Getting stronger

Listening to instructions before attacking each exercise

There are only 11 more days untill I leave to train in Florida to kick-start the coming season. I have been training and preparing for this trip, and the season in general, for quite some time now. The focus had been mostly to get fitter and have a better endurance to really make the most out of every second I get to spend on the water. Now that the start of the season is coming closer and closer, it's time to switch from the general training and focus a bit more on the water-ski muscles. This involves a lot of core stability, but also gaining strength to be able to have more efficient sets on the water. I do this with my personal trainer, by focussing more on specific muscle groups and stability exercises. Also, today was the first training with my club mates, organized by one of the trainers and his wife, who is also a fitess coach. They know exactly which muscles to focus on and put out a circuit in their fitness-aperatus filled garden. This circuit was also used in previous years, when we built towards the season, so I am able to compare the way I perform to previous years. I notice a very significant difference. Of course I am older and naturally a little stronger, but I also notice a big difference in the fact that I did not slack on training in the winter. In previous year, I really felt an off-season and did a lot less for my fitness and food. This year, in stead of seeing the off-season as a time to relax and get a break from water-skiing, I saw it as an oppertunity to get stronger and more in shape for the coming season and thus focus it only around water-skiing. I've been enjoying the way I'm investing in the coming season, and this preperation is also a welcome variety to the way I'd already been training. It is also a great confidence boost to see that I have in fact improved compared to last year and I know I'll start off this season much stronger, more prepared, and more dedicated than ever.

I'm already noticing the positive effects of the way I spent my off-season and people around me have noticed I'm in better shape too. This is a great motivator to keep pushing just a while longer untill the season finally starts and I can see how it will improve my skiing. I can't wait to get back on the water and I'm so excited to see what this eventfull season will bring. It's also very much time to get back on the water because I'm rapidly running out of pictures to post...