How to Improve Your Cross Country Skiing Technique

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Relax.

   This is the most important technique.
   
   If you feel tense and worried about falling over, this will influence your skiing technique and hamper your ability to ski smoothly.
2. 2

   Step 2: Get into a rhythm.

   Classic cross country skiing is not about racing; it is about enjoying the great outdoors at a pace that allows you to enjoy the scenery around you and to appreciate the feel of skiing.
   
   Follow the technique of kick, stride, glide:
   Kick: ensure that the centre of the ski connects well with the snow; keep your hip and weight forward over the ski; Stride: take the stride with the ski opposite the one making the kick and shift the opposite hip; Glide: launch into the glide as you take the stride. , Allow at least one second of sliding at the end of each glide forward before kicking into your next ski stroke. , Do not try to reach right out in front of you every time you glide or you will tire quickly and waste energy needlessly. , Getting a good sense for balancing and using different parts of your body strength to achieve this balance will improve your skiing.
   
   To practice this, try:
   Skiing without your ski poles.
   
   This will improve your strength as well as your balance.
   
   Choose a flat and well-groomed part of the trail to practice this.
   
   And be careful not to lose your resting poles in the snow
   - ensure they are well secured.
   
   Try going down a very small hill on only one ski.
   
   It might sound silly but it will give you a very good sense of trying to balance yourself well. , This helps to diminish the risk of injuries.
   
   As a bonus, this also allows you to react more quickly to obstacles when they come across your path. , Try not to lean forwards too much.
   
   The slightly crouched position helps you to balance better for descending and will help to minimize damage if you do fall.
3. 3

   Step 3: Allow yourself to slide after each glide.

4. 4

   Step 4: Keep your poles near you.

5. 5

   Step 5: Improve your balance.

6. 6

   Step 6: Keep your knees slightly flexed.

7. 7

   Step 7: Crouch a little for descent.

Detailed Guide

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