Contents

Foreword 5

Audience 6

Introduction 6

Equipment 8
Roller Skis 8
Bindings 9
Poles 10
Ferrules or Points 10
Boots 11
Wheels 12
Black Rubber 13
The rebound test 14
Speed reducers 14
Brakes 15
Gloves 16

Safety 16

Technique 18
Learning to roller ski 18
Physiology 18
The Basics 19
Weight Transfer 21
Balance 22
Push/Kick 24
Coordination 24
First Steps 24
Classic Style 27
Rollerski Techniques 27
Diagonal Stride 27
Bad Habits - Late Kick 32
The Invisible Wall 33
(Modern) Double Poling 36
Kick Double Pole 42
Skate Style 46
Diagonal Skate 46
Offset 46
Troubleshooting Offset Technique 52
 One Skate 53
Troubleshooting One Skate 57
Two Skate 57
Free Skate 62
Posture 63
Drills 64
Extra Small 64
Frog Hops 64
Steeplechase 65
The Waiter 65
Double Pole 65
Figure of 8 65
Double Pole Hop 66
Skip Hop 67
One Foot 68
Doubles (Trebles) All Round 69
Terrain Change 69
Downhill S turns 69
Sit Ski 70
One Foot Slalom 70
Two Foot Giant Slalom 71
No Pole Uphill 72
Transitions 72
Tic Toc 72
One Leg Squat 72
Diagonal Polling on Classic Skis 73
No Pole Skips 75

Cross Training 76
Nordic Walking 76
Kill the Ball 78
Ketchup 80
Windscreen wiper 80
Steps with resistance 81

Working with kids 82

Safety 83
Fun and Games 83
Cross country rabbits 83
The Pickpocket 83
Gymkhana 84
 Football 84

Racing 85

Rollerski Tracks 87

Biathlon 87
Biathlon with kids 89

References 90
Foreword
A few years ago I was skate skiing at the Chamrousse cross country ski area. I was slowly
climbing a hill when an old guy, retired I guess, came past, seemingly with little effort. He spoke
to me at the top of the hill and told me to follow through with my arms more. He then asked what
techniques I knew. Well I didn’t, I hadn’t realized there were any other techniques than skating
and planting poles every other skate; something I now know as V1 or offset. So I began a long
odyssey to discover and improve my knowledge of this sport.

The winter season is short. Some people get a single week away on snow. I live in the
mountains but even so the cross country season begins at the end of November at the earliest
and is pretty much done by April unless you visit glaciers. I was finding that I was only skiing
well by mid season at best.

Then I saw the French team rollerskiing at Valloire. They were climbing to the mighty col du
Galibier. There was very little information about this side of the sport. It seemed something that
pretty much only athletes used off season and they kept the secrets pretty much to themselves.
After much hesitation, I finally took the plunge and bought a pair of inexpensive rollerskis but I
knew absolutely nothing. After an autumn of experimentation I was able to pick up V2 technique
on tarmac and hit the first snows, well if not skiing exactly like an expert, at least with another
arrow in my quiver.

I’ve been rollerskiing now for 5 years. Most of what I know on snow I’ve picked up during the
summer and autumn. So much so that I now feel I’m a better rollerskier than snow skier.
Rollerskiing is harder in a number of aspects compared to its on snow equivalent. If you fall, it
hurts. If you fall at speed, say descending, it can be pretty dangerous. A lot of the time you are
skiing on cycle tracks, on the road or in parks; specialized rollerski areas are comparatively rare
and relatively small. This has its own dangers in the form of other road users. Balancing on
narrow rollerski wheels is harder than on skis and rollerskis are short making fore and aft
balance more difficult. Climbing slopes on skate rollerskis is harder than on snow. Descending
is hazardous.

So if that hasn’t put you off it is a great means of improving your cross country skiing outside of
the limited time we all have on snow. Skills transfer directly to snow.
Audience
Who should read this book?

Well everyone and maybe no-one. It is more a set of notes I put together while learning
cross-country and rollerskiing drawing on what resources I could find. Of course you can’t learn
a skill as complex as skiing from a book but it can give some hints and tips and as a memory aid
for key points. It may also be useful for instructors to give further ideas when discussing or
improving technique.

