Skiing techniques

Cross country skiing is all about technique. Beginners should learn the correct techniques from day one. With our videos, these are easily at your disposal. For experienced skiers these videos give a great checklist that allows you to maintain a good technique.

Classical technique

The Diagonal Stride

The Slide

  1.  slide on one ski
    • stand firmly, feel the weight with the whole sole of your foot.
  2. lean your upper body forward.
  3. eyes straight ahead.
  4. one foot up.
  5. one hand up in front
    • the opposite leg and hand simultaneously in front.

The Kick

  1. kick down
    • press the ski to the snow with your entire sole.
  2. the pole connects with the snow aft of your toes.
  3. roll the kick forward to your toes.
  4. move your hand up front.
  5. slide on your other ski
    • continue the movement without a break.

Double poling

  1. stand straight, keep your weight forward.
  2. hands up on eye level.
  3. elbows at 90 degrees
    • lock your elbows.
  4. use the weight of your upper body
    • get free energy by dropping down.
  5. keep elbows locked.
  6. the poles connect with the snow aft of your toes
    • the push has power straight away.
  7. squeeze with your abs.
  8. keep your backside up.
  9. straighten your arms at the very end of the movement
    • until then, you use your abdominal muscles and upper body weight.
  10. return to the starting position
    • the new push begins before the slide of the ski has slowed down
    • the same idea as riding a bicycle: after a couple of powerful pushes you maintain the speed without using full force.

The Herringbone

  1. walk or run on skis
    • when the hill gets too steep for sliding your skis, change to the herringbone.
  2. spread your legs.
  3. upper body in front.
  4. bend your knees
    • the steeper the hill, the wider the knee and the ski angles are.
  5. push the poles aft of your body.

Downhill

  1. hands in front.
  2. hold your shins vertical.
  3. elbows tight against knees.
  4. backside raised.
  5. poles held under arms.

Check out also the previous article if you missed it!

Axa Sorjanen – Educated skiing instructor, award winning Finnish journalist, writer and documentarist

Skier in the videos: Jari Joutsen – Former Finnish national ski team member

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