There is no greater exercise for health and fitness than cross country skiing!

I humbly disagree...I think Snowshoeing is better than Cross Country Skiing. You don't need as much territory and if you're in deeper snow, it's one helluva workout on the quads.

Bigfoot wrote:

I humbly disagree...I think Snowshoeing is better than Cross Country Skiing. You don't need as much territory and if you're in deeper snow, it's one helluva workout on the quads.

Nope. I have snow shoed too and yes the quads are worked harder but not the arms torso and back. Also you don't get the aerobic work out.

It is more accessible that skiing.

be best wrote:

If you have a modicum of coordination and right conditions this sport does everything, aerobic and anaerobic. You not only get a sustained elevated heartrate (full sweat), but you develop torso, back, legs arms, really everything.

The setting is perfect too, with the sun reflecting off the snow.

Life is good.

Why run when you can ski?

No argument but like you said the "right conditions" which makes it an unlikely activity for most of the year in most of this country.

Nothing like getting cold, wet, AND injured in one activity--saves time!

y54q wrote:

Nothing like getting cold, wet, AND injured in one activity--saves time!

XC skiing is a very low injury sport, and requires sufficient effort that participants do not tend to get cold. I have XC skied in the low 20s and teens having to strip down to a single tech layer above the waist and still sweating profusely. And if it isn't raining or wet snow falling, you aren't going to get wet.

y54q wrote:

Nothing like getting cold, wet, AND injured in one activity--saves time!

You need to match the trail, conditions with your skills level. You can choose steep hills or gentle rolling hills or no hills.

coach wrote:

be best wrote:

If you have a modicum of coordination and right conditions this sport does everything, aerobic and anaerobic. You not only get a sustained elevated heartrate (full sweat), but you develop torso, back, legs arms, really everything.

The setting is perfect too, with the sun reflecting off the snow.

Life is good.

Why run when you can ski?

No argument but like you said the "right conditions" which makes it an unlikely activity for most of the year in most of this country.

True, that why when its available I usually pretty much forget running.

Doesn't swimming cover all of that with easier access?

Completely agree with OP. Doing it right, and you can be in the red zone for hours. Never in my years of running have I had to stop in the middle of a run to catch my breath, it happens a lot cross-country skiing. It is a completely higher level of anaerobic demand than running and 40% of your power comes from your arms.

Star wrote:

Doesn't swimming cover all of that with easier access?

Swimming is a great exercise and I trained in swimming for Tri's but you don't have the variety of movements that exercise different muscles at different intensities. Skiing includes climbing, turning, striding which is such a great variety. Swimming tends to be the same muscles repeatedly.

You for power a bit more with skiing.

y54q wrote:

Nothing like getting cold, wet, AND injured in one activity--saves time!

getting cold?

if there is one sport i don't get cold in at any temperature, it's x-country skiing. below -15C I still get extremely hot and want to take off any layers i may be wearing

It's good until the wolves or a mountain lion or a bear come after you, or maybe just some dude with a shotgun who "lives off the grid".

Someonewhoknows wrote:

It's good until the wolves or a mountain lion or a bear come after you, or maybe just some dude with a shotgun who "lives off the grid".

Skiers have very good upper body strength and those ski poles are sharpened at the end. If a cougar is feeling lucky, he might try something and soon find out he's not that lucky.

Maybe it wouldn't play out just that way, but skiers just have a tough mentality. Man up and try it.

Xc skiing is weight-bearing. Swimming isn’t. Cross country skiing has more representation than any other sport on the list of top vo2 max scores(that may be partly based on who is tested).

It also translates better to running without the pounding

If your biomechanics aren't already messed up, they will be after you XC ski.

Swimming is okay if you run the 5K in 38 minutes.

Not that you can in the snow, but cycling up a very steep hill for maybe 15 seconds, very hard, over and over is about the best you can do that's non-impact. Do that on a bike at the gym, 10 seconds on (all out), 10 seconds off, for five minutes.

Anything is as hard as you want it to be, after all. Very few have the skill or whatever to do this with cross country skiing.

Perhaps, but I shoveled over a 1100 cubic feet of snow today and I'm plumb tuckered out.

For those of us who live where it doesn't snow much, what's the best machine that mimics XC skiing? I remember long ago (90's?) trying a Nordic Track and thinking it wouldn't work for me. Probably the machines are a lot better now. Any ideas?

Skierg

This isn't a sport for the poor. Neither is ice hockey.

Swimming and running ... doesn't need much. Water and ground.