Introduction
Rollerskiing is the dry land equivalent of cross country skiing on snow. It is even called “​summer
cross country skiing​”. Skis are replaced with a shaft that is 53cm or longer with wheels at either
end. Normal ski bindings and boots are used. Wheels are either thin, like rollerblade wheels,
used for skating or squarish with a ratchet or clutch to stop them rolling backwards, used for
classic.

Why write a book focussed on just rollerskiing if it is so closely related to cross country skiing,
surely the two sports are just two sides of the same coin? Rollerskiing is often treated as an
after-thought in cross country ski books. However with variable snow conditions, the desire to
train out-of, or pre-season, or for people with no access to snow, rollerskiing has developed as a
sport in its own right. Some international level skiers specialize or excel at rollerskiing even
though they take part in on-snow competitions in the winter months.

When Adrián Solano from Venezuela, a country more associated with bananas than snow
covered alps, competed in the 2017 Nordic World Cup he’d only trained on rollerskis. Okay
Adrián’s performance on snow was a bit rock-and-roll and is not the best example but there are
rollerskiers throughout Latin America. Over the summer of 2019 there were international (FIS)
events in 20 countries including China, Greece, Brasil, Thailand and Iran to give some of the
more exotic locations. Countries like Great Britain have a thriving rollerski scene thanks to
pioneers such as Iain Ballentine at rollerski.co.uk.

History
Rollerskiing first appeared in the 1930s in Europe but remained somewhat marginal, largely
used by competitors for summer training. The first World Championships were only held in
1998. Today there are competitions throughout the summer and it has become a sport in its
own right. A number of special roller-ski circuits have opened with shooting ranges and there is
increasing interest from recreational skiers as a way of keeping fit and improving technique out
of the winter season.
Equipment

Roller Skis
Just as with snow skiing you have rollerskis for classic and rollerskis for skate technique and as
with on-snow equipment there have been attempts to produce gear that addresses both
disciplines called “combi” rollerskis. Combi sets can sometimes be found in hire shops as they
let beginners experience both techniques. They have thinner, more rounded wheels compared
to classic skis that allow skating but have a “ratchet” to stop the wheels turning backwards to
allow classic technique like a “kick” on snow. Wheel wear can be an issue when skating. There
are also skis for off-road fitted with large, inflatable wheels sometimes called Skike​®​.

Skis can be made out of wood, fiberglass, aluminium, carbon fibre or a mix. Each material has
different damping properties. Classic typically have a wheelbase of 650 to 720 mm. 650mm skis
would be used by juniors. Skate skis are usually 530mm to 610 mm between the wheels. The
short skate skis are more maneuverable. Shafts may be dropped to bring the binding closes to
the ground, at the expense of ground clearance. Classic skis may feature guides to help the ski
to track when kicking.

Classic rollerskis with guide wheels

Bindings
The last few years have seen a move towards a single binding standard, that of Rottefella’s
NNN (New Nordic Norm). Today virtually all racers are on this standard even if the Salomon
Pilot system offers some advantages for rollerskiing. Basically the NNN binding uses the
traditional method of a rubber stopper at the toe to stop the ski dropping too far at the end of the
push phase. Boots have a single bar at the toe. It is not compatible with the similar Salomon
SNS system.

NNN bindings, a rubber bumper at the toe stops the ski from dropping

The Pilot system uses a hinged latch to stop the ski dropping past a certain angle. This offers
more stability in the warm temperatures where rollerskis are used - the boot cannot twist beyond
a certain point even if the sole is more flexible in the heat of summer and it also prevents
heavier rollerskis from dropping too far at the end of the push phase. However the system is
prone to wear which means that the latch will no longer engage with the bar.

In 2016 Salomon moved to the NNN compatible Prolink system. The only difference is the hole
mounting pattern is the same as Pilot/SNS making it easy to migrate existing rollerskis. It
probably makes sense to stick with NNN bindings if you are buying today. There are some
rollerski specific bindingsavailable. These strengthen the binding for extra forces involved in
road use but ski models work for most users.

Poles
It is very easy to break poles when roller-skiing. The points can get caught in potholes, drains,
expansion joints and other hazards of road surfaces and unlike on snow they snap very easily.
Unless competing, avoid lightweight carbon poles.

