Hey guys, welcome back to the blog! 🏂✨
Okay, so I know you usually see me on the mountain looking like a total marshmallow in my snow gear, but have you ever wondered what I'm doing when I'm not shredding powder?
Spoiler alert: I'm still basically flying, just without the frostbite. To be a top snowboarder, you have to be an all-around athlete, which is why my training is about way more than just snow.
Where the Magic Happens: Laax Freestyle Academy
Four days a week, I'm at the Laax Freestyle Academy, and honestly? It's my second home. If I'm not at school or on the slopes, you can 100% find me on the trampolines or the mats. People think snowboarding is just "sliding down a hill," and I'm like, um, excuse me? It's basically math and physics, but way more aesthetic. 💅
I spend hours jumping, flipping, and spinning until my brain is basically a smoothie. Why? Because of muscle memory. (That's a fancy way of saying I want my body to know how to do a rotation even if I'm halfway asleep). At the Academy in Laax, we work on:
Air Awareness: Knowing where the ground is (super important when you're upside down!).
Rotations: Learning to spin and turn with total control.
Strength & Power: Building those leg and core muscles so I can land those big jumps.
Hard Work Pays Off 🥇
Speaking of landing things... let's talk about my training sessions. I'm super lucky to work with Iouri Podladtchikov. Yes, the I-Pod! He won the Gold Medal at the Sochi 2014 Olympics, so he knows a thing or two about being a well-rounded athlete.
He works me so hard four days a week. Having a champion fine-tuning my air-time is such a flex, but he definitely doesn't let me slack off. We focus on every little detail of my movement to make sure I'm as strong as possible.
"It's not just about the jump; it's about the work you put in before you even touch the snow." — (Basically what Iouri tells me while I'm trying to catch my breath!)
It's definitely not all sparkles and rainbows. My legs usually feel like Jell-O by the end of the day, and I've definitely had some "graceful" face-plants onto the mats that were... not my best look. But hey, you can't be a boss without a little hard work. Training off the snow is what makes the magic happen on the snow!
I'm feeling stronger every week and I can't wait to show you guys some of the new tricks I've been working on!
Stay tuned, stay cool, and try not to trip over your own feet today! ✌️💖
XOXO, Zazi 🌸✨
PS. Follow the adventures of Zazi, the Indonesian Athlete, Teen Model & Snowboard Girl, on Instagram: Click Here!
