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

YOU don't know anything about cycling. Try keeping up with a bike on those trails. Not happening.

There's no reason a faster human-powered vehicle can't be designed for snow too.

Bad Wigins wrote:

YOU don't know anything about cycling. Try keeping up with a bike on those trails. Not happening.

There's no reason a faster human-powered vehicle can't be designed for snow too.

Okay, and I believe they are called snowmobiles. And, you are right they are faster than cross country skis but I don't see how that pertains to our discussion.

(PS - I love to mountain bike, since I stopped doing tri's, I don't use the road bike so much though)

Per usual on a letsun thread of any duration, a lot of weirdos take over, saying a lot of weird stuff that does not make a lot of sense.

Classic skiing is a lot like power walking, but with subtlety. It's fairly easy to learn to shuffle around on a golf course, but the technique is more difficult to master for most. Double poling is fairly important, and at the championship level they have to go out of their way to make courses hillier so skiers have to stride at least part of the way. The basic techniques are kick (i.e., foot plant not your other leg kicking back!) and glide, double pole for flats and easy ups, kick-double pole, and herring bone for steep uphills.

At first skating is more challenging because the techniques are not really natural and it requires some balance. A decent alpine skier can pick up skate technique more readily than someone V1 (steep hills or long grinding hills) V2 (flats and gradual hills), alternate V2 (flats and gentle descents), no poles (sprints or some downhills), and single stick (steep uphills).

However, when you break down the techniques (classic vs. skating) they are remarkably similar. Balance over once ski at a time, complete weight shift with weight completely over the glide foot.

Skating is cool no doubt BUT guys, have you ever tried snowmobiling? Can't explain to you the feeling of freedom I experience every time I drive my yamaha. It;s like a whiff of fresh air! Oh my... I'm typing it and begin to miss those winter rides. I think I'm soon getting ready to the next season so I'll order new tracks. Has anyone here tried http://compositsnowmobiletracks.com/?

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".

Those things are more likely to happen during non-winter months when you are running on those trails instead of skiing.

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.

People who think snowshoeing is better than xc skiing suck at xc skiing.

pinecone wrote:

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.

People who think snowshoeing is better than xc skiing suck at xc skiing.

I like both, but I agree that XC skiing is a better activity for conditioning.

You know the worst thing about being a cross country skier?

Telling your parents you're a cross country skier.

Modern era elite xc-skiing , nordic/classic style, reduces legwork to a minimum. 20 years ago many elite xc-skiers were also pretty competitive in running at the national level but they are not anymore - because running is not as dominant in the summer preparations. Gym work and roller skiing has taken a bigger part.

Queen Therese Johaug the big exception though, recently running 31.32 at 10 000, missing the Olympic standard by 8 seconds.

be best wrote:

coach wrote:

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.

This. When I lived in Northern Michigan, I cross country skied almost exclusively from the end of December to Early March exclusively. Didn't miss a beat resuming running.

Star wrote:

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

Possibly, but it's tedious to spend hours ploughing up and down a pool. On the other hand many people find XC skiing, trail running, hiking are enjoyable irrespective of the exercise benefits.

Lol this whole thread. Like 0.1% of US people have the necessary

Snow

Trails

Gear ($$)

Time

To go XC skiing on any kind of regular basis.

Not gonna lie, the exclusivity of the community is a big draw for nordic skiing. Because of the economic and geographic entry barriers, I have more in common with the average skier than I do with the (much larger pool) of average runners.

no snow joe wrote:

Lol this whole thread. Like 0.1% of US people have the necessary

Snow

Trails

Gear ($$)

Time

To go XC skiing on any kind of regular basis.

Used equipment is cheap as dirt and in the north you have plenty of free places to ski as long as you don’t require groomed trails. In the winter I would pack my gear in tomy car before work, change into my ski clothes after work, and go to one of three locations to cross country ski, none of which were more than five minutes off of my 15 minute commute from. work.

I will admit the backcountry set up is preferable if you want operate operate like I do, and those tend to cost a bit more

pr100 wrote:

Star wrote:

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

Possibly, but it's tedious to spend hours ploughing up and down a pool. On the other hand many people find XC skiing, trail running, hiking are enjoyable irrespective of the exercise benefits.

No swimming in no way replicates the advantages of skiing. Skiing is a weightbearing exercise that also improves balance in addition to cardio.