Surviving your ski trip! Part 2

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More Ski Survival tips

As it's the season it seems daft not to add another little thought or two to my 'in resort survival' ideas, so here goes...

I've already tackled sore muscles and recuperation but I'm going to add another dimension to this here with eating and drinking tips.

Drinking

It actually bears repeating that you need to stay hydrated as I mentioned in my previous blog but this still gets forgotten – one coffee or hot chocolate on the slopes is simply not enough and it more likely provide useful calories for the exercise than any hydration effect.

The easiest way that I have found to stay hydrated is to carry a back pack that takes a 'bladder' most day packs are now designed with a space for that and a hole to push the feed pipe through. Unless you have an insulated pipe though take care to blow the water back down into the reservoir after each sip or it may freeze! If you've not got or can't get one of these then carry a bottle you can refill in your pack, you won't feel the weight of either when you get moving. One word or warning though – I would not advise using a metal or solid bottle of any kind as if you manage to fall on it, it's gonna really hurt.

Eating

Skiing can be hard work (at any level) and as well as burning extra calories doing this your body will also be struggling to keep your temperature steady, warm on lifts and often trying to cool you as your work your way downhill or across country. You do need more calories, so eat well;

Breakfast – a good hearty breakfast will keep you going until lunch and beyond in many cases. You may find that the adrenaline and endorphins created when skiing mean that you have no appetite for lunch but this does not mean that your body does not really need the calories to keep going so make sure it has them with a good breakfast.

If you can face lunch (adrenaline may prevent you), eat a little of what you fancy eating – if not you can still help your calorie intake by getting a hot chocolate with cream...notice how I am not saying the usual things about food you've come to expect here? Well, you're in the cold, doing a somewhat hard activity for both body and brain, you need the calories.

Ok so now to dinner – If you are in a chalet or half board hotel enjoy the food prepared for you with no guilt. In many cases it has been prepared with your energy needs in mind. If you are not being catered for in your hotel/chalet then make sure that you do get some dinner – going out early may help you get the rest you need and avoid the rush as many Europeans eat later than we Brits. Don't go mad on the alcohol though (as I may have mentioned before!).

One final point before I go and reminisce with over my now 'almost forgotten' skiing holiday – carry snacks in your pockets or back pack as not all resorts have good restaurant facilities on the hills. Enjoy – I know we did!

Troublesome clients? (A one for PT's!)

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We will all have at least one at some time in our PT career, the client who regularly;

Cancels with 5 mins notice

Does not turn up and when you ring them they say 'they forgot'

Turns up late but still expects 1 hour even when you have another client following

I'm not talking about the otherwise reliable person who is genuinely mortified on the few occasions that they do any or these actions but the regular offender who constantly disappoints.

So what can you do about this?

Well here's a few simple tips that have helped me reduce the number of no-shows/late shows that I have had.

1. Get them to sign a contract when they take you on as a PT that includes terms such as needing 24 or even 48 hours notice of cancellation in order not to be charged. Make sure that you go through these terms when they sign
2. Text clients on the day before a session to confirm their appointment
3. Remind clients of their responsibilities per the contract above if they digress (perhaps with a three strikes and you're reminded approach). This I find very hard as I'm worried it will lead to conflict but in the end if the client takes offence at you asking them to play fair with you and other clients do you really want them as a client?
4. Be on time yourself! It's always good to lead by example.

I think it's just plain rude to be late or not turn up on a regular basis – it suggests that the person you let down is of no importance to you. I expect courtesy from my clients as much as they have a right to expect it of me. I would rather work with less clients who are reliable it's less stress in the long term.

Surviving your ski trip!

A while ago I wrote and article about ski fitness and I know that this season some of my colleagues have done the same. These were mostly about getting fit to ski so that you will enjoy it more and get the most out of your trip. This one is different, it's about when you get there what to do at the end of each day so that you can go again the next day.

Firstly lets talk stretches, I know, I know, you forget, hey so do I and boy do I regret it in the morning. Let me make it easy for you – you don't have to stretch immediately after you take your boots off. How about you combine it with your shower in the evening – multi-tasking is the word here!

Hold each stretch for 10-15 seconds and make sure you can feel the muscles stretching, you should feel just 'mild discomfort'. Remember to do both sides where required too.

• Stretch one (front of leg) – standing on one leg (lean against the wall for balance if you need to), bend the other leg at the knee and grab the ankle pulling your foot towards your bottom, keep knees together and hips forward.
• Stretch two (back of legs) – legs hip distance apart, place your hands on the front of your legs and bend at the waist sliding your hands down your legs, go as far down as you can and hold.

Although skiing works mostly your legs you may find the the effort of using your poles to push on the flat areas will also be felt in though arms so here are two more for arms and chest/shoulders.

• Stretch three (back of arm) – bend your arm at the elbow and drop your forearm between your shoulder blades. Use the other hand to gently pull the elbow so you can feel a stretch in the upper arm at the back
• Stretch four (chest/shoulder) – with you upper arm straight out at your side at shoulder height place your palm and lower arm against the wall, lean slightly forward and feel a stretch at the top of the arm into the shoulder and chest.

Now lets take care of hydration – remember even a little amount of dehydration will affect your abilities and you do not feel thirsty until you are a long way past that mark. Also, don't get to thinking that because its cold you don't need to take on water - let's be honest here, you will sweat when skiing.

If your usual intake is two litres a day then you need at least that – the exercise will mean you lose more water and as you're on holiday you may also be drinking a little more alcohol than usual so this needs to be balanced with more water. Have water with breakfast, if you stop for a hot drink get more or better still carry some with you and ensure that you drink a little each time you stop. Have water with your dinner as well as your wine/beer/cocktails too.

I mentioned alcohol in the last section and I will again here – as it often says in the in flight magazine on your way to the resort, altitude and alcohol don't mix well. Your ability to cope with alcohol is affected by the altitude in resort too. Alright, I know it's not quite the height of a plane or a pressurised cabin but it still has a worse effect on you than at your usual height from sea level due to reduced oxygen intake in the brain (or so the articles I've been reading have found).

Enjoy your holiday and look forward to the next one with these simple tips!

Hello? Is there anybody there?

So far this month I've spent more time on the phone than in training and its made me think a bit more about my mobile phone and how I answer it, or not, as the case may be...

I'm talking about answer phone messages here guys – what does yours say about you?

No message or service providers default message: How will a client know that they have reached you when you can't answer the phone? How do you know that they will call back – they may not leave a message if they don't know that they have the right phone.

Just name and 'leave a message': – Why aren't you mentioning that you're a PT? They may still miss your name and this gives a second chance to ensure that they know that they have got the right person before, hopefully, leaving a message.

'Ordinary' sounding message: My little sister (who is not local to me) called a PT and on hearing a rather dull/monotone message she did not leave a message and decided to try someone else instead. Don't be dull, a client can't believe that you can motivate them in person if you can't even motivate them to leave a message.

Upbeat, happy 'sorry I'm busy training' message: A positive attitude is infectious and will encourage clients to want to train with you and hence leave a message this time. By saying you are busy training it tells the client that you are in demand, good at your job and again encourages them again.

So if you want the business you need to be there even when you're not – get you answer phone message recorded an make it;

Upbeat

Friendly

Not too long

Clear

State why you're not able to take the call (you're busy of course!)

Oh and one more thing – check it regularly (to make sure network errors have not 'dropped' it from your system), change it for major events and make it personal to you!