A Beginner’s Guide to Cross-Country Skiing

Cross-country skiing, sometimes also called XC skiing or Nordic skiing, is a type of skiing popular with many people around the world.

Cross country skiing involves using skis and poles to travel over snow-covered trails. It’s usually done on flatter terrain than downhill skiing, which makes it safer and less physically demanding.

Cross-country skiing is easy to learn and doesn’t require lots of expensive equipment, making it a great entry point if you’re thinking about getting into skiing as a hobby.

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What is Cross-Country Skiing?

There are actually two techniques for cross-country skiing. Classic cross-country skiing means using a straight-line stride on your skis. The long, narrow skis distribute weight, and you can move quickly with a “kick and glide” motion and using the poles for assistance.

Skate skiing is a more advanced type of cross-country skiing. Like the name suggests, it’s a mixture of pole skiing and the diagonal high-speed motions of a speed skater. This technique is faster but also more tiring and harder to master. For beginners, it’s usually better to start with classic XC rather than skate skiing.

The process for classic cross country skiing starts with adopting an athletic stance, leaning slightly forward with your knees bent and a balanced center of gravity. Then the skier shuffles forward on the skis, similar to a walking or jogging motion, gliding on each ski as they put it forward to maximize distance. You can also push off the ground with the poles to increase your speed and stability.

How to Start Cross-Country Skiing

Cross-country skiing requires much of the same equipment as regular skiing. And of course, you’ll want to make sure you have the correct cold weather gear, like you would for any winter sport.

The basic gear for cross-country skiing includes skis, boots and bindings and poles. You’ll also need protective winter clothing like a hat and gloves, winter jacket and several layers of clothes for warmth.