During the last 2 classes we began to try and understand waxing.
Help what wax should I use, is always a question skiers ask one another. Flouro carbons, or hydro carbon kick waxes will be a decision you need to make. Dollars speak a lot in this area.
First you need to know the wax pocket, that has been suggested by those before you, from the factory, or if it was bought new from the store. We are assuming that the skis are a double cambered ski. Too stiff a ski and you will not be able to use the wax for grip, and too soft a ski it will drag and you will lose your wax.
Clean the wax pocket if needed. Adjust the wax pocket if wax is wearing off in the front or rear of the wax pocket. You will likely need to shorten the wax pocket, a couple inches forward ahead of the heel plate.
After using some sand paper in the wax pocket and cleaning it, its time to wax for the snow conditions.
What are some of the factors that will influence your choice of wax? Temperature, humidity, sun, cloud, wind, how old the snow is, hilliness of terrain, firmness of track, how skied in are the tracks, thickness of wax still on, length of ski, stiffness of ski, are just a few factors that you need to take into account.
Now lets check your wax after skiing for a km or so. Put all your weight on one ski without moving the ski and lift it up. You will see the snow sticking under the foot of the ski. Now take your gloved finger and try to brush the snow off. If it comes off too easy, then you either need a warmer wax, or another layer of the wax you just used. If you really need to brush the snow off hard, then clean the snow off and put a slightly colder wax over top.
When applying wax you need to put the wax on in thin layers with no chunks or blobs. Now take your synthetic cork and cork it smooth. Nice long strong smooth strokes works well. Natural cork goes with natural wood by the way. You will likely get some wax in the groove and so smooth that out. Bring the wax from under the heel back into the wax pocket with your cork.
Make sure that there are no lumps or wavy wax under the kick area.
Yourself, significant other, friend or coach will need to learn your waxing preference. Some skiers like slightly slippery skis and some like a lot of grip.
Experiment as to how you like your grip.
Now get out there and have an awesome ski and be sure to have FUN!
Monday, November 24, 2014
Nordic Skiing Beginning Steps of how to #Ski Diagonal
For those of you that missed the last class, lets do a quick review.
We started with learning how to wax our skis. Reminder to put 3 or 4 thin layers and cork it out well between each layer. There should normally be no bumps or waves of wax, and you can see this by holding the skis up to the light of the sun, moon, or indoor light.
Most people last night used Swix V50 otherwise known as blue extra.
We did a few quick quick ski exercises of doing pizza/pie ie tips together/apart. This kept everyone moving while the stranglers joined the class.
Once out in the open flat area, we started class with just your right ski on, scootering along on the snow for just a few minutes, and then switched to the left ski.
Next came a step, push, and gliiide on just your right ski. Body position had just a very slight lean forward all the time, with the left foot swinging up near the tip and push. While pushing with the left foot that had no ski on the right ski was momentarily lifted off the ground. You push and gliiide. Hold the trailing leg that has no ski on it, in a natural bent straight leg behind you while you are gliiiding. The trailing leg then swings down, plants and then pushes off again. This was done for several minutes. Switch ski again and try it again for several minutes with the left leg.
The next exercise began with right ski and right pole on. The pole is used to extend your gliiiide even further. Keep the forward lean and do not dab with your left foot to keep your balance, but hold the naturally straight trailing leg behind you when gliding.Then switch to left ski and left pole. Practice for several minutes on each side.
Normally about 80% of the time, skier's balance is better on the right side.
We also repeated the mantra, Poles are for Push, not for balance!!
Next exercise started with both skis on. We imagined that the left ski was the push ski, and the right ski was the glide ski. It kind of looked like a person with a limp, known as gluump! Switch to the right ski as the pushing ski and the left ski as the gliding. Practice each side for several minutes.
Next exercise consisted of skiing without poles. Each ski swings down near the tip or at least in front of the weighted ski. You should both hear and feel the wax grab under your foot.
This where those who are ski shufflers, and those with poor wax reveal their weaknesses.
There was one more exercise that was tried, and that was for skiers to stand in place running, with their skis on. The key to this exercise is not to lift the knees but to have the knee and leg go back naturally straight. You then start taking little steps leaning forward. Keep leaning forward and then run with a glide. This exercise results in some skiers naturally showing a good weight shift.
Then they went back to skiing with no poles.
Let's talk about the arms movement for just a moment. Arm swing is opposite to the other ski. Arm swing is from the shoulder with elbows bent at around 90 degrees both forward and back.
Class, came in and stretched and that was a wrap.
Those that wanted to, then drove 4 minutes or so and hit the local city hot tub, steam room and pool. :)
We started with learning how to wax our skis. Reminder to put 3 or 4 thin layers and cork it out well between each layer. There should normally be no bumps or waves of wax, and you can see this by holding the skis up to the light of the sun, moon, or indoor light.
Most people last night used Swix V50 otherwise known as blue extra.
We did a few quick quick ski exercises of doing pizza/pie ie tips together/apart. This kept everyone moving while the stranglers joined the class.
