Downhill skiing is one of the most popular winter sports in the country. Every year, almost seven million Americans hit the ski slopes. This dwarfs by a factor of three other winter sports such as cross country skiing and ice hockey. Only the ever increasing in popularity sport of snowboarding comes close with a little over six million snowboarders in the country.
Skiing is a great all around exercise. It's excellent for strengthening the upper leg muscles such as the thigh as well as the lower calf. A season of skiing will strengthen the shoulders and back and will help to trim your stomach. Skiing is also excellent aerobically. Experts estimate that an adult skiing with moderate effort, will burn anywhere from 300 to 500 calories an hour.
But in addition to its exercise benefits, Alpine skiing is also an exhilarating sport. Nothing quite compares to it. Olympic caliber skiers can top 80 miles per hour. But for a novice, even skiing at 5 miles per hours is a thrill.
So what are the dressing basics for alpine skiing? There are six essentials that every beginner should start with:
UV Rated Goggles or sunglasses - No, these are not just for style, although stylish sunglasses are always cool. You need sunglasses or goggles with a good UV protection rating. UV light can do real damage to the eyes ranging from simple sunblindness to major cataract problems. The best UV rated sunglasses are 100% UV protective and most are relatively inexpensive.
Hat - You can lose up to 80% of your body heat through your head. Most heat, as we know by now, escapes through the head. A good ski hat will keep you warm, even in the coldest of temperatures. Some of the nicer hats will even have ear protection.
Sunscreen - Skiing is a fun sport and you can easily spend an entire day on the slopes and in the sun without realizing it. Sunscreen serves the same purpose on a ski slope as it does on a beach. On an especially bright and sunny day, you can get a sunburn in as little as 20 minutes. A good sunscreen will protect you from the sun's UV radiation and from sunburn.
Gloves or mittens - to keep hands warm. If you want the best, you can pay well over $100 for a good pair of ski gloves. You'll want gloves that breathe well, are flexible, with some water proofing, and that are warm. Mittens are generally warmer than gloves, but gloves are more stylish and will do fine in most cases. Pick whichever you are more comfortable with.
Jacket and pants - to keep warm and protect you from hypothermia. The main feature you want in a ski jacket and pants is that they are water proof. This usually means that you want ones with a good polytetrafluoro-ethylene or PTFE membrane. PTFE is often laminated to nylon and polyester materials giving them excellent water protection but still allowing them to breathe. Of course, you will want jackets and pants that are warm and stylish also.
These are the minimalist clothing basics that every skier should have in order to have the best experience possible on the mountains.
Aaron Jochum is a freelance writer who writes articles relating to skiing, ski equipment, ski clothing, and ski resources. Visit his site at http://www.skiwhat.com .
Clothing The Naked Squeeze Page
One of the important (and fairly recent) changes to squeeze page methodology is how Google ranks them. Google's search algorithm sorts by relevance and a few other factors, and optimizing web pages for Google's search engine is a fairly large business.
DivaVillage.com Giving Away Thousands of Dollars Worth of Prom Dresses during "Dress-A-Day" Giveaway Beginning April 1st
Online fashion and lifestyle resource DivaVillage.com is pleased to announce a "Dress-A-Day" Giveaway beginning April 1, 2008. Each day for the entire month of April, teens will get the chance to win stylish designer dresses from DivaVillage.com to make this year's prom a night to remember.
Catherine?s Career Plus Size Clothing
Have you been having problems with what to wear to work? There is truth in the adage that clothes alone do not make a man, but clothes do say a lot about a woman, and clothes help create persona, which in turn can translate into a promotion. So if you have not been paying attention to your clothes and as a corollary, to your looks, before, now is the time to pay heed. The workplace is not all about work. Remember competition is alive and bursting in the corporate jungle, and if you are a big lady you will need more than just size to conquer your enemies. You will have to do it in sass and style, and in your all too feminine get-up too.
Wedding Dresses - Frequently Asked Questions
You've gotten engaged and have set the wedding date and now it's time to get down to business. All the planning and decisions can be overwhelming to the most organized and practical bride-to-be.
Hater Pruuf Clothing Launches New Website
"Changing the hearts of men one cloth at a time"
How To Properly Handle And Store Clothing
How they look and what they wear is extremely important to some individuals. They have closet upon closet stocked with clothing for every day of the week, month and/or year. Others are more nonchalant, sticking to a few outfits designated for daily or special occasion wear. Whatever your preference there are a few things you should consider when hanging and storing clothing.
bluhorse clothing Debuts 'Relaxed Luxury' Equestrian Line for Upcoming Fashion Season: Launches Hip, New Collection with Sister Company bluhammoc
bluhorse clothing, sister company of bluhammock music, today announced the debut of a new clothing collection for hip, equestrian lifestyle-oriented individuals who enjoy an aesthetic sensibility of relaxed luxury.
U.S. Olympic Hopefuls Make Time to be Green, Play Video Games, Design Clothing Lines and Volunteer as XXIX Beijing Olympic Games Approach
Taking a Closer Look at America's Best Athletes Off the Field
New Technologies in Camping and Outdoor Clothing Enhance the Outdoor Experience
Camping is an excellent way to explore and experience the outdoors. The weather needn't be an obstacle to what sorts of climates and places you might trek to.
Robert Walsh Kids Clothing Announces April 2008 Updates
We would like to announce the April Winner of our Spring Ahead "Diapers for A Month" Giveaway, and the new changes and additions that were made on the website during April 2008, especially the addition of the "Educational Kids Toys" Page
In our ongoing Spring Ahead ?Diapers for a Month? Giveaway, the April Winner was Kathy K
Online Beach Wear Mini Skirts.
When a woman wants to be a sexy, she should try beach mini skirts.
Catch E Designs® Establishes Retail Agreement With Sage Clothing Company
Catch E Designs has formed a retail relationship with Atlanta-based Sage Clothing Company to sell E-shirts and onesies. Sage Clothing Company is the first retailer to carry Catch E Designs clothing in the Southeastern United States. Sage Clothing Company has stores in Midtown and Buckhead.
Ingenious Way to Avoid Wearing Ugly Bridesmaid Dresses
As you plan your wedding as a bride, it can get so hectic to the point of stressful and anxious. A lot of stress and anxiety center on the bridal party, especially the bridesmaids. It is a huge task to select bridesmaid dresses that look good. You as the bride want to be the center of attention and you definitely do not want anyone in the party to outshine you on your wedding day.
Benefits of Buying Cheap Dresses Online
Prom dresses are made fabulous when they came from the hands of brilliant designers who are good for their craft. It is better to buy designer prom dress as they would make you look fabulous and you are sure that the dress is made with good quality of fabric. However, you might think that these designer prom dresses would cost too much that you cannot afford them. This is a common misconception among designer clothes. Well, the truth is there are a lot of cheap prom dresses that you can buy online.
The Best Of The Best Baby Girl Dresses
You know when you think about it your child is the most beautiful creature that ever walked the earth.