What would YOUR Winter Olympic sport be? Take the test to find out

"As the Winter Olympic Games kick off, sports fans around the world will be glued to the action in Italy. If you find yourself swept up in all the excitement, you may be thinking about hitting the slopes yourself. But with sports ranging from classics like snowboarding to lesser-knowndisciplines like speed skating, it's hard to know where you should start."

"When you think about the Winter Olympics, alpine skiing is probably the first sport that springs to mind. Courses range from the highly technical twists and turns of slalom and giant slalom events to the high-speed descents of super-G and downhill. However, the body type which typically excels in this highly demanding discipline is almost always the same. The ideal build for alpine skiing is someone who is tall, strong, but not necessarily that lean."

"This is because alpine skiers have to withstand enormous amounts of force as they execute tight, high-speed turns. Dr Ilona Schwarz, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist at Rutgers University, told the Daily Mail: 'These athletes train to withhold a lot of forces given the speeds they reach, so they tend to be more muscular, and they really have no incentive to be skinny, flexible, or lean because their only goal is speed.'"

The Winter Olympics feature a wide range of snow and ice disciplines that accommodate diverse body shapes and mindsets. Events span technical slalom and giant slalom to high-speed super-G and downhill descents. Alpine skiing favors athletes who are tall and strong, often more muscular than lean, because they must withstand enormous forces during tight, high-speed turns. High-speed alpine events such as super-G particularly suit big, tall, heavy competitors able to sustain velocity. Conversely, ski mountaineering favors taller, thinner athletes due to endurance and climbing demands. Multiple sports provide pathways for varied physiques and attitudes.

Read at Mail Online