Once out in the open flat area, we started class with just your right ski on, scootering along on the snow for just a few minutes, and then switched to the left ski.
Next came a step, push, and gliiide on just your right ski. Body position had just a very slight lean forward all the time, with the left foot swinging up near the tip and push. While pushing with the left foot that had no ski on the right ski was momentarily lifted off the ground. You push and gliiide. Hold the trailing leg that has no ski on it, in a natural bent straight leg behind you while you are gliiiding. The trailing leg then swings down, plants and then pushes off again. This was done for several minutes. Switch ski again and try it again for several minutes with the left leg.
The next exercise began with right ski and right pole on. The pole is used to extend your gliiiide even further. Keep the forward lean and do not dab with your left foot to keep your balance, but hold the naturally straight trailing leg behind you when gliding.Then switch to left ski and left pole. Practice for several minutes on each side.
Normally about 80% of the time, skier's balance is better on the right side.
We also repeated the mantra, Poles are for Push, not for balance!!
Next exercise started with both skis on. We imagined that the left ski was the push ski, and the right ski was the glide ski. It kind of looked like a person with a limp, known as gluump! Switch to the right ski as the pushing ski and the left ski as the gliding. Practice each side for several minutes.
Next exercise consisted of skiing without poles. Each ski swings down near the tip or at least in front of the weighted ski. You should both hear and feel the wax grab under your foot.
This where those who are ski shufflers, and those with poor wax reveal their weaknesses.
There was one more exercise that was tried, and that was for skiers to stand in place running, with their skis on. The key to this exercise is not to lift the knees but to have the knee and leg go back naturally straight. You then start taking little steps leaning forward. Keep leaning forward and then run with a glide. This exercise results in some skiers naturally showing a good weight shift.
Then they went back to skiing with no poles.
Let's talk about the arms movement for just a moment. Arm swing is opposite to the other ski. Arm swing is from the shoulder with elbows bent at around 90 degrees both forward and back.
Class, came in and stretched and that was a wrap.
Those that wanted to, then drove 4 minutes or so and hit the local city hot tub, steam room and pool. :)
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Nordic Skiing Fall and the first on snow ski class of the fall season
Finally the snow is here, but compressed, there is way less then an inch of snow.
We started with the very basic lowest gear that is normally done on skis, and that was the side step.
After the side step, a side step with a hop was the next exercise. When doing the hopping side step, both skis are in the air, for just a second.
Next up was the running diagonal side step.
From there the herringbone was used both going up on a flat ski and then on an edged ski. Remember an edged ski wears off wax quicker then a flat ski, only edge if you have to.
Next up in an area of about 5 metres wide, going up the hill in groups of 3; the exercise consisted of 2 people doing the running diagonal side and one person in the middle doing the herringbone side by side.
Next was double-poling on a slight uphill, and then double-poling with a hop uphill, with a strong concentration of bringing the hips ahead of ankles, crunch, drop and collapse at the knees, with next to no bending at the waist, hands shoulder width apart with elbows wider then the hands, and planting your ski baskets close to your skis.
On the downhill side we looked at side step downhill, then your body position of downhill running in the ready position, and half a snow plow on very slight downhill slope.
And that was about it.
An excellent effort was made by all. If your core hurts, great. If your triceps hurt, then you did not do the exercise correctly. If your shoulders hurt, then your elbows were too high, be careful. If your back hurts, then you were arching your back and not falling forward onto your skis as your poles were planted.
Your homework before next weeks class, is to do at least 3-5 hours of ski specific training.
See you next week. Have FUN out there, and it is time to for another snow dance too.
We started with the very basic lowest gear that is normally done on skis, and that was the side step.
After the side step, a side step with a hop was the next exercise. When doing the hopping side step, both skis are in the air, for just a second.
Next up was the running diagonal side step.
From there the herringbone was used both going up on a flat ski and then on an edged ski. Remember an edged ski wears off wax quicker then a flat ski, only edge if you have to.
Next up in an area of about 5 metres wide, going up the hill in groups of 3; the exercise consisted of 2 people doing the running diagonal side and one person in the middle doing the herringbone side by side.
Next was double-poling on a slight uphill, and then double-poling with a hop uphill, with a strong concentration of bringing the hips ahead of ankles, crunch, drop and collapse at the knees, with next to no bending at the waist, hands shoulder width apart with elbows wider then the hands, and planting your ski baskets close to your skis.
On the downhill side we looked at side step downhill, then your body position of downhill running in the ready position, and half a snow plow on very slight downhill slope.
And that was about it.
An excellent effort was made by all. If your core hurts, great. If your triceps hurt, then you did not do the exercise correctly. If your shoulders hurt, then your elbows were too high, be careful. If your back hurts, then you were arching your back and not falling forward onto your skis as your poles were planted.
Your homework before next weeks class, is to do at least 3-5 hours of ski specific training.
See you next week. Have FUN out there, and it is time to for another snow dance too.
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