Nordic Skiing and Getting the Upperhand on Klister

Klister in some circles brings not fear, but at least timidity.

Let us look at some ways to make application of Klister easier.

The first question you should ask yourself is, do you really need to use Klister? If there is a chance of any fresh snow being kicked out of the tracks, I would go with other possible waxing options.

However if there have been many freezes and thaws, the likelihood of having to use Klisters will be necessary. Before you start a few items might be handy. Some ski wax remover, throwaway gloves, sandwich bags for each individual klister, a CORK just for klister, fiberlene, some sandpaper around 80-100 grit, and of course klister for various temperatures.
Notice I do not mention, blow dryers, irons, and heat guns. Blow torches and the like are still in my wax kit, but never used for the past decade or two.

If you need to add more klister or need to change klister there is normally only one sure way to get the klister out. Take a tube of klister in a sandwich bag and put it next to your chest and continue to ski for 10 minutes or more. Stop klister your skis, CORK and continue. When you are a 2 hour ski from nowhere, you need to be able to apply klister. People in the past have tried using butane or other kinds of lighters but with mixed results. So cork klister.

I do not try to scrape klister, but immediately use ski wax remover. While mentioning wax remover, if it is older then 10 years, get rid of it. I read the ingredients of my old can it and it was very dangerous. After removing the old wax, sand the kick pocket. When you sand the wax pocket, the base klister will adhere much easier to the ski.

Like waxes, there are base klisters, and klisters for each temperature. There are also klisters for ice, wet falling snow, dirty snow, every form of corn and granular snow. In the Edmonton area we do not normally have use klister very often.I like silver klisters.

Open up a new klister container using the the cap which has a sharp point hidden in the top. A few of you tried using a dull ski pole tip and this did not work well. As I showed you the other night, grab the klister in a reverse grip to warm the klister. Take the top off with a quick scrape and quick turning motion. If you just lift it off you will have a long yucky sticky strand of klister.

Apply four or five small dabs of base klister on each side of the base of the ski, staying 10cm  away from either end of the wax pocket. You then cork the klister
using very fast light strokes. You can easily move the klister to the end of the shortened wax pocket, which will likely be about a cm at each end. If you had too much klister, you can roll the klister back unto the base that went over the edge or in the groove.

You then set the skis outside to cool for a short period, before bringing the klister skis back inside to put a kicking klister on. After corking the next layer of kicking klister on, you went outside to try the klister. As expected, you found that loose snow had more grip, then the icy tracks. Just like waxing, you tried one or more layers of klister before going to a warmer klister. It was mentioned that if you try skiing through wet slush puddles to expect a quick slowing, and a telemark position will be more stable.

There are other ways to avoid klister. Various forms of waxless skis work very well in wet conditions. You can also add kick waxes over klister, if there is some newer snow in the ski tracks.
I also mentioned rilling your skis. Rilling your skis will get rid of moisture and allow your skis to glide faster. Depending on the amount of moisture, there are rill sizes for different snow conditions.

After your ski, be sure to either clean the skis or secure the skis with tape, or ski holders etc. Respect the klister as it is so sticky and gets on everything. It is ugly. Hand cleaner is also handy to have.

I failed to mention that there are skis that have rill like structure in factory skis which help dissapate water and give you better glide. Also there are klister skis that have a bit of a higher camber and a shorter wax pocket. Some waxless skis are very good in wet conditions and of course you get what you pay for.

Will add more as things come up.Well fresh new falling snow at -10C, is a very good reason, to strip off all the old klister and old wax.
Clean your skis, sand the kick area, and wax your glide area again. Fresh new snow is very much welcomed!!  :)

Have fun, go ski, be safe.








 

Nordic Skiing and Higher Speed Step Turns

Some of you are expressing being more comfortable on the downhill sections now, but still wanted some practice at more step turns.The trail conditions have gone from just about right, to quite hard, and getting an edge is at times a bit tricky.
 Some of you also had wax that was grabbing at times, you were made aware of the possibility before class. It is always a compromise between grip and glide. Most all of you went with hard wax, but klister was working well too.

Standing still, we first practised standing upright, then into a high tuck with poles squeezed to your body and then into a lowered crouch with hands pushed low in front of you and arms naturally straight. This was practised at a quick pace, as called out, so that you could go quickly and comfortable from one position to another. If all else fails, a controlled fall is better then a wipe-out, and you are already close to the snow.

Coming down the hill, you scanned for others in front of you. You already had determined whether you were staying in the tracks or out of the tracks for the first portion of the downhill and were in a high tuck, after poling was of no more use for acceleration. Your elbows are squeezing the poles to your side, as you do not want poles flailing out. You are a hazard with those poles if you do not keep them under control, as faster skiers maybe trying to get past you. Do not be surprised if they slap your pole out of the way, to get past you.