The FIS mandate the maximum pole length for classic style rollerskiing as 0.83 times the skier’s
height + 2cm. The skier is measured with boots on and the pole length is from the tip of the pole
to where the strap joins the handle. For skating this length is 0.9 + 2cm. The extra 2cm is to
compensate for the height of rollerskis but the additional height is offset by the fact that tips
don’t dig into the snow.

If you are competing or doing an instructor course these measures can be quite strict.

Ferrules or Points
Rollerski poles are the same as cross country poles. The only difference is that the baskets are
replaced with special ferrules. To do this simply heat the basket with a hair dryer or dip it in very
hot water. This will soften the glue and the basket can be twisted off. Rollerski ferrules don’t
generally have snow baskets. These can break or catch on your shoes and cause you to trip.
They have a special hardened tip or point made of high carbide steel, are longer than standard
points and extend further into the ferrule - all this gives longer life on hard pavement.
Keep your tips sharp, especially as you progress through autumn as road surfaces get harder in
colder weather. Slipping poles can lead to bad technique and even falls. Tips should be
sharpened along the two surfaces as shown in the image below. You’ll either need a diamond
stone as used for sharpening the edges of downhill skis or a bench or angle grinder/dremel
fitted with a diamond sharpening disk. A rechargeable angle-grinder can be taken on the road
and sharpen the whole team’s points and is much less work than using a stone.

Rollerski tips: Black tip is sharp, yellow tip is blunt.

Boots
It is quite reasonable to use exactly the same boots you use on snow for rollerskiing. The main
factor is the ambient temperature, which is warmer in the rollerski season compared to the
winter. Warmth makes everything softer, including boot soles. For skating a boot with some
carbon in the sole is a good idea to combat rotation and this is one area where the Salomon
Pilot binding system provides better engagement with the binding. Beware that the Pilot binding
lever can suffer from wear and play and once this occurs it becomes dangerous and should be
replaced.

Classic rollerskiers sometimes wear combi boots to provide better ankle support but this may
inhibit you from building the necessary ankle strength for the ski season. If you are on a tight
budget a combi boot will do for both classic and skate rollerskiing.

Some skiers complain of hot and sweaty feet and manufacturers including Botas, Fischer and
Alpina all sell specialized boots which look more like a trainer with some additional support
depending on whether they are aimed at classic or skating technique.

Alpina ESK 2.0

Wheels
Skate skis typically use 100x24mm wheels. Classic skis around 70x40/50mm although some
manufacturers such as Nordeex offer a classic wheel that resembles a skate wheel but with a
flat profile.
The hardness (​Shore rating)​ and elasticity (bounce) are two important factors that govern the
grip and speed of a rollerski wheel. For example a slow skating wheel may be rated as 76-35.
That is a shore rating of 76 and elasticity of 35. Increasing either shore or elasticity will give a
faster, but less grippy and comfortable wheel.

Slower wheels give a closer approximation to on-snow speeds and are used for training. They
are also safer where there are downhills although descents should always be tackled with
precaution on rollerskis.

Black Rubber

Skate Classic

They are mainly used for training. The aim is to ski at speeds as close as possible to those on
snow. Generally 3 to 5 “speeds” are available, the list below shows typical shore and elasticity
ratings the speeds

1. 76-35: slow, 10-30km/h

2. 76-50: medium, 10-35km/h
3. 89-50: fast, 15-50km/h

With classic style the faster wheels give very good results on rougher surfaces (grainy tarmac).
When skating the faster rubbers are less stable and the wheels tend to “hunt” laterally. They
provide good braking, either T stops (skating) or snowplough (skating + classic). An expert skier
can tackle descents with this kind of rubber and they also have good grip on wet or humid
roads.
Slow Polyurethane (P.U.)

Frequently black but sometimes coloured. Again these give ski speeds close to that of snow.
Grip on humid or wet surfaces is acceptable. You can find scooter wheels that will work in skate
skis (​100x24mm​) and they can be very cheap, 6 euros per wheel for a Decathlon Oxelo, for
example. However scooter wheels tend not to be as durable as specialist skate wheels which
can mean walking home at best or a fall at worst. Scooter wheels have an elliptical rather than
round profile which is less stable and the material tends to be harder than that used for
roller-skiing.

