i know there are some avid xc skiiers on this board (dev comes to mind), and being stuck in ontario for another wonderful winter, i was considering taking up xc skiing. Anyone have any info on how i would go about getting started? like startup equipment costs, clubs, etc (in kingston right now).
Also, when you guys ski, do you use it to replace your running for the winter time? or do you use it to supplement? i’ve been kind of worried about my knees giving out with all the long run training, won’t happen for a few years, but as the saying goes, gonna miss them when they are gone. however, i still want to be able to hit the season ready to run, as it’s been one of the limiting factors in posting some fast times.
Cross Country Skiing is great cross over for those of us in the northern climates. For running the theory is that it’s similar to classic style skiing and for biking, skate skiing is the best one. Both are awesome sources of a great aerobic base, though if you are lousy at technqie like myself it won’t seem too much like aerobic:) If you are learning, definitely try and find flat terrain and get some lessons to avoid bad habits. As for equipment…in the past cross country skiing was the cheaper cousin of downhill…now the prices of good equipment are far closer to downhill…you can get good deals on the year before equipment though.
You are right- skiing IS a gReAt way to keep in shape over the winter- I would say as well to get going with freestyle- skate- skiing, classic proally won’t give you a great workout unless you are really going hard at it. Also, I would at least read a bit about technique, I know Silent Sports had a good article about that this month, otherwise I can think of a few more good books if you are interrested- let me know. I would try to find a ski swap and go to it to get your first set of skis, poles and boots, that way if you hate it you’re not stuck with a lot of expensive equipment- however make sure that everything is the right size- especially the poles!!! Once you get the technique down you can get any workout that you’d do running or biking, hills, intervals, long and slow, etc. Also, I’d invest a little time and cash in waxing materials- however, if you decide to go with a classic ski, they are making some really nice ones with fish scales- that way you don’t have to worry about waxing daily or the dreaded clistor.
ok, I have to jump in on this one! Let me preface this by saying that nordic skiing is my “main” sport and I race tri’s in the summer for some training motivation. I ski race for the Alpina/Madshus team.
First, absolutely learn to classic ski first…correctly. The body position you learn from classic skiing directly relates to the correct position for skate skiing. The last post makes a point that classic skiing is not as good a workout??? That it is not true, I am pretty sure I could make any “non skier” puke during a hard Level 5 double pole or double pole kick workout! The reason that people think skating is harder, is because they are not proficient at the technique and their heart rate skyrockets when they try to go up a hill.
On the wax issue, there are some very nice waxless skis out there (Madshus Vario grips are great and I use them when the conditions are right) but for 90% of the ski season (in Canada) you will ski on a hard wax like Swix extra blue or special red. This is very easy to apply and the kick is much better than fish scales. Klister is usually only needed in spring conditions, and if it is that warm, and you do triathlon, you will probably be done skiing anyway.
So, get some classic skis and some lessons and work on that for season, then try skate skiing and you will love them both!
BTW, if you need some skis (and are near 68kg), let me know…I have some race stock Fischers for cheap!
Go to Sepp’s Ski Shop. They’re on Montreal and Brock St.
The best place to ski around Kingston is the conservation park just past the 401 on Division St. They have trails there that aren’t bad. Can’t remember the name of the park at the moment. Sepp’s will have all the info for you. X-country skiing is very cheap compared to triathlon.
Much like when buying a bike, fit is important when buying xc skis. Especially if you are getting classic skis getting the correct tension in the skies to match your weight is important. Don’t just buy the suggested length to match your height! Find a speciality store that can properly measure the tension. There will be a range of tensions that will fit your bodyweight. Since you are a beginner you should go for the softer skies for better grip.
When deciding to go for skating skies, classics or mountain classics you need to find out what kind of trails are available in your area and how well they are prepared. You have to realize that skating skies are training/competition skies that need wide well prepared lanes. They are almost useless in 5 cm of new snow. Classics come in different types. Similar to bikes you can get anything from TT to MTB. Stiff, narrow competition classics require well prepared tracks. Then you have mountain classics that are best for unprepared snow and mountaineering. These are wider and have much less tension. In between are a range of recreational skis that can be used for both.
When deciding to go for wax or waxless classics you should look at the combination of environment and how much you are going to ski. If you are going to ski more than twice a month through the winter I would go for wax skies regardless of environment because they are better, period. They do require more preparation and maintenance though. Nothing beats the feeling of perfectly waxed skies and nothing can be as frustrating as getting it wrong. It is quite a science! If you live a place where it is cold and the snow is dry most of the winter I would not hesitate to go for wax skies. In this kind of conditions waxless skis suck (they are plain slow) and it is easy to select dry wax for your skies. If you will be skiing a lot in wet conditions waxless can be OK.
Personally I would recommend classics just because I think you should learn to walk before you start riding a bike. However skating skies may be the fashionable thing to do in your area.
It’s probably worth mentioning that xc skiing is similar to swimming. First technique, then technique and finally technique again. I agree with Kurt that you should take a class to learn it properly and learn classic skiing first to get the balance and body positioning right.
Sepps is nice but you might want to check out Trailhead on Princess Street as well which usually carries a nice selection of wax/waxless classic skis. The price may be better there.
