Your Body - The Temple

Building a Foundation for the Season Ahead

Freestyle skiing asks a lot from you.

It’s not just about tricks or style, but in strength, balance, focus, resilience, and the ability to get back up after you fall. It involves lots of long days, cold weather, and constant challenges that you need to work to overcome. It also gives us a lot of joy, progress, freedom, and a feeling of being strong and alive. All that to say, the way you care for your body right now, before the snow comes, matters more than you might think.

In this month’s Freestyle File, we’re diving into a few core areas that can make a huge difference in how you feel, perform, and grow this season: physical preparation, nutrition, mobility, and recovery.

Building a Strong Season Starts Now

You don’t need to be “all in” to start making a shift. But if you want this season to feel different, it starts with the little things you do today.

For athletes: Now is the time to check in with yourself. What do you want this year to look like? What’s one area you want to grow in? What’s one habit you could build now that would help you feel more prepared when winter rolls around?

For families:This is a great time to support your athlete in creating rhythm. It doesn’t have to be intense, but structure helps. Start a simple stretching routine. Go for evening walks. Prep some snacks together. Ask your athlete what they’re hoping to achieve this year, and listen. That conversation alone can be motivating.

Premium Fuel for The Body

Let’s talk about food  in the real, practical sense of how to fuel your body to feel good and perform well. Your body is your main piece of ‘equipment’, it’s your teammate, and it’s the place you call home. It deserves to be cared for. Here are a few low-pressure ways to start building nutrition habits that support your training:

Eat for Energy, Not Just for Fullness

What you eat gives your body the raw materials it needs to train, recover, focus, and stay healthy.

Some foods give your body long-lasting energy, and others give you a quick burst followed by a crash. As an athlete, you want more of the steady, fuel-your-session kind. Here are a few great go-tos for active athletes:

• Colorful fruits and veggies — packed with vitamins and help your body recover

• Whole grains and complex carbs — think oats, rice, potatoes, and whole grain bread for steady energy

• Proteins — like eggs, chicken, tofu, fish, yogurt, nuts, or beans to rebuild muscle

• Healthy fats — avocado, olive oil, seeds, and nuts help with focus and recovery

Before training: Eat something with carbs and protein (like toast with peanut butter or fruit with yogurt).After training: Within 30–60 minutes, eat a balanced snack or meal to help your body recover faster.

These small habits add up. Athletes who fuel properly tend to train harder, bounce back faster, and avoid burnout.

Let’s Talk About Sugar

Sugar isn’t always “bad.” But too much of it, especially without anything else, can leave athletes feeling tired and unfocused, during or after training. Foods like candy, pop, energy drinks, and sweet cereals give you a quick burst of energy and then leave you crashing. That can make it hard to focus, or recover well from a big training session. If you are finding it hard to keep up energy and focus during training, maybe analyze your sugar intake

Instead of cutting sugar out completely, try to balance it out:

• Pair sweet foods with protein or healthy fats (like fruit with nuts or yogurt with granola)

• Aim for whole-food snacks over packaged treats

• Save high-sugar treats for after meals when your body has other fuel in the mix

Remember, eating healthy food isn’t about restriction, it’s about support. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to pay attention, so you can be aware of how your food is impacting you.

Hydration: The Secret Weapon

One of the biggest performance killers for young athletes is simple: dehydration.

Even being a little bit dehydrated can mess with your focus, your energy, your recovery, and your mood. Here’s what helps:

• Sip water throughout the day — not just at practice

• Bring a water bottle everywhere — keep it simple and accessible

• On long training days, drink a bit every 20–30 minutes

• Skip sugary energy drinks — they’re not needed for most athletes and can lead to crashes

• Add electrolytes if you’re sweating a lot — coconut water, a pinch of salt and juice, or a light sports drink can help on big days

You’ll know you’re on track if you’re not constantly thirsty, and your energy and focus stay steady throughout the day.

Nutrition Is Care

At the end of the day, eating well isn’t about rules. It’s about respecting your body.

Your body works hard for you. It trains, it takes the hits, it tries again. And the more you give it what it needs, the more it will show up for you.

Learning how to fuel your body is one of the most powerful skills you can develop as an athlete. It helps you recover quicker, stay focused longer, and keep your fire for the sport burning strong.

So next time you reach for a snack or sit down for a meal, ask yourself: Is this helping me feel strong, clear, and ready for what I love to do?

Why Pre-Season Conditioning Matters

Let’s be clear: pre-season training isn’t about pushing to your limits or trying to “get ripped.” It’s about showing up for yourself in small, consistent ways that build strength, confidence, and capacity.

Athletes who take their conditioning seriously show up stronger, both physically and mentally. They tend to move better, fall less, bounce back quicker, and have more fun in the process.

Some of the key areas we focus on at this stage of the year include:

• Strong legs and core — to land safely and stay balanced in the air

• Mobility and flexibility — to help prevent injury and support proper technique

• Posture and control — so you can hold your body well through every turn and jump

• Agility and endurance — because freestyle skiing isn’t static; it’s fast, dynamic, and always changing

• Daily habits — because showing up regularly matters way more than going all out once in a while

This type of training doesn’t need to be complicated or extreme. It just needs to be intentional. Even 10–20 minutes a few times a week can build the foundation you’ll lean on all season long.

At-Home Habits That Make a Difference

You don’t need a gym, fancy equipment, or hours of free time. Small, consistent efforts go a long way. Here are a few simple things you can do from home:

• Wall sits — Hold for 30 seconds and build up. Great for legs and mental grit.

• Stretch daily — Hips, hamstrings, quads, calves. Even 5 minutes before bed helps.

• Posture practice — Stand tall throughout your day. It carries over to skiing more than you think.

• Write it down — A training log, a goal board, or just a journal. Reflecting on what you’re doing helps it stick.

• Fuel with intention — Have snacks ready post-training. Fuel before you feel hungry. Treat food as part of the process, not an afterthought.

Final Thoughts: Take Care of What Carries You

At the end of the day, your body isn’t just the thing that gets you to the hill. It’s your home. It’s the tool you rely on to express yourself, to take risks, to land something you didn’t think you could. Taking care of it is a way to honor the love you have for this sport.

Whether you're aiming for a backflip, a podium, or just a season where you feel good about yourself, it all comes down to the habits you build now. Strength, confidence, and resilience aren’t born overnight, they’re built through the choices we make.

See you out there, and remember to drink water!

— Coach Lauren