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The Beginners Survival Guide to Cross Country Skiing

  1. Introduction & Equipment Sizing
  2. Boot/Binding Combinations

Part 1
Skills For Flat Terrain

  1. Basic Diagonal Stride
  2. Adjusting Pole Straps
  3. Arm Movement in the Diagonal Stride
  4. The Double Pole
  5. Kick Double Pole

Part 2
Skills For Uphill Terrain

  1. Uphill Diagonal Stride
  2. Edging your skis for control
  3. Side Step
  4. Herringbone

Part 3
Downhills & Turning

  1. Getting Up From a Fall
  2. Kick Turn
  3. Track Snowplow  

Credits

 

 

part 3: DOWNHILLS & TURNING

Getting up From a Fall

falling downOn a steep slope, packed or deep powder, falls do not always leave us in a position to easily right ourself. To add insult to injury, while we’re sprawled across the hillside, our skis are usually pointed in a direction that as soon as we put weight on them we’re flying backwards downhill.

Before we learn to get up on a hill side, let’s review the procedure for flat terrain.

The first step is to get both skis parallel with each other. If they’re tangled together, roll over on our back and lift the skis in the air to get them parallel then set them back down on the snow.

getting up from a ski fall
Crawl forward onto your knees to get up from a fall
  1. Release the grip on the poles to use the hands and arms for support (31a).
  2. With the skis parallel and perpendicular to our body, begin to crawl forward until both feet are behind and our knees are on top or side of each ski (31b).
  3. Get to a kneeling position by sliding one foot forward (31c).
  4. Plant our poles into the snow and lift ourselves up

If you fall on a hillside (31e), your first goal is getting the skis below you. If the skis are uphill, lie on your back, lift your feet up and let gravity carry your feet downhill of your body (31g). Once your feet are below you then position the tips and tails at the same elevation across the hill (31i).

getting from a fall on xc skis
Don't worry - it's never a pretty sight
 

CLASSIC TECHNIQUE: Diagonal Stride; Adjusting Pole Straps; Arm Swing; Double Pole; Kick-Double Pole. CLASSIC UPHILL TECHNIQUE: Classic Uphill Diagonal; Edging; Side Step; Herringbone. DOWNHILLS AND TURNING: Getting up from a fall; Kick Turn; Track Snowplow; Five Tips for the Diagonal Stride; Kick Double Pole. SKATE SKIING: Ten Tips for the V-1; V-2 skate technique; Marathon Skate. ALL AROUND: Stationary Turns; Step Turns. RESOURCES: Nordic Glossary; 20 Q and A; History of Cross Country Skiing

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