First Class. A New #Nordic Ski season 2018-2019 (ski walking)

A new season with some new faces. It is a good mix of new and old students.
                              Winter is coming at least according to the work of the beaver. :)

There are few points that I try to follow, that you should know about.
1. If it hurts, too bad. If it is pain, stop, or work around it.
2. Always listen to your body.
3. Suck air and suffer, always paying attention to points one and two.
4. Never let your brain go on automatic pilot! Always be thinking of what you are telling your various body parts to do!!
5. I believe in specific ski strength. Trim yourself down if need be or you might need some muscle. I am old school and believe in 3 sets, 10 reps to failure, with warmup and cool down sets.
For myself if I start sucking air, I stop and take a picture of the beauty around me. Contradictory, of course, lol.
6. When it rains, I train, is an old motto of mine, because we were sent home from work construction. Translation means, yes there is class regardless of weather, and we will do a work around if necessary.

Now back to the first class.
We went around in a circle and you mentioned a few things about yourself, and what sport activities you have been doing.
We practiced falling forward from the ankles, with a partner.
Nordic walking pole length; I normally recommend hands at around 2-4cm above the height of a right angle of your elbow.
Then we practiced ski walking uphill, leading with the belly button, falling forward, letting gravity do its thing.
We then emphasized elbows bent forward at around a 90' and back 90', with normally, next to no tricep extension. This is assuming you are crunching!
Use your elbow to drive forward, on each falling step.
We learned that you should be able to put a ski pole, back, through bent elbows.
Coming downhill you keep your legs bent, butt low, and pretend to go around a planted pole on each turn.
We practiced falling forward with just one leg, and taking a falling step with a partner.
Then you practiced ski walking again.
We mixed it up and you practiced balance, walking on the concrete curbs.
Then there was some ski walking up the pylons.
Then we added some spring (boing) to each step
2 legged hops up the hill, on either side of the pylons
Another round for balance on the curbs while HR was still a bit elevated.
Stretching is important and I like to stretch in hot water, with jets, not saunas.

I am on Instagram as ucanskixc.


HOMEWORK is 5 hours of ski specific training for the next few weeks. Of course another 10-15 hours of other training is ok for now. Do what you can, life for all of us, gets busy at times.  :)