The Joy of Striding

By ABBY LARSON Contributing Editor, The Master Skier
Abby Larson is a Subaru/Factory Team racer.

  Master skiers don’t stride enough!
  But they should.
  Besides being fun, classical skiing is easier on the body and it can get you into better shape than skating alone.
  If you are going to classic ski you need to be sure that your skis are the proper flex and you have your “kick zones” marked.
  Skis that are too stiff make it difficult for you to compress your ski enough for the kick wax to come in contact with the snow.
  Skis that are too soft will be slow because the wax will always be in contact with the snow. You can test the flex of your skis and get your zones marked at your local ski shop with a simple paper test.
  Waxing really doesn’t have to be as difficult as many make it appear.
  Find a brand of wax and stick with it. Get to know it and get to know your skis.
  Know how many layers of kick wax you need so you don’t have to drag yourself around with your arms. For training I’d rather be a little too sticky than too slick.
  Don’t be afraid of klister! Some of the best ski conditions call for using klister. If applied correctly you can get bomber kick with awesome glide. My favorite conditions call for a violet/universal klister combo!
  The general rule for klister application is, “Thick to stick and thin to win”. In other words you may sacrifice speed if you become overzealous in the parking lot.
  What about the nasty mess on your hands after? Just put on your glove and by the time you are done with your ski you’ll never know you even had to put it on; until you have to take it off your skis!
  Now that you are striding on your well waxed classic skis there are a few things to keep in mind.
  Remember to keep your hips forward.
  This is probably the hardest part about skiing in general. Many skiers let their rears and hips take the back seat. When a large portion of your body mass is behind you it is hard to build momentum and be dynamic.
  To avoid this I like to stride without poles. In order to get anywhere without the power of your upper body you are forced to use your hips and legs in an up and forward position. Think about where you want to go, forward, so drive forward down the track.
  The mechanics of the upper body is also very important in classic skiing.
On flatter terrain double pole and kick double pole become critical. Since the arms are a relatively small muscle group it’s imperative to remember to use the entire body when double poling.
  Once again, to do this the hips have to be in an up and forward position. The idea is to be able to bring the body up and over the poles and to compress down using your body weight and not just the triceps.
  The hips should start coming up just after your hands pass your knees and by the time you are ready for your next pole plant you should be “falling” onto your poles.
  I often think about where I feel like my weight is in reference to my feet.
If my weight feels like it’s in my heels then I’m probably “in the back seat” but if most of my weight is on the balls of my feet or toes then there is a better chance that I’m in the proper up and forward position. (This little trick applied to striding also.)
  Efficient classic skiers ski with the terrain.
  They have a long glide and a relaxed upper body on the gradual assents and they quicken their tempo when the hill gets steeper.
  They skate the corners and carry speed into transitions. They double pole on the descents and can feel when it’s faster to be out of the tracks.
  This kind of efficiency feels like art or a dance.
  It comes naturally to some but must be learned by most. The great thing is that it can be learned.
  Find a one-kilometer stretch of trail that employs all the basics of classic skiing. Use terrain that varies from flat to relatively steep (practicing herringbone technique should not be overlooked); hopefully this area will have corners and transitions.
  Do repeats on this stretch and ask, “Did I ski every part of this as well as I could have?” If not, work more specifically on that particular aspect of classic skiing.
  Try to do this once a week and count it as an intensity session, but really focus on being as smooth and economical as possible, even if that means reducing the speed a little.
  Have fun and stride on!