By Jon Pensak

What is the first image of cross country skiing you remember? For most of us, it may include a graceful, impossibly extended skier (perhaps Bill Koch) effortlessly flying over the snow.

Yet many skiers, betraying their novice fantasies, never reach this level of elegant proficiency in the sport. They get stuck at the “Shuffling” or “Easy Glider” stage of development.

Yet everyone is capable of achieving “fluid striding” and it need not take the supernatural training discipline of a Bill Koch, or the full-time waxing coach and unlimited resources of a Björn Dæhlie, to do it. Recent advances in the sport change the equation by removing many of the impediments that have held the average skier back.

For starters, new wax and ski technologies allow those of us with limited time to have skis that kick and glide almost as well as those of top racers. Also, the increased popularity of “core” training approaches, along with an improved understanding of biomechanics, is helping to correct many recreational athletes’ inefficient movement patterns which impede progress. And, finally, there are more resources being put into improving the teaching and coaching of classical skiing at the grassroots club and scholastic levels, leading to an improved awareness of what makes for good technique.

Taken as a whole, these changes are contributing to a renewed interest in classical skiing at every level of the sport. For the average skier, they offer new opportunities to rediscover the high levels of finesse and athleticism that classical skiing both cultivates and rewards.

Recreational skiers face three major obstacles in their quest for a rewarding classic experience.

• Inefficient movement patterns from years of sitting and poor posture

• “Too comfortable” technique – not extending enough during the stride

• Old waxing was confusing and time-consuming

The good news is that some motivation and an investment in modern technology can resolve all three of these issues.

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