Getting your body prepared
Cross-country skiing is a physical sport, but
just how physical is entirely up to you. After all, most people are
not aiming to keep up with the likes of the skiers you see racing on
the TV. If you're happy to ski mostly in flattish areas and use it
as a simple form of exercise then it needn't be an exhausting
pastime.
However, no matter how much you aim to ski, you'll enjoy it more if
you've done some exercises before you start skiing. Skiing exercises
can be divided into two categories -those you do in advance of your
skiing holiday (3 - 4 weeks) and those you do every day before you
set off skiing.
Pre-holiday exercise
Even if you take regular exercise there are
certain muscle groups which you use differently when cross-country
skiing. Don't wait until the third day of your holiday to "discover"
these muscles or you'll not be able to improve your skiing at a
point when you're just getting the hang of it. The exercises I
describe here are easy to do and 10-15 minutes a day will be repaid
quickly once you start skiing.
1. Standing half a metre from a wall place your feet one in front of
the other. Place your hands against the wall and lean forwards
without lifting your heels from the floor. As you feel the muscles
stretching - hold for 10-15 seconds. Repeat, moving further away
from the wall as your muscles loosen. Repeat about 10 times before
relaxing.
Pre-skiing exercise
A few minutes spent stretching before each ski
trip will loosen up the muscles and prepare them for skiing. Warming
up can prevent injury and should therefore be seen as important. I'm
not very good at remembering my exercises but I am careful not to
bolt out of the door and straight into full-speed skiing.
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