Mastering the right technique for cross-country skiing

Photo: J.P. Squire

Cross-country skiing requires shifting your weight from ski to ski. To practice that at Kelowna Nordic Ski and Snowshoe Club, instructor Lyle Nicholson has his students at masters social ski lessons stand on one leg with the other leg paused briefly in the air, then switch feet.

Now you've learned about your cross-country ski equipment (in the last column), it's time to hit the trails using the following classic skiing technique.

The first thing you must learn is how to stop since it's the most important safety manoeuvre—especially if the Ski Sheriff is in your patth but also if it's a steep hill and you are out of control. Although it looks silly at times, the proper position to stop or slow down is the snowplow, the same one used in downhill skiing. Kids know it as the pizza pie. Some instructors call it the wedge.

During masters social ski lessons at Kelowna Nordic Ski and Snowshoe Club, instructor Lyle Nicholson had his beginners first practice a half-snowplow. The correct position is the right ski in the right track of a track-set trail and the tip of the left ski outside but near the left track. The tail of the left ski is pointed away from the left track. The bottom of the left ski should be at an angle to push against the snow, not lying flat on the snow with no stopping power. In the full snowplow, both skis are out of the tracks in the middle of the trail.

Start standing up as if you were standing at the kitchen sink. Flex your ankles so that your bent knees drop by five centimetres (two inches). Keep your hips forward so you are not crouching (aka the “outhouse position”). Your weight should be equal on both skis.

Skis move into the V shape, tips close together, tails apart, with your knees slightly tilted toward each other. As your knees turn more and more inward, your skis will turn onto their inside edges giving you more pushing power against the snow. Caution: Crossing the tips will be your downfall, literally.

Skiers should descend a hill one at a time, which means you can hold your poles straight out to the side or angled for balance with your hands in front of you as if you are driving. The poles to each side is similar to the long pole used by tightrope walkers to provide stability. As your balance improves, you don't have to keep the poles straight out to the side.

Constant Companion Carmen doesn't like poles out like that in case she wants to pass—on a hill—going faster than the Ski Sheriff. Bad girl. No passing.

The introductory movement down a track-set trail is called a diagonal stride. However, instead of taking a step, you kick and glide (make the skis glide and work for you), ankles and knees slightly bent. Think about kicking a soccer ball.

The stride involves swinging each arm at a right angle forward—right arm and left leg, left arm and right leg (hence diagonal). Poles should be pointed toward the rear while planted by your foot.

Your body position is leaning slightly forward with your weight on the ball or front of the foot, not the heel. The centre of your chest should be ahead of the rest of your body. In other words, lead with your heart. If your torso rises in turn as each leg comes forward, instant acceleration.

The secret to good classic technique is weight transfer from leg to leg. Some instructors, like Nicholson, have students practice that shift while walking without skis, lifting the free leg and pausing to emphasize the crucial weight shift to the other leg before another step. Then, with one ski on, putting all your weight on the ski and sliding forward. Then, switch the ski to the other leg.

After these exercises, it's much easier to get out of the track-set trail at the top of a hill. Put all your weight on your right leg, lift your left leg and step out of the left track, then step out of the right track. Always step out of the track before you gain too much speed.

Remember: nose, knees and toes. They should line up as each slightly-bent leg accepts the entire weight of the body. To start, the head should stay in a neutral position. After you've skied for a while, the head bobs side-to-side so your nose is over the right knee, then the left knee, without you thinking about the weight shift which then comes automatically.

Here are some other tips:

• When the track-set trail turns to the right, tilt your ankles slightly to the right so your skis bank around the turn as you stay in the tracks like a train. Same with a left curve.

• When coming downhill in the middle of a trail which curves to the right, you can take small steps to correct your ski direction as you round the corner. At slow (controlled) speed first, of course.

So see you on the trails. Just watch out for CCC trying to pass you on the hills.

•••

Due to the Arctic vortex, the masters social ski lessons at Kelowna Nordic Ski and Snowshoe Club were cancelled last Sunday (Jan. 14). Students can either attend a class in February as a make-up class or the club will run a make-up class in March if there is enough interest. The second session of lessons is at 10 a.m. on Feb. 4, 11, 18 and 25.

A moonlight ski and snowshoe will be held between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Jan. 27. Registration is between 5 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. and post ski/snowshoe social will go between 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.

The fourth annual Stride and Glide for KGH will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Feb. 10 to support cardiac care.

Photo: J.P. Squire

Cross-country ski instructor Lisa Howard has her students in the masters social ski lessons put one ski in a track-set trail and push off with the other leg to teach them to shift their weight from one leg to the other. Then, her students switch the single ski to the other leg.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.