| Cross-country, or Nordic skiing, originated in ancient | | | | fast and it's one of the best cardiovascular workouts |
| Scandinavia, where the Norse people adapted to their | | | | around. These skis do not need to be waxed very |
| wintry homeland by using skis to travel, hunt, and | | | | often, which is an added bonus if you find waxing a |
| defend themselves from invaders. The earliest record | | | | tedious job. Most people will find ski-skating to be |
| of a skier dates back to 2000 B.C. Skiing was an | | | | relatively easy, though, in the beginning their |
| efficient mode of transportation in Arctic or | | | | technique will not be very pretty to watch. Most |
| mountainous region of Europe and North America. | | | | people have poor poling technique in the beginning |
| Today, cross-country skiing has evolved into a form | | | | and tire easily. Sometimes, a lesson or two will go a |
| of recreation enjoyed by all ages. | | | | long way to help your skating but it gets easier with |
| The are three styles of cross-country skiing which | | | | each time out, even without a lesson. |
| includes classical, ski-skating and Nordic downhill. | | | | A new hybrid sport known as Nordic downhill has |
| Traditional classical skiing involves the diagonal stride, | | | | emerged in the last few years. This sport combines |
| double poling, kicks with double pole, the uphill | | | | Nordic and Alpine ski moves and mixed the best of |
| diagonal stride and the herringbone. Classical skis must | | | | both worlds. Metal-edged skis that are lighter than |
| be waxed before each use, the type of wax | | | | Alpine skis but offer more control than Nordic are |
| depending on the temperature and the snow | | | | used. A heavier boot and a tougher Nordic binding |
| conditions. | | | | leaves the heels of the skier free to execute |
| Free-style or ski-skating is a relatively new sport. | | | | telemark turns on the same terrain as Alpine skiers. |
| Some of the maneuvers used in ski-skating include | | | | Steep and thrilling descents and back-country |
| marathon skate, no-pole skating, diagonal V skate, | | | | exploration is the province of these skiers. This sport |
| the V 1, the V2, and the V2 Alternate. Ski-skating is | | | | blends moves such as the wedge, the wedge turn,, |
| designed to be done on a groomed track where | | | | the wedge Christie, the parallel turn, the telemark |
| skiers will glide across the hard packed snow. Loose, | | | | turn and the skate turn. |
| deep snow will cause even the most advanced skier | | | | So, as you can see, there is lots of choice is choosing |
| to fatigue sooner rather than later. Ski-skating, in my | | | | which type of skiing to do or if you want, why not |
| opinion, is the most fun kind of skiing there is. It's | | | | try all three? |