As you approached the turn you use a braking snow plow of some form and stepped out of the tracks. You looked for some softer snow to edge on, and entered the corner under control, and at a speed that felt safe to you.

You bent at the knees and ankles and got lower to the ground, however do not bend at the waist. Keep those shoulders over the ankles. On the actual turn the hips are pushed to the inside of the turn, but your shoulders stayed over the flexed edged ski and ankle. That outside downhill leg is flexed, do not allow it to straighten and do not pull away from the turn.
Your hands stayed low, below the waist, and the downhill arm pumped forward and down which assisted in each quick step turn. This does take practice, but will benefit you greatly.

As soon as possible when finishing the turn, you go into the hippity hop, and then double poling, once your speed has slowed enough to use poles. You then have to decide if you are going directly in to the classic tracks or pole in the skating lane.
Short quick step turns are better then a few big step turns, because if your skis slip, you have a chance of recovering easier. Some of you may do stem christies or christies, but that too is slowing down and losing wax.

You normally go from the outside of the curve, to the inside of the curve, before drifting back to the outside again. Remember that the inside of the curve maybe soft, and have no base for your skis or poling action. Keep your eyes open at all times for debris as well.

A step turn is for acceleration, so keep that in mind! If you are snow plow turning, then you are losing your kick wax and slowing down!

In class tonight you also learned about taking different lines, going around the corners. You were encouraged to pass those in front of you. For those of you being passed, you just hold your line, be predictable, and do not panic. Those behind will pass as soon as they can. There were a few falls tonight, but that is part of the learning process that helps you learn, :)

Go Ski, have fun, be safe.

Nordic Skiing Climbing Technique Part 2

Climbing is tough work. You must be mentally tough. If the weather is cold, wet, or slow, the more miserable the conditions the better. You must love hills. As mentioned previously 50% of the time is spent climbing. Remember the mantra I had you say, "I LOVE HILLS"! Always push over the top and rest on the way back down in a high tuck.

Climbing is helped tremendously by a great power to weight ratio. Racing weight is tough to achieve however. How do you know when you are close to racing weight? For the man you first will have ripped legs, then the 6 pack will show and then finally corded muscles on the butt, if flexed. 
The female racer will first have a 6 pack, then ripped legs. Hopefully you can lift the skin off the leg, with a cm., and no more between your fingers.
If you can maintain a healthy weight of say five pounds over racing weight the rest of the season, staying healthy and uninjured, that’s great.

You tested your wax before the class, and made sure that you had spare wax both a warmer and softer wax in your pocket, in case you were slipping or sticking. Climbing is a trade off between good grip vs good glide. No two people will agree.

You learned what it is like to climb in close quarters of each other. Being able to pass is a learned craft. You will encounter people who will be in front of you that are far slower and you must learn to get past them easily with next to no effort.
Slower class mates make for learning how to pass, and small loops keeps the practice coming.
That's why narrow running herringbone's and running diagonal side step are so important. Learning to diagonal straight up where others switch to a slower gear, is a time saver, too. However think of the long race and save your arms, where needed for the whole race.

Now as racers techniques change, some are now going with no kick wax and they just double pole everything. Be sure to do a lot of practice before you try this approach in a race. The Birkie is a roller coaster course, so you can gain a lot of distance up a hill before you have to even double pole.


Of course what goes up must come down.

Many times you came down the same hill around the curve, looking for the tracks. Each time your speed was a bit quicker. Your legs were bent more, hands stayed out low and in front, and you snow ploughed less. High speed step turns rather then slowing down was the norm. There were people in front of you going down, and your fellow students were trying to beat you, as you skied down side by side. There were people coming up on the side of the trail at the same time and it was mostly dark, due to some lights being burnt out. Screams of fright the first time, and then concentration came after that.
High speed tuck turns comes with lots of practice. Keep those feet moving quickly.
Always be thinking, looking ahead, and tell your heart rate to drop. Breathe normally trying not to hyperventilate. :)

You were encouraged to FEEL where the fastest snow is. Does the snow have the fastest glide in the classic tracks, pole tracks, centre or the right far side of skate tracks, all the while watching for other skiers. You were told to practice drafting which is still uncomfortable for some of you. Staying within a half a ski or closer is what you need to learn. Always check your shoulders before changing your line!

Well the snow is melting and will become slower for a few days. Consider rilling your skis if you want, as it will be faster in the soaking wet snow. 

Have fun, be safe, go ski.