It’s a new year and with it come good resolutions. Our team of coaches has therefore prepared a special cardio program for January. And it’s all set to heat up… day and night!
In 2024, you’ll be sweating off the fat and, at the very least, eliminating the excesses of the festive season. It’s never too early to start thinking about the summer body! To vary the pleasures and optimize preparation, the training load has been divided into three phases.
Don’t panic, it’s within everyone’s reach. And, if you’ve put on a few extra kilos over Christmas and New Year’s, you can rest assured that they’ll give you more speed downhill. Yeah, we optimize !
STEP 1: ON THE SKINS
After the festive season and the galette des rois, it’s time to get back into the swing of things with the Bélier Blanc on January 12 and 13. There’s nothing like a little ski-touring challenge, with friends for the atmosphere, or against ski-touring champions for the more daring.
On the Friday evening menu, 2 race formats await you from the church square to the finish of the Crêt du Merle chairlift. Yes, skiing isn’t just downhill! At 7.30pm, the Trace Étoile starts: turn on the headlamps, stick the sealskins under the skis and off you go for a 3-kilometer hike with a 456-meter vertical drop. At 8:00 pm, we unleash the wild beasts with the Trace Poursuite. The principle is the same: it’s all uphill, but this time there’s no detour and the athletes start behind you to pull up the pack. You’ll have to give it your all for 2.1 kilometers to stay ahead! Then it’s back down to the village on skis for a delicious tartiflette.
STEP 2: UP TO NOON
To progress and gain in endurance, there’s a very simple rule: increase the volume. In other words, you have to ski longer! On this point, nobody’s going to complain, because it’s the only overtime we really enjoy doing.
As our days are also only 24 hours long, the only solution is to ski at night. The aperitif can wait a few more hours, and you’ll be able to make up for your sleep debt in the spring, because both downhill and cross-country skiing offer a tempting program.
In the ski area, the Crêt du Merle is lit up on Tuesday evenings until 8pm and on Saturday evenings until 6pm. It’s the perfect opportunity to prolong the pleasure and the training, while waiting patiently for the village roads to be completely clear before heading home.
At the Espace Nordique des Confins, a new event awaits lovers of skating and classic skiing on Friday January 19 from 5pm to 9pm: the Nocturne des Fondus. A promising name, since the event combines the joys of cross-country skiing with the warmth of a fondue and mulled wine. Of course, you don’t have to be an expert to enjoy it. In addition to the open trails, events such as a biathlon challenge, a timed push or a boarder will be organized to ensure there’s something for everyone. When your thighs are warm, you’ll never be cold in winter!
STEP 3: ACTIVE RECOVERY ON THE DANCEFLOOR
What’s up? It’s not over yet? No, after the effort, we’re going to finish gently, but we’re going to have to ensure a minimum and remain supple on our feet. On Friday, January 27, from 5 to 10 p.m., it’s the Radio Meuh Circus Party; a foretaste of the Radio Meuh Circus Festival which will be held in April.
For one evening, the church square is transformed into a dancefloor. You’ll find Loulou Ferrari and Teki Latex on the decks. In short, the perfect après-ski venue for practising your best dance moves in your ski boots.
It’s free and it’s a great excuse to come and ski at La Clusaz that weekend, and have a great time at the same time. Just a word of advice to make sure your training efforts don’t go to waste: go easy on the refreshments anyway!
