133. From A Broken Leg To Back On Skis In 4 Months (feat. Pro Skier Molly Armanino)

On this episode, I'm joined by Max Smith, Vice President of @MomentSkis, to break down how skis are designed and how to choose the right one for your body, your terrain, and your longevity on snow.Max takes us inside Moment's hand-built factory in Reno to show how a ski goes from an idea to the snow, and what to actually look for so your gear works with your body instead of against it.We Talk About:✅ What goes into building a ski, and why two skis the same length can feel completely different✅ How to size a ski for your body, your terrain, and how you like to ski✅ Why wider, heavier skis load your knees and ankles more, and when to size down✅ How to choose a ski when you're coming back from injury or skiing into your 50s, 60s, and beyondThe right ski won't just help you ski better, it can help you keep skiing for life.📌 Links and Resources Mentioned:🔗Check out Moment’s 2027 line up → https://www.momentskis.com/🔗Join The Legaski Club (FREE 7-day Trial) → https://www.skool.com/legaskiclub-pro/about🔗Follow me on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/the_ski_pt🔗Book a call with me → https://www.meettheskipt.com/

In this episode, I share the story of my 34th birthday trip to Lake Tahoe, where I tried to escape my problems and remembered why injuries never disappear on their own.Getting away cleared my head, but the moment I walked back through the front door, every problem was still there waiting for me. That's exactly how injuries work. If you keep telling yourself you'll deal with it later, resting and hoping it goes away, the root cause is still there when ski season rolls around. I breaks down how to face it now, build a real plan, and give yourself enough time to be ready when the snow comes.I Talk About: ✅ Why "I'll deal with it later" doesn't work for injuries or life ✅ Putting out the fire that burns the house down first ✅ Finding the root cause instead of chasing symptoms ✅ Why returning to skiing is different than returning to any other sportThe only way through what you're dealing with is to face it now, come up with a plan, and build purpose behind why you're doing it.📌 Links and Resources Mentioned: 🔗Join The Legaski Club (FREE 7-day Trial) → https://www.skool.com/legaskiclub-pro/about 🔗Follow me on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/the_ski_pt/ 🔗Book a call with me → https://www.meettheskipt.com/

On this episode, professional skier Molly Armenino joins me to talk about coming back from a broken leg and losing a toe to frostbite, and the mindset that got her through both.Molly has faced more season-ending injuries than most skiers will in a lifetime, and every time she's found a way back. We get into how she refused to let injury define her identity, why she started weight-bearing early to fight muscle atrophy, and how she eased back into the boot without rushing it. We also dig into why "gym strong" doesn't always mean "ski strong," and what actually transfers to the hill.We Talk About: ✅ How to protect your identity and mindset after a major injury ✅ Getting back in the boot and clicking in without fear ✅ Why early weight-bearing beats weeks of atrophy ✅ Training that actually transfers to skiing, not just the gymThe body is capable of far more than we give it credit for, and Molly's comeback is proof.📌 Links and Resources Mentioned:🔗Follow Molly on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/mollyarmanino/?hl=en 🔗Join Molly at her September Ski Camp in Patagonia → https://www.esnativa.com/trips/Freeride-camp-Bariloche  🔗Join The Legaski Club (FREE 7-day Trial) → https://www.skool.com/legaskiclub-pro/about 🔗Follow me on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/the_ski_pt/ 🔗Book a call with me → https://www.meettheskipt.com/

