The Slovenian Alpine ski racer, Tina Maze, is far from a one trick pony. She’s an Olympic gold medalist, and is still very involved in the world of Alpine ski racing, among other sports and fitness regimens. Maze posted on Instagram, “finally windy day! 💨💨💨💨 #happy #wind #1stday #sea #summer” as it turns into a video of her windsurfing and enjoying the waves. What else does she do to stay in shape? Here’s what we found out.
Of course, skiing is a big part of her fitness routine. “We’re always looking for the snow. In summer I go to Chile or Argentina. Wherever the snow is and the conditions are good, that’s where I am. It’s hard, because I like the summer a lot. I would prefer to stay in summer,” she said to Self in reference to how she trains. According to Ski Canada, “skiing and snowboarding benefits cardiovascular health, overall fitness, strength, coordination, balance and more. Regardless of your health and fitness goals, strapping on a pair of skis or a snowboard is sure to fulfill some of them. Due to the versatility of skiing and snowboarding, it can encompass the benefits of a cardio workout, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) session, and strength training session, all in one fun activity.”
She stays dedicated to maintaining her health. “Each discipline is different and you have to warm up differently and find different exercises that make you feel strong. But I think the base you make in the summer [training] is so important—it’s really important to be physically fit. They [the runs] are short for us, but it’s a lot of work,” she said to Self.
She clears her mind while skiing, not thinking about much in the moment. “It’s better if you don’t think. It’s important that you get out your instinct and just go, go, go. If you’re thinking, you’re three seconds behind. Not to think is the trick of skiing—and maybe of life, I think! Just go with it,” she said to Self.
She dabbles in summer sports, in addition to skiing. “I love summer sports: I love the sea, I love windsurfing, I would love to spend all my time on the sea. But I chose skiing and it’s a great sport too. I just like being outside,” she said to Self. According to Better Health, “surfing provides many health benefits including cardiovascular fitness, shoulder and back strength, and leg and core strength.”
Relieved for a windy day to take advantage of wind surfing, as seen on Instagram, wind surfing is an epic workout, equally as challenging as it is fun. According to the Cleveland Clinic, “I love working out outside because you get a lot of variety. There are a lot of different things you can do,” said Marie Schaefer, MD, sports medicine physician for Cleveland Clinic. “You can be creative, it feels more fun, like you’re playing as opposed to working out.”