going nordic = going ghay?

[thefrush]

Guess I'm ghay now. Tried skating yesterday for the first time. Now on the hunt for late season deals.

[buttahflake]

It gets better and easier every time out, skied this morning and my fitness is finally at Nordic level, way harder than hammering on a road bike. I can work at threshold now without my technique going to shit, should have started back in December. I’m so into it again.

[Wes Mantooth]

It gets better and easier every time out

I have found this to be very true both from a fitness and technique standpoint - more so than other sports. I’m fully self taught so I’m sure I do tons of shit wrong but I figure out a new little thing each time that makes it better. Once I could stay balanced in a v2 keeping decent glide it changed a lot for me

Question for v1: I see a lot of good skiers using a seemingly staggered pole plant when climbing hills where one hand looks higher than the other. Which hand is supposed to go where relative to which side you’re pushing off? I’ve played around with different combos and nothing feels quite right

[teledad]

With V1 you have a hang arm that's higher with the pole closer to vertical. The arm on the other side (push arm) is lower and plants further back. Plant both poles and the ski on the hang side at the same time, then push off together and glide onto the other ski. Most people have a preferred hang arm that feels more natural, but it's good to train and be able to use both sides. (If there's a slope across the trail you generally want the hang arm on the high side, and if doing V1 through a corner you want the hang pole on the inside.) An important aspect (especially on hills) is making sure you're pushing with both legs equally hard - easy to fall into the trap of just pushing when you pole, then half-assing the other side to recover.

There are a bunch of videos around that probably give a better idea. Here's a good one if you want to nerd out on technique: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbN4cMBojsc

Also people tend to forget about diagonal skate - a good one to have in your toolbox, especially if you skate hills and aren't Jessie Diggins.

[thefrush]

Ok, the ghay is official.

[romeo tango]

the golf course is melting fast

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[buttahflake]

Looks grim next week, get it while you can! Went out today and felt good, I’m working the ski’s now, not the other way around. Not redlining up with he climbs is a nice bonus with the newly acquired fitness. I ski all the way up without stopping and and exploding now. Wish it was December!

[Peruvian]

Looking good, buttah. I havent skated in a few seasons so I’m sure my stacking looks totally knock kneed and my cardio is piss poor.

[buttahflake]

Looking good, buttah. I have skated in a few seasons so I’m sure my stacking looks totally knock kneed and my cardio is piss poor.

My first few days out this year were a nightmare! Backseat, using my arms to try to get me up the hills, not standing on a flat ski, weak push off. Blowing up multiple times. It comes back fast, 3-4 days a week, and after doing that for 4 weeks, the ski’s are right under me now.

[plugboots]

Almost done. 1 or 2 bare spots out of 200 KM to walk around.

[buttahflake]

Got a good one in today at Bretton Woods, place is seriously next level. Packed powder with some old friends.

[huckbucket]

Loving how this thread has evolved. Kudos to Buttah who has the bug!

[Danno]

Not a skater, but I do love me some kick and glide in the woods.

[bodywhomper]

We also followed some blue diamonds around for a loop 2 weekends ago. This area is now bare dirt.

[bobz]

I guess I'll get in on the stoke track here as well! From the past few weeks...



Mz. Bobz likes it too:

[new yabyum]

Congrats to Rose Brennan and Jessie Diggins and two male US nordic dude who took a first in a mixed relay. A fun race to watch. "Diggy did what Diggy does".

[Shredhead]

Aspen has the largest free network in North America.

Some trails allow dogs.




Amazing places to meet attractive women.

[buttahflake]

Congrats to Rose Brennan and Jessie Diggins and two male US nordic dude who took a first in a mixed relay. A fun race to watch. "Diggy did what Diggy does".

Just watched it on peacock, really good racing.

[JPaul]

To keep this on the front page, CA is still hanging in there. Pic is from Monday, decent refreeze overnight made it a superfast morning:




I think the winds that had been hampering the downhill areas in Tahoe have been helping the nordic trails keep their snow despite full sun/50+ degree afternoons. No refresh in sight, but this should be good for another couple weeks.

[buttahflake]

So freaking jealous, it’s done here. That looks incredible. I rode my bike yesterday and all I could think about was Nordic technique. I wish I had two more weeks

[JPaul]

^ Yeah, we're lucky now, but that valley will be brilliantly green/flowered, and then aggressively brown/dry in a matter of weeks.

As frustrating as the transition from skis to bikes is mentally, the cardio benefits early in the cycling season are a pretty good consolation prize.

[teledad]

New snow earlier in the week, a couple melt/freeze cycles, and morning cloud cover made conditions perfect for off-trail skating (aka crust cruising) today:

[JPaul]

Nice shot, teledad. Hoping that hill in the backgound gets more snow this season!

[bodywhomper]

2nd.

Any of ya Sierra skaters gonna do some big backcountry skates?

[JPaul]

I haven't, but I'm pretty new to this nonsense.