Nordic Skiing; winter cross-training that can make you an über-biker and run like a “runner”
By: Wolfgang Guembel
In the midst of the winter one of the most challenging issues I face with my athletes is finding activities that not only embrace the winter weather but also provide variety in their year’s training. Nordic skiing (cross-country) is the perfect winter training stimulus (aside from leaving Canada and going to Florida to train) for triathletes and runners. I thought I would take a minute to outline some basic knowledge, equipment, and how Nordic skiing can specifically help you become a faster triathlete/cyclist/runner/muffin-maker.
Background:
“Nordic” skiing has a much longer history than triathlon and it has evolved over the years, especially at the World Cup level, and its current form is comprised of two main disciplines; ‘classic’ and ‘skate’. Classic skiing is what most people think of when you mention ‘cross-country skiing’, it is that stride based, track-set, mode of skiing. Skate skiing is a newer technique that came about some time in the 80’s as the result of classic skiers ‘skating’ through corners and up slight inclines in classic ski races. They eventually drew a line for how many ‘skate push offs’ you can do in a corner or up a hill before you can be DQ’ed for skating in a classic race. Hence, a whole new genre of Nordic skiing was born.
As it turns out, Nordic skiing is a really great cross-over sport for triathletes. There are very direct training benefits, enough to even suggest that some Nordic skiing is not just a compromise for multi-sport winter training but also a prudent measure as part of a focused and well-rounded winter training block. For walking proof you just need to ask Tom Evans in Penticton, BC what he is doing for winter training. Here’s a guy who is almost 40, is a dentist, and just won Ironman Idaho and Florida last year. This time of year you’ll find him 3+ times a week out Nordic skiing (at altitude too).
One other nice feature is that you have to work really hard to Nordic ski and as a result you can keep toasty warm without too much trouble even when it is -10C outside, or worse (after about -22 even the World Cup people call it a day). If you are even a little hesitant one lesson should likely be enough for you to get an idea of how to best hack your way around the trails. You’ll learn fairly quickly as you go.
One of my favourite ski shops is found in Duntroon, ON; www.highlandsnordic.ca, I just pulled up their site to get you their link and I found this: http://www.highlandsnordic.ca/userfiles/file/Rec%20package%20%20nov%202008(1).jpg
It’s a beginner ski package for under $400. Another place worth looking is at www.ontariotrysport.com
These are both retailers who, although are not right in the city, both know their stuff not only about equipment but about what your needs are as a beginner, avid, or expert skier. You can shop at either place with confidence that you’re not going to get bamboozled. I don’t have any Nordic ski sponsors so you can also trust that these references are based on experience from years past and are offered to you with all bias aside.
Classic: There are forms of Nordic skiing related to ‘classic skiing’ such as back-country and telemarking but those are fringe aspects of the modern sport and we’ll stick to mainstream Nordic skiing for this discussion. To start, if you can picture someone ‘cross-country skiing’, shuffling their feet along in the snow with a backpack full with three days of food, that is not “classic Nordic skiing”, that is ‘shuffling your feet while freezing to death and enduring winter’ and that sport is not for me.
Classic skiing has a tremendous amount of technique in it. Much like swimming, those with great technique can out do someone with a bigger engine. The technique is based on balancing and loading your weight on one ski, and one ski only, and then exploding and lunging forward and onto the other ski. You repeat the process by balancing and loading your weight completely onto the other ski before powering forward and back onto the next ski. When you are just shuffling your feet along, your weight is balanced between both skis and you’re not really skiing… your just shuffling. Each balance and compression of your weight on one ski does two things; first it compresses the middle of the ski flat against the snow (so the grip wax or fish scales can grip the snow), and second it ‘preloads’ your leg muscles for the push and explosion onto your other ski. Proper classic skiing requires only ever being on one ski at a time and finding a stride rhythm, similar to running, where your weight and power is smoothly shifted from one side to the other.
Ski Intro: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUgz-Y8raI0
Classic Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TftsfOnwaOg
Skate: This type of skiing does not involve any compression of the ski (so there is only glide wax on the whole length of the ski) but is does involve complete transfer of weight and balance from one ski to the other. This technique looks much like skating on ice (hence the name), however you do not use the ‘edges’ of the ski to push off the snow the way you use the edge of a skate blade to push off the ice. Instead, you have similar preload of your weight and balance on one ski and you explode onto the other ski. Again, here you must commit to only one ski at a time and your weight must go from one ski to the other. If you are trying to skate ski and your weight stays in the middle, between both skis, then you are just pushing off the snow like you might with ice skates.
