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Slopes and Dreams
For two stars of Torino 2006, the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver present a chance to showcase fantastic fitness levels — and add to the U.S. medal haul.
Going downhill, fastGoing downhill, fast 
“I still think it’s a little weird when people say I am an Olympic gold medalist.” That one statement illustrates just how surprised Ligety was by his ’06 win in the combined, a discipline that adds up a skier’s times in one downhill and two slalom runs — and wasn’t even considered the best event of a ski racer barely old enough to drink. But having ripped up the slopes in his hometown of Park City, Utah, since the tender age of 2, Ligety possessed nearly two decades of experience and plenty of passion. “You can push the limits so far beyond your comfort zone on skis,” he raves. “It’s an adrenaline rush that never gets boring.”
Things will be different in Vancouver. This time around, the 2008 World Cup champ in giant slalom, now 25, bears the weight of high expectations. He won’t be sneaking up on his fellow skiers, and “assuming nobody steps up and I don’t suck,” he’ll be competing in four demanding events — combined, slalom, giant slalom and super-G — one more than he entered in Torino. To handle the pressure, excel in multiple disciplines and avoid injury, he can’t just show up with a new coat of wax on his Rossignols. Nope, the man nicknamed “Ligety Split” must dial in his most critical piece of equipment — his body — to take on the challenge.
“In ski racing, you need to be able to push out of turns and not get stuck on one edge,” Ligety says. “You’re going 60 miles an hour and trying to pull off a tight radius, fighting off lateral G-forces. It takes all your strength to stay upright and not get your ass smashed against the backs of your bindings.” That’s why he spends several days a week in the U.S. Ski Team’s Park City-based fitness center, pounding his lower body with plyometric jumps, explosive lifts from a squatting position and negatives on the leg-press machine. “We do a lot of cleans, deadlifts and hamstring curls, ” he adds.
When skiers’ bodies are almost parallel to the snow during turns, they need strong back and stomach muscles to stay in control, as well. “My favorite exercises for the core are hanging from a bar and lifting my legs up to it and medicine-ball throws,” Ligety says. These moves also hit his upper body; strong arms help skiers use their poles to launch out of the starting gate and maintain balance on the course. “If you lose your pole, it’s not very advantageous, but it’s easier to ski with one pole than one ski,” he says, jokingly. “One ski, you’re done.”
Outside the weight room, Ligety cross-trains by running, cycling, mountain biking and water skiing to boost his full-body fitness. “You can’t just be strong,” he explains. “You need pretty decent endurance for a two-and-half-minute course and have a good enough base to recover for the next run.”
Being well-rounded isn’t limited to Ligety’s fitness approach. Off the slopes, he’s started his own business, Shred Optics, a growing goggle, sunglass and helmet company. “I wore hot-pink neon goggles at the last Olympics, and I got a ton of e-mails from kids asking about them,” he recalls. “I wasn’t too psyched about what’s out there for ski racers. Shred combines the performance and safety of ski-racing gear with the edgier style of free riding.” With 15 sponsored athletes covering every type of skiing, as well as snowboarding, and product names like the Toupee Deluxe, Brain Bucket, Spock and Sir Edmund, Shred’s bringing a fresh and funky flavor to the industry.
Of course, no matter what you choose to wear on the mountain, one question looms in the heart and mind of every skier: How do I beat my buddies to the bottom of the hill? “Techniquewise, focus on flexing your ankles,” urges the once and possibly future gold medalist. “Push your shins toward the front of the boot, bring your hands forward and keep a good, wide stance. That allows the skis to engage onto a clean arc and absorb bumps rather than leaving you at the mercy of the terrain.” Need a visual aid? Keep your eyes on Ligety Split in February.
