Posted on January 12, 2008 in Aerobic Exercise
Cross country skiing is not only an adventurous sport but interestingly a health sport too. Skiing beats other types of aerobic exercises because it has variety of styles and landscape to offer to a person. Find how easily you can benefit from skiing by reading the article below.
Cross country is considered to be an important and effective form of aerobic exercise today. This sport was invented hundreds of years ago in Scandinavia. Initially people trailed on gentle terrain. It was later that steep slope skiing with knee bent turns was adopted as an innovative and engaging sporting activity.
What is Cross Country Skiing?
“Nordic” is yet another term for “cross country” form of aerobic exercise. It is used to describe the different styles, techniques and disciplines involved in skiing with the help of free heeled ski gears. Each style has distinct features but is easy to perform as similar equipments like boots, skis, poles and bindings are required.
Cross country skiing requires some amount of skilful training and instructions that are related to skating, skiing and hiking. They can be performed by anyone but under the supervision and guidance of an instructor.
Benefits of Cross Country Skiing
The benefits of cross country skiing includes the following:
- Helps in coordinating the muscles
- Reduces the risks of injury
- It is an enjoyable and adventurous
- Increases the strength and flexibility of muscles and joints
Indoor and Outdoor Cross Country Skiing
Cross country skiing exercises seek to strengthen and tone the muscles located in the upper part of the body and the legs. Theses exercise can be done both indoors with the help of machines or outdoors.
When done indoors some people have complained of undue stress on the hip joints and in the inner part of the thighs. Experts claim that this can be avoided by performing shorter leg strokes. Machines require more coordination and adaptability. Therefore, one should try the machine before purchasing it.
Outdoor cross country skiing can be very adventurous, the only challenge being the harsh and cold weathers.
How to purchase the best indoor cross country skiing machine?
“Comfort” should be the basic criteria for purchasing a machine. Other important things you need to look into while purchasing a machine to stimulate cross country skiing includes the following:
- The base of the machine should be long and broad enough to cover your stride
- Arm and leg resistance should be adjustable and should ensure smooth functioning
- Machines with cords rather than ones with poles give the upper part of the body a better workout
How to start?
Begin with increasing the strength and endurance of the upper part of your body through swimming or rowing exercises. In addition, walk or cycle far stretches to increase the strength of the leg muscles too.
The next step would be to gradually increase the time frame of your skiing. The increase should be at the rate of 5 minutes per week. This will reduce the risks of injury and strain to the muscles and tendons.
Drink plenty of fluids in between the skiing performances. Wear appropriate clothing if you are engaged in outdoor skiing. Experts claim that modern short skis are easier to handle and balance on. So buy a pair of short skis to slide down the snowcapped hills. Waxless skis are also recommended for better control and grip.
Ensure that you are purchasing a safe and comfortable skiing kit or machine for yourself.. Also remember to always examine your skiing kit before using it.
Cross Country Skiing Styles
Cross country skiing offers a variety of styles to gamble with. They can be entertaining, adventurous and healthy. Try the following styles with the help of an instructor at your side:
- Classical Striding: General Touring and Backcountry Touring
- Skating
- Telemark
- Randonee
Benefits of the Different Styles of Cross Country Skiing
The benefits of Classical Striding are listed here below:
- Easy styles and techniques to perform
- Convenient as it requires the minimum gear kit
- Has varieties of terrain to discover
- It is challenging as it requires a lot of enthusiasm and energy
- Allows you to explore nature
The benefits of Skating are listed here below:
- It offers the quickest way to slide on a terrain and can be very exciting
- It is unique as it contains innovative techniques
- One of the best forms of aerobic exercise as it allows the entire body to coordinate and build endurance with crisp moves
The benefits of Telemark are listed here below:
- It has a lot of thrills in it
- A refreshing and unique style
- It is a challenging exercise
The benefits of Randonee are listed here below:
- It allows you to explore a variety of terrains
- An exciting and adventurous style
Engage in any of the following styles with the help of a professional instructor at your request. Cross country skiing can not help you lead a healthy life but a cheerful life as well.
» Filed Under Aerobic Exercise
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