On this episode, I sit down with mental performance coach Drew Werner of Elevated Sport to talk about the mental side of injury recovery and how skiers  get back on snow after an ACL tear or similar injury.Drew spent over a decade as an athletic trainer and is finishing his doctorate in mental performance, and he answers the questions my Legaski Club members and Instagram followers sent in about fear, self-blame, identity, and finding joy in skiing again. We get into why controlling the controllables changes everything, how to handle that one run that brings the injury rushing back, and what to do when your body is ready but your brain is still holding you back.Questions Answered In This Episode:(5:24) What strategies help someone who keeps replaying their injury over and over in their head? (9:22) How do you prepare for a second surgery when your last rehab experience was really hard? (12:02) How do you handle the fear that your body isn't suited for the sport anymore, and whether it's even worth continuing? (16:13) What's the best way to prepare for the injury you know you'll likely experience one day? (20:13) How do you focus on recovery instead of blaming yourself, especially when the injury felt controllable? (24:04) When someone is physically strong but their brain is still blocking them on the hill, how do they overcome it? (27:03) What can you do about that one specific run that brings back flashbacks of your injury? (31:22) How do you manage the off-season overwhelm of missing out while you're injured? (34:18) What are your top 3 mental exercises for someone struggling in their rehab? (39:33) As a supportive spouse, how do you help your partner find joy in skiing again without pushing them? (44:00) As the person supporting an injured partner, how do you manage your own fear after witnessing a bad accident? (48:32) What's the difference between a mental performance coach and a therapist, and when should someone see each? This one is for every skier who has ever wondered if their head, not their knee, is the thing holding them back.📌 Links and Resources Mentioned: 🔗Follow Drew on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/elevated_injury/ 🔗Book a free 15-min consult with Drew → https://elevatedsport.simplybook.me/v2/ 🔗Join The Legaski Club (FREE 7-day Trial) → https://www.skool.com/legaskiclub-pro/about 🔗Follow me on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/the_ski_pt/ 🔗Book a call with me → https://www.meettheskipt.com/

On this episode, I sit down with my former client Kristen, who shares about her experience starting to ski as an adult in her 30s and also how she tore her ACL and skied over 30days in one season less than a year out from surgery. Kristen's tear wasn't a simple one — a tibial avulsion that ripped away from the bone, plus meniscus damage. But the way she attacked her recovery is a blueprint for any skier facing surgery. She prehabbed hard, advocated for the graft she wanted, and refused to accept the idea that you're "healed" at six months. By the time she found me and joined the Return to Snow program, she was already ahead of the game — and we built the ski-specific bridge that took her from terrified on a ski simulator to nearly 30 days on snow before she was even a year post-op.We Talk About: ✅ The challenges of learning to ski as an adult (and how to push through the pain points) ✅ Why prehab before surgery can change your entire recovery ✅ How to advocate for the right graft and mindset with your surgeon ✅ Managing FOMO, fatigue, and the "return to practice vs. return to sport" mindsetIf you're a skier staring down an ACL recovery — or just want to know what it takes to ski strong for life — Kristen's story is proof that the worst thing that happens to you can also become the best. 📌 Links and Resources Mentioned: 🔗Join The Legaski Club (FREE 7-day Trial) → https://www.skool.com/legaskiclub-pro/about 🔗Follow me on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/the_ski_pt/ 🔗Book a call with me → https://www.meettheskipt.com/

On this episode… I'm following up on last week's confession about flaring up my knee at Mount Rainier. Whether you're rehabbing an injury, prepping for a big trip, or skiing nearly every day, doing too much too soon is one of the fastest ways to end up sidelined, and the frustrating part is that it usually feels like you're "being good" while it's happening.I break overdoing it into the three places I see it most: The Rehab ProcessPreparing For The MountainGrinding through the season when skiing is your job or your obsession. Topics Covered:✅ Why "no pain, no gain" types are most at risk of overdoing it ✅ The acute vs. subacute phases of healing and what they mean for you ✅ How to track pain (0–10) and swelling with a tape measure, morning and night ✅ The 24-hour rule for knowing when to rest vs. when to push ✅ How to prep for skiing 5 days in a row so you don't break down on day 3 ✅ What to do when skiing is your job and you can't take time offOverdoing it isn't a character flaw — it's a planning problem, and it's fixable. Learn from my mistakes, know the demands of the trips you want, and give your body the prep and rest it needs so injury never decides how your season ends.📌 Links and Resources Mentioned: Join The Legaski Club (FREE 7-day Trial) → https://www.skool.com/legaskiclub-pro/about Follow me on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/the_ski_pt/ Book a call with me → https://www.meettheskipt.com/

