# rubber legs?



## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

I definitely always get this in the early season. I did my 5th day riding yesterday, and I've gained an hour of good leg time since my first day. It's a little worse this year because the new Mystery chair allows me to get about twice as many runs in in any given time frame. (Awwwwww, poor donutz  )

What killed me last year was my first experience with a big mountain (Whistler). Runs that take 20 minutes if you're really hoofing it are gonna hurt.

I try to break up my day by working on different things, but once the legs start to give out, there's not a lot of options.

As far as improving your stamina -- I don't have bad knees so I can't give any advice to compensate for that. But ideally holding a high horse stance (feet slightly wider than shoulder width, knees bent and pushed as far apart as you can manage, thighs at about 45 degrees, torso as vertical as possible) for as long as you can is surprisingly good for the thighs. To put that in perspective, to get your first belt (at least at the schools I've been to) you have to hold the horse for 2 minutes. Doesn't sound like much, until you try it. Extra points for getting your thighs parallel to the ground but I imagine that'd be really hard on the knees.


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## freshy (Nov 18, 2009)

This is also my first year of noticeably jelly legs on the first day...Usually due to my work I'm hoofing it up stairs every day carrying shit, never had issues with legs burning for a while now. This year I haven't been doing that at all and blame my lazy ass for not conditioning my legs.


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## Noreaster (Oct 7, 2012)

I'll venture a guess that your riding technique might be wrong or that you're seriously out of shape. Without seeing you riding its hard to say why your legs hurt so much, because they really shouldn't. I'm guessing this is your second season? It could very well be that now when your confidence is increasing you start pushing yourself harder, maybe going faster or becoming more aggressive and that wrong positioning that you were able to get away with last season puts too much stress on your legs.

As exercise goes don't do squats, instead do Bulgarian lunges (a lunge with a back leg on the chair). Don't bend your knee too much you don't need it, just enough to feel your quad and calf muscles working. Stay in the position for 15-20 sec. then slowly get up. The key is to do it slowly. Don't kill yourself with overexercise. Do as much as you can and increase time/repetitions bit by bit over time. That is one exercise that puts minimal stress on knee joint. Another good exercise would be elliptical. Also do a good stretching before, mid and after riding. That'll save you quite a few Advils.


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## Treegreen (Mar 16, 2012)

Well, squats are kind of the standard for leg strength, but also lots of other muscle chains. Something else you could do is hill runs. Walter Payton (of NFL fame) used to just basically run up really steep hills and his legs were like tree trunks.


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## blz1 (Oct 15, 2012)

Wall sits.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

Don't be so lazy when not snowboarding. This season has been awesome so far. My wife son and I spent the summer hiking, cross country biking and downhill riding with a little long boarding and skating mixed in.... Jumped on a board early November for 7 hours and never looked back. 40 days into my season and 50+ for my boy we barely feel it at all. I'll ride for 6 hours then go work for 8-10 hours along with the rest of our riding/skiing group

We also do yoga a few days a week....


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## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

Argo said:


> Don't be so lazy when not snowboarding. This season has been awesome so far. My wife son and I spent the summer hiking, cross country biking and downhill riding with a little long boarding and skating mixed in.... Jumped on a board early November for 7 hours and never looked back. 40 days into my season and 50+ for my boy we barely feel it at all. I'll ride for 6 hours then go work for 8-10 hours along with the rest of our riding/skiing group
> 
> We also do yoga a few days a week....


u r so pro dood.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

ShredLife said:


> u r so pro dood.


Yea brah, some days I'm even getting paid while I snowboard.


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## Sincraft (Sep 6, 2010)

Argo said:


> Don't be so lazy when not snowboarding. This season has been awesome so far. My wife son and I spent the summer hiking, cross country biking and downhill riding with a little long boarding and skating mixed in.... Jumped on a board early November for 7 hours and never looked back. 40 days into my season and 50+ for my boy we barely feel it at all. I'll ride for 6 hours then go work for 8-10 hours along with the rest of our riding/skiing group
> 
> We also do yoga a few days a week....


Hard for me during the summer. When I'm not working, I'm usually digging , cutting, sanding or some summer project. I dont get much time for extra things. Thankfully Winter keeps me from needing to do those things which allows me time to ride. My son will be riding in a few years so, lets hope he begs to go everyday so dad can go too and get more in shape riding more.


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## Leo (Nov 24, 2009)

This year I worked out all summer to get back in shape. I dropped the 20lb excess I had gained during my wife's two years of pregnancy. I still have a beer gut somewhat because I love to eat and drink beer, but I definitely strengthened my core.

I do martial arts on a heavy bag. Right now I'm just shadow boxing because my bag is outside and it's too cold lol. Kicking and punching for an hour or more at least three times a week.