Fast Polyurethane polyurethane (P.U)

Usually coloured, with manufacturers using different colours to represent the various speed
options. Mainly used in competition. You can reach speeds of 40km/h on the flat with these
wheels. They can also help develop coordination and balance skills in training. Grip on wet
roads is limited and braking is less effective.

The rebound test

This is a small test that is both simple and a relatively reliable way to test the speed of rubber.
Drop the wheel onto a smooth floor rotating it with the index finger before release so that it flies
straight. Observe the amplitude and the speed of rebound. The more a wheel bounces the
faster it will roll. Try this with a range of wheels and you will see that the cheap wheels are not
that fast. Note that certain rubbers such as C.PU (cast Polyurethane) used in competition
wheels harden somewhat after manufacture.

Speed reducers

Front wheel speed reducer

Whatever the rubber used it is possible to install a speed reducer. This is a small wheel that can
be adjusted to slow the speed of a wheel. It can enable less experienced users to tackle small
descents in relative safety or can be used to even up the level of a group. It adds weight to the
ski and will wear the wheels more quickly. Reducers are sold by Ski Skett and others.

Brakes
Brakes are also available which can enable small or medium hills to be descended and give
greater safety when skiing where there is a risk of pedestrians or traffic. They have the
advantage over speed reducers of being engaged only when necessary but take more skill
to use. They generally work by being attached to the lower leg and by applying a pad to the
rear wheel. They are commercialized by Pursuit and Fischer. A wireless disk brake system
has also been developed by Norwegian startup Rollersafe.

Think ahead and avoid terrain or situations beyond your ski level. Scope out hills before skiing
them or maybe start from lower down. Practice with the brake at slow speed on the flat before
you need to use it for real. Experienced users can stop in a few meters.

Fischer brake system

Gloves
Gloves are useful to stop pole straps rubbing causing blisters and in falls. We are probably
skiing in the warmer months so winter cross country gloves may be neither durable enough and
too warm. Two obvious choices are mountain biking gloves - full fingered with some protection
but generally designed for summer weather or lightweight building gloves if you are on a budget.

Safety
The ideal place to start learn rollerskiing is on a special track. Unfortunately they are few and far
between so alternatives are parks, car-parks, cycle-paths and roads. These are all shared use
areas so you need to be aware of other people and aim for off-peak periods. Car-parks when
shops or offices are closed (pretty rare in today’s 24x7 world), roads in industrial estates at the
weekend or parks early in the day to give some ideas. Roads present their own dangers as you
are mixing with fast and heavy vehicles on rollerskis that need a lot of room to stop. Any road
with traffic should be reserved for expert users only.

The US ski team has the following rollerski check-list:

1. Before leaving the safety of the training area a skier must know how to slow down using
snowplough turns and by skiing off the road into the verge. They must be able to quickly
maneuver around hazards. They should be able to look behind when skiing and make
hand signals.
2. Beginners should wear protection, elbow and knee pads, gloves
3. They must have a suitable helmet (rollerskiing/rollerblading/cycling) that comes up to
local standards
4. Use Daytime Running Lights (such as the Bontrager Flare RT). Use flash mode to attract
attention. These can be fixed to helmet, poles or shoes
5. Clothing should be high visibility on moving areas: arms, legs, hands as this attracts
most attention
6. Single file skiing on roads and cycle-paths where there is traffic
7. Smaller groups are safer
8. Check the route out in advance for downhills, cross or side roads, stops, dangerous
bends, road surface, curbs
9. When not skiing get off the road
10. Anyone accompanying the group in a vehicle should have a high visibility vest
11. Accompanying vehicles should have a sign warning of rollerskiers on the road
12. Keep accompanying vehicles to the strict minimum - they cause congestion and can be
a source of hazard
13. Accompanying vehicles should obey the rules of the road and park in safe places
14. Wear sun or clear glasses to protect against road dirt and ski pole injuries - especially
the points
Check your gear at the end of each ride: wheel wear, wear on shafts and axles, wheel nuts.
Make sure points are sharp.
Technique
Rollerskiing is less forgiving of poor technique. Skate skis have 24 mm wide, rounded wheels,
there isn’t much rubber in contact with the ground compared to a snow ski. Balance is harder
and errors can dump you on hard tarmac not soft snow.

