Hey Kids, 

Fall is officially here! As you know, for me that means ski season is right around the corner. I spend my off season preparing my legs, heart and lungs for the next time I’ll be cramming my feet into those big clunky boots and clicking into my skis to float down that fluffy pow.  

I always get questions about my ski-prep workout, and to be honest, even if I wasn’t a skier, my workouts wouldn’t be any different. Monday, Wednesday and Friday are always lower body. Until recently, I’ve been doing plyometrics on Monday nights for over fourteen years…now I do it on Wednesday night, and I switched cardio to Monday nights. Friday I typically go for a 6.2 mile run with my good friend Scott Fifer (of Scotty Fifer Scissors fame).   

So here’s the breakdown:  

My cardio routine consists of 3 to 5 minutes on each of the following - Jump rope, Versa Climber, treadmill, stationary bike, Skier’s Edge, and Water Rower, and I rotate for one hour.  

My Plyometrics routine is very similar to the plyo routine I created for P90X, with a few extra reps here and there, and once in a while I mix up the order.  

Lastly, my run varies depending on how I’m feeling, since I still have some mild lingering side effects from the Ramsey Hunt. My runs usually last about an hour, and I can typically run about 6.2 miles. I just do my best and forget the rest! 

If you’re not used to doing lower body three times a week, you should start slow, and always be mindful about recovery. 

I’m a huge fan of recovery, and I use many different methods. Here are my favorites: 

Epsom salt or magnesium salt baths- I’m in the tub at least once a week. Magnesium salts (which my awesome wife turned me on to) are more easily absorbed into the skin than epsom salts and work wonders on sore muscles. Try adding a little essential oil to your bath for the ultimate experience.   

Massages - Though I probably only get massages a few times a year, it’s a great way to work out the kinks. Like foam rolling, the more you do it the better it is. 

Which brings me to foam rolling - Again, something I really should do more often. Like stretching, foam rolling is a valuable tool both before and after a workout. It can be pretty intense, so I like to use the Trigger Point vibrating foam rollers and massage balls, which tones down the intensity. 

Infrared sauna - Probably the most important tool in my recovery arsenal. When I got Ramsey Hunt Syndrome and was facing an uphill battle with nerve damage, a friend of mine brought over his portable infrared light along with a printout of the slew of benefits including some studies on infrared helping to repair nerve damage. There are three different kinds of infrared, near, mid and far, and they all have different benefits, so when I decided to get an infrared sauna to help continue healing from my illness, I got a Sunlighten, which has all three. If you don't want to buy an infrared sauna, there are lots of places where you can book appointment to try it out.   

Lastly, Yoga - I typically go to my friend Ted McDonald’s yoga class every Saturday morning in Malibu. I've been such a huge fan of yoga for so long, because it's the only type of physical movement that I know of that helps me work on strength, balance, flexibility and mindfulness all at the same time.  

So there you have it…work hard, play hard, and most importantly, take time to recover.  

Your Pal, 

Tony