Hips and Shoulders, Knees and Toes: Really, the writers of this classic song were Nordic skiers. Yup, “Jack Rabbit” Johansen (the original founder of the “Jack Rabbits” [a ski program for kids]) was sitting around the fire (or wood stove with hot chocolate) with three wise men, each with a latte (non fat, extra hot, no foam). They were in need of an easy way to teach proper Nordic skiing technique to the settlers and fur traders and voila, the number one hit of 1885, “Hips and Shoulders, Knees and Toes” was born. Anyways, I digress, the song says it all. When you are ‘classic skiing’ you compress one ski with your weight and balance and you make sure that your hips, shoulders, knees, and toes are all in a vertical line with each other directly over the ski. When you push forward an up onto the other ski you have to ensure that your hips, shoulders, knees, and toes all commit to going over to the other ski in another straight vertical alignment.
In ‘skate skiing’ we are singing the same song. The difference is, in classic skiing our hips, shoulders, knees and toes were always going in a straight linear direction forward. In skate skiing we have to shift everything (hips, shoulders, knees, toes, weight, and balance) to the right, preload your muscles and weight one ski while gliding along, and then exploding over to the left, again committing everything to that next ski (hips, shoulders, knees, toes, weight, and balance).
Skate Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciK6X1M3hTU
Equipment:
Classic: the skis are longer than skate skis and have either a “wax zone” in the middle of the ski base or ‘fish scales’ in that zone. Back in the day the fish scales where sketchy and generally found only on cheap skis but now, companies like Fisher make great fish-scale classic skis, ones that can be fast and very high-end. They are a nice option for those who know little about classic waxing. Classic waxing is like ‘witch-craft’ and can make our break your experience out on the snow. The classic skis are designed to have grip in the centre and glide wax on the tips and tails of the ski. This way the ski only glides until you fully compress the ski (by shifting your weight and fully committing to the ski) and then the grip wax or scales grip the snow.
Classic poles should fit from the ground to under your armpit and/or not higher than your shoulder.
Classic boots often look more like shoes and have lots of ankle flexibility to aid in “run-like” stride of classic skiing. Try to look for one that comes with a zip up cover that goes up over your ankles (most look like this now.. the old-school ones look like low-cut shoes… your ankles just freeze)
Skate: the skis are shorter and have only ‘glide wax’ bases.
Skate Poles should be a touch longer than classic poles and should reach between your chin and eyebrows but no higher.
Skate boots look almost like roller blades without the blades. They are designed to keep your ankle locked with support with little flexibility in either plane.
Combi-Equipment:
There are “combi” skis, poles and boots. Combi boots are ok, they usually have a cuff or support brace that can be taken off when doing classic or left on for skate, these can be a good investment. Classic poles would just be cut to be near your chin so they are short’ish for classic and long’ish for skate, not a bad investment. Combi skis are, in my sole opinion, for the birds. You can buy a combi ski and dedicate it to either technique but you will drive yourself to an early demise if you are trying to wax a combi ski one day for classic and the next for skate. Forget the hassle and pick one technique per ski.
Used equipment: sometimes a good, bought-to-fit, pair of skis for your primary technique of choice would be wise. While shopping ask to be fitted for your second technique of choice and then check out places like “play it again sports” or a ski swap for some old pair of dedicated skate or classic skis.
You should be able to get a whole package of stuff for under $1K. If I were you I’d spend good money on boots, gloves, and some ski clothing. Buy new, lower-end poles, and aim for either used high-end or new mid-range skis. Even entry level skis are great these days. You won’t last long on the trails with cheap boots or cheap gloves.
Old Sketchy Skis:
Sometimes a good idea is a super cheap, very scratched, old-school skis that you can mount new bindings on and use as “Rock Skis” for when the trails are not perfect or for spring and fall training.
Training:
This is getting long so I’ll try to keep this very simple.
Rock Skis – Classic: If you get such a pair, classic skiing on early morning wet and frosted grass is insanely HARD but works your running muscles like magic. This can be a great training activity for when the weather is not cold enough for skiing but too cold for biking outside.
Skate Skiing: This will build a big engine and can develop amazing core and leg strength (if you are skiing properly). This is the easiest technique to develop enough skills in that you can at least hack your way around the course.
Classic Skiing: Requires more homework in terms of equipment and waxing but if you invest the time and effort this technique can make you the fastest runner you have ever been and can develop significant core strength. Classic skiing is worth some consideration, it really is awesome and can even be faster than skate skiing.
Summary:
Nordic skiing, of any variety and any skill level will for sure, without doubt, build a massive engine within you. If you are looking for an alternative to riding the indoor trainer or pulling a Jan Ullrich (putting on winter weight with the full intention of taking it off in the spring when the media (wife/husband) makes fun of you publicly), Nordic skiing can make you super fit, give you a new winter focus (there are loads of races and loppets), and it costs far less than some of those ‘fancy-boy’ indoor trainers.
Good luck! If you give it a chance, and you dress properly, you’ll love the fresh air and the training stimulus.
Cheers,
Wolf
Wolfgang Guembel
Associate Coach at NRG Performance Training
http://www.nrgpt.com/hm/inside.php?id=190&sid=3