Good technique enables you to ski more efficiently and to ski both faster and further in safety.
Trying to ski fast without good technique will, sooner or later, lead to a crash. Being able to vary
your style lets you adapt to the conditions and terrain as well as your physical condition. It
changes your pace and rhythm, breaking any monotony. Good technique leaves you less prone
to minor strain injuries.

As with snow skiing there are two styles: classic and skating. It is interesting to be able to ski
both and it is usual to start using classic style unless you already have a lot of experience on
snow with skating, or come from an inline skating or similar background. For beginners, classic
rollerskis are easier to balance due to wider wheels and lower frames. The movement patterns
you learn in classic skiing are transferable to skating.

Learning to roller ski

Protective gear is a must for beginners. This means a helmet - either an inline skate/skateboard
lid or approved for cycling. Knee and elbow pads as used for inline skating can avoid scraped
knees and elbows or worse. Wrist guards are impractical when poling. Your rump can also be
exposed as it is easy to fall backwards (as is the case on snow). You should also wear glasses,
either tinted for sun or clear as there is a danger from ski poles, points and road grit. This is
especially true when skiing with others. I’ve even had a point break and a fragment hit me in the
face.

For someone in reasonable physical condition, say transitioning from another sport such as
cycling, running or football the limiting factors are neither cardio-vascular nor leg strength but:

1. Balance
2. Coordination
3. Upper body strength

Physiology
This diagram shows the principle muscle groups. Cross country skiing is popular as it offers a
full body workout. Polling working the upper body while striding or skating uses the legs and
buttocks.
The Basics
Imagine you are standing on your skis, poles attached to your wrists. Unless you are double
poling or descending you will glide on one foot or the other, pushing with the opposite leg and
pole(s). As you start to ski you will transfer weight to one ski (​weight transfer​), you will ​balance
on this glide ski while ​pushing ​or ​kicking ​with the other leg and pushing with your poles. You
need to be able to disassociate the upper (arms, torso) and lower (legs) body movements as
different ski techniques require different ​coordination​.

Swiss Snowsports have identified 6 phases of skiing and their associated movement patterns
that they believe make a good nordic (and by inference) rollerskier competitor. They’ve called
these the ​Racing Basics and we’ll refer to the first three: Posture, Action and Stabilization in
particular. These concepts are common with bodies such as the BASI (British Association of
Snowsports Instructors) and their ​Central Theme which aims to take a learner from their first
steps right through to mastering all techniques. You need to learn the movement patterns
surrounding each phase.

Athletic Posture The body is positioned over a glide leg with a vertical line dropped
(Basic Stance - BASI) from the nose through the tummy button, knees and toes. The ski is
flat on the ground. Ankle, knee and hips are flexed like a spring
ready to react to changes in the terrain, pressure on the toes during
the glide phase. Hips are over the heel and not further back. The
body is stable and straight with eyes horizontal and looking ahead.
 See the image below (COM)

Action This phase represents the action of moving from one ski to another.

In ​classic​ the kick zone is in contact with the snow, in ​skating​ the
skier is pushing on the inside of the ski. Transfer to the new ski
involves a leg extension of the drive leg. Movements should be
rapid and dynamic. The upper is body stable and straight.

Technique should be adapted and varied according to the terrain

(and potentially) race situation. This will bring together the elements
of: balance, weight transfer, rhythm, coordination, body position, as
well as strength and power.

Stabilisation Stabilisation occurs during the glide phase. Upper body and hips
are stable, weight is over the glide ski, ankles and knees are flexed
for balance.

A stable body helps prevent unnecessary parasitic movements that

waste energy and unbalance a skier (rotation etc.). Strong core
muscles and a good sense of balance are essential. For example in
classic diagonal stride the pelvis will remain parallel to the ground
during the whole cycle (no major up/down movement)

Propulsion Classic​: During the cycle force moves from the heel to the toes.
The pushing movement of the arms is the same for all techniques.
The upper body is used as much as possible to support the arm
strength. Power is transferred from the trunk to the poles.

Skating​: Force moves from the center of the foot to the inside edge
via the sole of the foot. Kick with the foot flat on the ski. Pop at the
end of the push.

Full arm movements for both skate and classic in a pendulum

fashion. Compress at waist to drive poles backwards and skier
forwards (skate v2, v2a)

At the end of the stroke arms are brought forward ready for the next
cycle.