On this episode… I'm sharing a recent bike-to-ski adventure to Sunrise at Mount Rainier where I — the supposed "expert" in ski injury prevention — made the exact mistakes I'm always warning skiers about. This episode is about the two things that quietly wreck a big day in the mountains: under-fueling and under-preparing. We talk about: ✅ The hydration mistake that cramped my legs at elevation ✅ Why "I'm not thirsty yet" is a trap on long adventure days ✅ How skipping sport-specific training led to achy knee pain ✅ My go-to recovery trick to bounce back in 48 hours ✅ The skier assessment that finds your weak links before they find youWhatever you're chasing this summer or heading into next ski season, train for what you're actually going to do, fuel before you feel like you need it, and be intentional. Your body will thank you on day five.📌 Links and Resources Mentioned: Join The Legaski Club (FREE 7-day Trial) → https://www.skool.com/legaskiclub-pro/about Follow me on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/the_ski_pt/ Book a call with me → https://www.meettheskipt.com/

On this episode I sit down with my client Ryan Carlson, a backcountry skier and lawyer based in San Diego who came to me last August after his second L5-S1 disc surgery in 10 years. He had one big goal — get back on skis and summit Mount Yotei in Hokkaido, Japan, 5,000 vertical feet straight up the face of a volcano. We talk about how he went from a re-herniated disc and a season cut short to skiing big lines in Japan without his legs blowing up on the descent.We talk about: ✅ Why a back injury is rarely just a back problem ✅ The difference between training for fitness vs. training to perform on skis ✅ Eccentric training and why it changes everything on the descent ✅ How to prep for big backcountry objectives like a Japanese volcano If you've had a back injury, an ACL, or any setback that's made you question whether your best ski days are behind you — Ryan's story is proof they're not. With the right plan, the right training, and a clear goal, you can come back stronger and ski further than you thought possible.📌 Links and Resources Mentioned: Join The Legaski Club (FREE 7-day Trial) → https://www.skool.com/legaskiclub-pro/about Follow me on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/the_ski_pt/ Book a call with me → https://www.meettheskipt.com/Ryan’s Instagram → @Ryan7C and @laborlaw.caRyan’s YouTube → Backcountry and Beyond

On this episode I sit down with Lance, one of my former clients, to talk about how he prepared for a major Alaska heli skiing trip after ACL surgery, meniscus repair, and years of ski related injuries.We talk about: ✅ What skiing means to Lance and why it has become such an important family activity ✅ His injury history from shoulder separation to knee injuries and calf tears ✅ Why traditional PT helped, but did not fully prepare him for the demands of heli skiing ✅ How we calculated the demands of his trip using vertical feet and expected turns per dayIf you want to keep skiing strong as you get older, Lance’s story is a great reminder that age does not have to be the thing that slows you down. With the right plan, you can prepare your body for the demands of the mountain and keep building your legacy on snow.📌 Links and Resources Mentioned: Join The Legaski Club (FREE 7-day Trial) → https://www.skool.com/legaskiclub-pro/about Follow me on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/the_ski_pt/ Book a call with me → https://www.meettheskipt.com/

On this episode I break down the three end of season tests every skier should use to capture their current ski fitness before the off season starts. Your legs are likely in their best ski shape right now, so this is the perfect time to measure your strength and endurance so you know exactly what to rebuild before next season.We talk about: ✅ Why the end of ski season is the best time to test your ski legs ✅ The difference between strength and endurance for skiing ✅ Why retesting 6 weeks before ski season gives you a clear training targetIf you want to start next season with ski legs already built instead of spending the first few weeks trying to get back in shape, these three tests will give you the data you need to train smarter this off season.📌 Links and Resources Mentioned: Join The Legaski Club (FREE 7-day Trial) → https://www.skool.com/legaskiclub-pro/about Follow me on Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/the_ski_pt/ Book a call with me → https://www.meettheskipt.com/