A Beginner’s Guide To Cross-Country Skiing

If you like to cover a diverse terrain, like to travel in pack or alone at your own speed, then cross-country skiing is for you. Go over hillsides, glide through the woods and slide over pastures, it’s up to you. Your choice will only be limited by your ability and skill.

If you’re a first-timer, the only way to learn cross country skiing is to get an experienced and qualified teacher. It’s best to take lessons first before you venture out on your own. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when you ski cross-country:

Body Position

Keep your upper body at an upright position but bent a little, although not slumped over. This will help you keep your balance best. Keep your legs at shoulder width. Try as you might, you won't be able to balance with your feet together.

Bend your legs at the knees and ankles and keep your knees and feet aligned vertically with your nose. Keep your weight distributed between your toes and heels, which means that you have to balance on flat feet.

If you’ve already had some practice on balancing, you can now try to increase your speed. Don’t bend forward; just lower your body to remain stable. When you’re going downhill, resist the temptation of bending forward at the waist; you will slip and fall over.

Here are a few starting tricks to learn to keep you on your skis:

1. Sliding – keep your feet side by side and glide across while balancing yourself.

2. Poling – push yourself forward using the poles.

3. Steering – turn your foot and leg to steer the skis.

4. Pushing off – push yourself forward using the skis; also known as ‘kicking’.

5. Weight Transfer – shift your weight from one foot to another.

6. Edging – tilt the skis so that the bottom corner pushes into the snow.

7. Skidding – move the skis sideways.

8. Gliding on one ski – shift your body weight on one ski and glide across the snow using only that ski.


So Now How Do I Stop?

There are two ways to stop and no, you don’t need trees.

Wedging – bend your knees and ankles but don’t lift your heels. Push in with the heels and edge your skis, using the inner edges. Try to keep your upper body upright and not bent at the waist, just as you would be if you were seated on a chair.

Snowplowing – keep your skis flat and spread your legs. Turn the tips of your skis toward each other (like an inverted ‘V’). This move increases drag and will help slow you down and eventually stop.