in Targhee for each day so he could bring the passengers back. Therefore he shreds 6 days a week and gets paid for it, free lift passes too. Not a bad way to get your numbers up.


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## CassMT (Mar 14, 2013)

self employment has been the key for me, setting my own hours going on 16 yrs...if i see a storm coming i'll work late into the night so my conscience is clear to ride next day...having the chair 20mins from my front door helps too


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## sintijask (Feb 11, 2014)

One day off a week to rest :thumbsup:


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## mhaas (Nov 25, 2007)

My workload is heavily seasonal. I pretty much work a day or two from home during the winter months and I live 30 min from the greatest snow on earth. Riding or fishing everyday during the winter makes 70 hour weeks during the summer seem not so bad.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

I live in Vail about 300-350 meters to the lift and work next door to my condos on evening shift 3-4 days a week. Unfortunately it's 4 in winter... We also vacation to hood for a week or two in summer for some turns. 

You have to get your priorities straight first, then make your life happen the way you want it to. My priority is raising my son and having fun doing it, in an out doorsy way. Family life is a top priority and work is well.... Just a way to make a pay check and live life.....


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## twowheeled (Jan 1, 2014)

I ride 5 days a week usually, what helps is lots of sleep, riding with a different attitude, and pacing myself. For example I won't charge down the hill every single run hitting the nastiest terrain. If I take a few tumbles and my body starts getting beat up I will cruise a few groomers and call it a day. My friends who only get to go on weekends or a couple times a month will charge hard and be absolutely dead and sore and the end of a single day. They'll also want to be on the first and last chairs of the day just to get their moneys worth. Bottom line for me is if I'm not having any fun, I call it a day. 

Also what really helps me is I always stretch on the gondola. Hit up the neck, shoulders, back, and legs. 

Oh yea, to make this work I'm unemployed, lol


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## campfortune (Apr 22, 2008)

Holy...don't you guys feel tired and bored riding so much? I will get bored of everything if I do it so much.

I do 3-4 hours a week, 40min drive to the local hills.


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## boarderaholic (Aug 13, 2007)

campfortune said:


> Holy...don't you guys feel tired and bored riding so much? I will get bored of everything if I do it so much.
> 
> I do 3-4 hours a week, 40min drive to the local hills.


Depends? There's usually a lot of stuff to ride in big mountains, and the endurance comes with doing.


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## CassMT (Mar 14, 2013)

tired yes, in the best way.

bored? wtf are you talking about? you need a new hobby


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## campfortune (Apr 22, 2008)

boarderaholic said:


> Depends? There's usually a lot of stuff to ride in big mountains, and the endurance comes with doing.



maybe that's why. I can only afford to go to big mountains a couple of times a season, because of cost and distance. I mostly just stick with local hill (<200 m)


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## andrewdod (Mar 24, 2013)

I ride everyother day, that's what my class schedule allows... but im pretty sure i could do quite a few days straight... Leg conditioning for me is not an issue... I'm rarely burned out after a 6 hour day on the hill. I go to the hill after weight training for football all the time, doesnt bother me the slightest...


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## boarderaholic (Aug 13, 2007)

campfortune said:


> maybe that's why. I can only afford to go to big mountains a couple of times a season, because of cost and distance. I mostly just stick with local hill (<200 m)


Oh yeah, I hear you on that one. I love snowboarding, but mole hills are only entertaining for so long. I'm only ever at the hill long enough to teach my allotted lessons and piss off from there asap.


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