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HOW TO START WITH CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING
A snowy meadow bathed in sunlight, icy air and a flawless cross-country track in front of you. This is what an ideal day for a cross-country skiing enthusiast looks like. If you are thinking of being tempted by this winter sport, which exercises the whole body and, unlike downhill skiing, costs almost nothing, read our advice.
The first race was already in the 17th century
Cross-country skiing, or cross-country skiing, is a competitive ski sport, the goal of which is to cover a predetermined track on skis in the shortest possible time. The first cross-country races took place in Norway already in the 17th century. Norway is still the cradle of this classic type of skiing.
Under the five rings, cross-country skiing appeared at the Olympic Games in Chamonix, France in 1924 in the form of races of 18 and 50 kilometers. This sport has hardly changed since the old days. Only individual parts of the equipment, clothing and the running technique itself have been improved.
Classic style
There are two basic styles of cross-country skiing: classic and free style. Classic is simpler, slower and also suitable for beginners. It is most often ridden in a prepared track from a snowmobile. When riding, you should keep your skis parallel to you and bounce off the tip of your foot with the poles moving parallel to your body. At the same time, you slide in the aforementioned track. In turns, step off the track with one foot and bounce off the side with the other. When overcoming elevations and hills, you use the so-called tree and thus the connection of the ski feet resembling the letter V.
Free style
With freestyle, you have V-shaped skis throughout the ride. You bounce off the inside edge of the ski and slide sideways. The movement of the legs resembles skating and is a more dynamic and much more demanding style. Freestyle skiing is mainly used on routes without prepared track and is used by more experienced skiers who like high-frequency riding.
Equipment
If we compare the equipment for downhill skiing with the costs of a cable car and equipment for cross-country skiing, the latter belongs to the group of low-cost sports. For cross-country skiing, you only need special cross-country skis, shoes and poles. You can forget about protective elements or heavy and complicated ski boots with clips. In addition, the equipment itself is several times cheaper and you avoid paying for expensive ski passes.
The right clothes
A very common problem of beginner cross-country skiers is inappropriately chosen clothing. Forget about a warm winter jacket, in which you will immediately sweat at a high frequency of movement. Rather, wear high-quality thermal underwear and gradually layer individual pieces of clothing with an emphasis on good ventilation. If the body starts to overheat, you can put one layer down. Don’t forget a hat and thin gloves. In case of wind or strong sun, glasses and a sports scarf will also serve well.
Calorie burner
Cross-country skiing is an extremely complex sport that involves the whole body. It improves fitness, helps with weight loss and improves posture and stability. During one hour of this sport, the average person burns approximately 1200 calories, so it is one of the most effective sports for losing weight and shaping muscles. Not to mention the beneficial effects on the human psyche brought by sports and exercise in the fresh air. This year, you will find cross-country skiing areas in the portfolio of the MultiSport card.
THE AUTHOR: Michal Haviar
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