The Cataraqui Conservation Centre has a nice series of rolling loops. I wouldn’t want to learn how to skate there since the trials are a bit narrow and rutted. They also look at you a bit funny if you go skating by at top speed. I think they believe skate skiing wrecks the grooming for the classic skiers.
You can always go out on the lake once it freezes. If the conditions are right, you can work on your rhythm with all the room in the world. If you don’t have a friend to teach you, Hardwood Hills outside Barrie offers rentals and lessons on beautifully groomed trails. I think you will find the workout can be as tough as anything the road will throw at you.
The last post makes a point that classic skiing is not as good a workout??? That it is not true, I am pretty sure I could make any “non skier” puke during a hard Level 5 double pole or double pole kick workout!
It took me several years of skiing x-c before I could get to the point of breathing hard, never mind getting a workout. When you fall over every 50yards, it’s hard to get an aerobic workout…
Technique is vitally important and there won’t be any training benefit until the rudiments are mastered. For slow learners like me I’d highly recommend some professional lessons first…
I think it was Davis Phinney who stated that diagonal skiing was better run cross-training while skate skiing was better cycling cross-training.
If you’re new to x-cntry skiing, I’d start w/traditional diagonal until you get the form and balance down. You’ll use muscles that you didn’t even know existed. I think it’s especially good for the hip flexors.
And you’ve gotta go w/waxable skis. Non-waxable skis w/the fish scale pattern suck because you can’t get any glide. You can keep the waxing simple and get thru a winter by ironing on a universal glider for tips and tails, and 3 temperatures of kick waxes.
Speed skating is another great white option, you may want to check out that scene as well. I think the learning curve is a little quicker and you aren’t as dependent on snow conditions, Not as much fun, but the skaters all get down to business ;Because there is no posing when it’s freezing cold. G
speed skating looks like fun, there was actually an article on it in this month’s bicycling magazine.
my aunt is a ex-world level competitor in speed skating, so i suppose i could pick up a tip or two there, the only problem is, i don’t know of any rinks around here that are easily accessible (the joys of living as a student with no car :P)
as for the xc skiing, tried it a few years ago, and it was a blast, we only did it for a week or so in PE class; but i’ve been playing hockey for 15 or so years now, so i’m hoping there is some sort of carry over…we shall see.
thanks for the tips everyone on where to go in kingston, i’m gonna scrounge up some cash, and see what’s available. It just started snowing today, so the season might be coming sooner than i thought…
speaking of cheaper places…anyone ever tried MEC for quality/price? they are usually pretty good for other stuff? I may have a chance to get to T.O. in the next few weeks, and could check out MEC there, or buy them @ home in Edmonton and then ship them…
As long as you are not going to be doing most of your skiing in mountains or backwoods wildernss areas, I’d recommend starting with a pair of basic no-wax skis that are appropriate for your weight— The stiffness of the ski has to be matched to your weight to insure that the scales on the bottom rise above the snow surface when you glide yet dig in when you “kick.” You can get a decent set of skis, boots, and poles for under $350 USD. I love MEC and as long as they can fit you properly to the skis I think they would be a good place to buy a set. I would not buy skis mail-order. They are so cheap that you might as well spend the extra 10% or so and buy from a shop.
If you get the bug big time, you can buy a pair of high performance waxable classic skis and reuse your boots and poles. It is a hassle to fool with waxes, and I would not recommend it for a beginning skier, but waxable skis offer better performance most of the time, provided you apply the wax properly.
Skate-skiing is a great workout and uses your quads more than classic skiing, but it puts lateral stress on your knees and so is higher impact. Even skate ski racers spend 75% of their time skiing classic technique. If you do decide to buy some skate skis, you will need to buy a special set of skis, boots and poles at a cost of $350 to $800 USD.
I think XC skiing is a great way to do winter workouts. XC skiing uses all of your muscles so can push your aerobic system up to silly output levels. It is also 1,000 times easier mentally to do a four hour ski on a Sunday afternoon than a four hour Computrainer ride.
Here is a link to a decent XC ski shop in Michigan. It also has links to other XC ski resources:
i thought I would put my opinion in here too. I was a collegiate nordic skier and started doing triathlons in summers to cross train. Sense graduating I have become a Triathlete that skies a little in the winter to cross train. With a couple years of both approaches to training and focused seasons, I have seen the benefits (and down falls) of both approaches. Instead of going into a length discussion of the two I will give the quick pluses of skiing in the winter.
When I skied 7 days a week and raced twice every weekend, I was very fit when the triathlon season started. I also had great run splits during that time period. I feel that skiing is the best cross training for triathletes. Personally, I am going back to a similar schedule as I had in college this winter, because I feel that I was better prepared for the triathlon season after heavy skiiing winters than I have been lately when I have been triing to mix up skiing and triathlon training.
kev… i would call you, but your not home…
umm… x-c skiing is awsome… i love it… but… they’res NO-WHERE easily accesible to us that has proper groomed trails suitable for skate skiing… the xcountry ski team does laps of pervert park!
Miles acres has trails, but i think they’re only suitable for classic skiing… which is definatly not as fun.
Anyhow… i’ll ask some buddies on the ski team where they skate ski and get back to you.
