About Pro Tips Newsletter:
Our Pro Tips Newsletter is sent out quarterly and strives to give skiers and/or golfers an inside perspective of the best skiers and golfers in the business, Best of Both celebrity pros. This issue shares details of an interview with Michael Janyk, 2009 World Champion Bronze medalists in slalom.
My Summer – Michael Janyk
“We’ve focused a lot on fitness training this summer. It started with three weeks in May in Calgary. Soon after I was fortunate enough to come back to Whistler where I have spent the majority of my time ,” explains Michael Janyk, Canadian Alpine Ski Team member, 2009 Slalom World Champion Bronze Medalist, and Whistler local. ” It’s so nice to be able to sleep in my own bed, especially with the Olympics coming here in just under four months. Another fitness camp we did was a hockey camp in Quebec lead by Felix Potvin.”
For those of you who don’t know Felix Potvin, he was one of the National Hockey Leagues best goalies throughout the mid 90′s. “The whole team had a great session there and the workout was awesome. Training with the Canadian Junior hockey players was lots of fun and a really good workout,” says Janyk. 
As for summer skiing, Michael and his teammates spent a total of five weeks on snow in New Zealand. This consisted of a three week and two week camp split by two weeks of rest and recovery back home in Canada. “Everyone was skiing really well. It’s good to know that we can compete against each other and know we are skiing at the best level in the world.” This, evident by the technical results Canadian ski racers produced last winter on the World Cup Tour.
Janyk notes that a strong work ethic has been injected back into the team by head coach Dusan Grasic, a direct correlation to the improved performance within the team. “Grasic understands what it takes to win World Cups; it’s the person who is most aggressive and makes the least amount of mistakes. In order to do this we need to work really hard and be in the best possible physical shape.”
As fitness training was a main focus for Michael, in his preparation for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games and this interview, I asked him to share more details of this type of training.
“The beginning of the summer was more endurance based. I spent more time on the bike and running – anywhere between two to two and a half hours at a time at a low intensity. I really enjoy cycling but unfortunately it’s not the best for my back. All these years of ski racing has taken a toll on some parts of my body; for me it’s mainly my back. But I have a good understanding of what irritates it and what exercises I need to do to keep it in good
shape. In the gym I lifted lighter weights with more reps and more rest between sets. My workouts then shifted more towards power and quickness. In the gym this was less reps and more weight while running and biking workouts were more focused on intervals between 45 to 65 seconds. This was to mimic the time of a typical World Cup slalom
race so my body is trained to perform at it’s best over that duration.” 
My final question to Michael, considering he was born and raised in Whistler, host of the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, was ‘What are you goals for this winter?’ He replied “I understand it’s an Olympic year and that they will be on my home hill. Last year I wanted to end the season in the top 30 so I would have a good starting position at the beginning of this season. I’m currently ranked 15th which is where I wanted to be. I know that if I ski well and consistent that I can be on the podium. I focus on the process of each run (how to ski fast) with the confidence that the results will follow. Obviously my dream goal is to win the gold medal in slalom at the Olympics.”.
Do you want to watch Michael go for gold in Whistler this February? Contact us at info@besto%oth.ca. We will soon launch a VIP program to our current client base that will give them the opportunity to experience the Olympics and cheer on Michael and their favorite ski racers. Additional spots will be available for those who want to become Best of Both clients.
Thank You
Thank you to Michael for sharing his summer fitness and ski
training program. We look forward to keeping track of his
results in the upcoming months and cheering him on in Whistler
in February.
Do you have questions about this Pro Tips Newsletter or how to
improve your ski technique? Write to askapro@besto%oth.ca
and we will get back to you.
Until next time,
Dana Williams
President & Founder
Best of Both Golf & Ski
About Best of Both Golf & Ski
Best of Both Golf & Ski organizes and executes independent and escorted golf and ski tours and corporate retreats in select, sought-after destinations around North America, Europe, and the United Kingdom. You can join one of our pre-set itineraries or have one designed to your exact needs. Our escorted tours are lead or guided by a Best of Both celebrity golf or ski pro. These successful individuals share their passion for sport through unforgettable stories, clinics to improve your technique, and secrets only those with their experience and knowledge can share. You will become a better skier or golfer and have memories to share for a lifetime.
The 2010 Winter Olympics finally graced us with their presence after years of waiting with anticipation. It definitely was worth the wait….but it all happened so quickly. Over the 3.5 weeks our clients varied – from media to corporate groups, athletes to families, all traveling to Whistler and Vancouver to be a part of the Games.
Canadian Gold Hockey Game
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Congratulations to @brynparry for his 2nd place at the 2010 BCPGA Championships at the Whistler Golf Club. # 2010/09/03
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