I know you only mentioned legs, but I'm bringing all of this up because a total body workout along with cardio increases your stamina all around and makes you a better rider. I was very out of shape last season and I definitely notice the difference in my riding this year. 

Core workouts are the most important and will also reduce the fatigue on your legs. If you have a strong core, you're more balanced thus taking some load off your legs. 

For my core, I do an ab wheel exercise everyday. It took a month for me to be able to do it everyday and to be able to stretch all the way out and down. Such a simple tool and cheap investment for something that stregnthens your core so quickly and effectively. 

The cardio you can get from kickboxing is awesome. Even when you shadowbox, you get a lot of cardio so long as you're still putting power into your punches and kicks. You'll get a leg workout from this as well as a core workout. On top of that, it's just plain fun and stress relieving.


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## Sincraft (Sep 6, 2010)

Leo said:


> This year I worked out all summer to get back in shape. I dropped the 20lb excess I had gained during my wife's two years of pregnancy. I still have a beer gut somewhat because I love to eat and drink beer, but I definitely strengthened my core.
> 
> I do martial arts on a heavy bag. Right now I'm just shadow boxing because my bag is outside and it's too cold lol. Kicking and punching for an hour or more at least three times a week.
> 
> ...


You've got a good point about core training and it taking some load off the legs. When we are tired in one area we tend to 'limp' causing that good area to go bad. So yea , many good points here.


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## ThunderChunky (Oct 1, 2011)

Running hills and trail running are the best. That's what I do. Helps when you hike too. Doing core exercises works. I'd suggest flutter kicks and hanging leg raises. Those workout your legs and core.


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## Leo (Nov 24, 2009)

ThunderChunky said:


> Running hills and trail running are the best. That's what I do. Helps when you hike too. Doing core exercises works. I'd suggest flutter kicks and hanging leg raises. Those workout your legs and core.


He mentioned bad knees... running isn't good for bad knees. He can run on grass though rather than pavement.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

idk...I'm old and this year has been rubber leg city....just got my 8th day and perhaps being elderly it takes me 2-4 runs to get warmed up, another 4-6 runs are great, then have to dial it back to cruising to save myself for another day.


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## Whoracle (Feb 6, 2012)

I work out a lot, and many of my workouts incorporate squats into everything (TRX suspension trainer). I find that my legs get tired after about 7 or so hours of riding, maybe 5 hours if I don't eat or stay properly hydrated. I usually lift for about 40-50m 5 times a week though so my body stays conditioned all year round.


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## ThunderChunky (Oct 1, 2011)

Leo said:


> He mentioned bad knees... running isn't good for bad knees. He can run on grass though rather than pavement.



That's why I said hills. They aren't terrible for your knees. If your knees are really that bad though then hit the bike. That is actually better than running hills, but I am a runner so I'm kinda bias...


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## ThunderChunky (Oct 1, 2011)

And What Hobo said....NEVER run on pavement. EVER. It will fuck your knees up worse than cocaine did Amy Winehouse.


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

Sincraft said:


> Anyone have an issue with rubber legs early season? I didnt have this issue nearly as bad last year. Not sure what's up, maybe age or arthritis getting worse - but my legs are burning and getting tired pretty quick. I do some exercise off season but probably not enough. After 3 hours of solid riding (much of that lift time), I'm pretty wobbly and only good for light riding thereafter; otherwise, I'm a danger to myself.
> 
> Someone in here recommended squats, and holding a squat to build up leg stamina, but due to my knees getting bad, that's a lot of stress to put on the knees.
> 
> I'm wondering if anyone has any magical tricks like, standing on your toes or, holding onto a door while leaning back or something that they know works to build up leg stamina similar to what is needed for riding.


There are no magic tricks, what Argo said pretty much. I hike (not walk, class I&II mtn climbing). The longer I push it in the fall the easier riding is, and it's essentially the same muscles. 



Sincraft said:


> Hard for me during the summer. When I'm not working, I'm usually digging , cutting, sanding or some summer project. I dont get much time for extra things. Thankfully Winter keeps me from needing to do those things which allows me time to ride. My son will be riding in a few years so, lets hope he begs to go everyday so dad can go too and get more in shape riding more.


Riding regularly (2x a week +) will help, or workout between visits. Otherwise expect the same rubberlegs. :dunno:


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

I was up Seymour for my 6th day this season. Didn't have the rubber legs after the usual 5 hours or so. A little soreness, but definitely improving. That's all it takes.


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## jml22 (Apr 10, 2012)

Don't forget to stretch out your perroneal muscles and work out glute med and piriformis.
So many people squat and don't have the butt muscles to support their squat which ends up leading to knee pain


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