Weight Transfer The skier should have their body weight on one ski for the majority
of the time (the exception is double polling). In classic the body
must tilt forwards over the drive ski for as long as possible (on snow
this generates good grip); hips forward of the heel.

In skating the body is stacked over the ski with the propulsion leg
extended as far as possible. Forward lean, almost to the point of
falling, initiates the kick. Weight shift onto the gliding ski with a
powerful leg thrust. Going up hill requires more forward lean.
 Racing Technique is adapted to the athlete. Big movements in the direction
followed - hips forward, legs extended, wide skating pushes, hands
extended to the rear etc. During the sprint the movements are
shorter with the body inclined further forward.

Weight Transfer
In order to move forwards a skier must be able to transfer their weight from ski to ski. A skier
operates in a 3D space but to simplify things we typically think of weight transfer as being a side
to side movement. Weight transfer is important in rollerskiing as getting your center of mass
(COM) over the ski, and keeping it there (balance) enables you to carry as much speed as
possible into the glide phase. This is more efficient and lets you ski further, and faster, for the
same energy.

COM: nose, tummy, knee is over the glide ski

In classic style the transfer is more subtle as both skis will be touching the ground but is still an
important part of moving from the push to the glide phase. In both styles the transfer is
accompanied by a push and ​hip extension in the direction of the glide ski. Don’t overthink this.
Just walking or running you are transferring weight from foot to foot, it is completely natural. The
main difference with rollerskiing is the COM is directly over one foot or the other. If you can glide
comfortably on one ski you’ve achieved complete weight transfer. However when climbing you
glide less, will have a higher tempo and will probably not fully transfer your weight from ski to
ski.

Balance
As the skier moves from one ski to the other the aim should be to get the tummy button over the
gliding ski. When skating the ski starts on the outside of the wheels. On rollerskis this feels
unnatural at first. You have the impression that you will topple to the outside. It takes some
practise. However if you land on the inside of the wheels you will not be able to glide far before
gravity makes you fall inwards and forces you to transfer back to the other ski. This will hurry
your arm movements (coordination).

The basic glide position in both skating and classic is the same. The leg is flexed around the
ankle and knee. The skier should lean forward at the hip keeping the back straight. Looking
from the front: ankle, knee, hip and head should be aligned or stacked. If you’ve done any cross
country skiing you’ll know that it is easy for skis to run away and dump you on your backside.
Stability is found by keeping the center of mass forward of the heels. A fairly symmetric flex
(back and lower leg at the same forward angle) will share the workload across all muscle
groups.
Most people are a bit one sided and these asymmetries can affect how efficiently you transfer
weight from ski to ski. You may ski further on one ski than the other or one ski may not go as
straight as the other ski. When you are skiing are you balanced evenly across your foot?
Push/Kick

Pushing with the legs is fundamental to weight transfer and acceleration. You need to bend your
legs at the ankle, knee and thigh. The body then acts like a spring. The back should stay
relatively straight throughout the cycle rather than hunched. Arms muscles are relatively weak
and tire easily, the skier should make use of the shoulders and upper body to help to push on
the poles.

Coordination
The legs and arms work together to maximize propulsion. You need to dissociate the leg and
arm movements to move from one style to another. The arms do a lot of work, 40% for a highly
trained athlete but for the rest of us the legs provide the main source of power. The more you
can extend the push phase, the more you glide, the less you need to use the arms and the less
tiring you will find rollerskiing. Overworking the arms can lead to a shortened and rushed push
phase.

Arms and poles are useful when you are occasionally off balance - say by the road surface or
technical error. In classic style the ratchets give you perfect grip so the arms are not needed to
compensate for kick errors but this can lead to bad technique.

First Steps
The first problem for beginners is balance. You need to get used to putting skis on and standing
on them before rolling. It is easier to put skis on if one set of wheels is on a soft or rough surface
such as grass or gravel. This stops them tipping from side to side so easily. Something to hold
on to is also a good idea. Otherwise balance by holding poles by the shafts with the points in the
ground, outside foot on the ground and put on the ski on the other foot. Classic or combo skis
with their smaller, squarer wheels can be easier to get started with.

Before you roll away, stand on both skis to get a feel for balance. You should be flexed at your
knees and ankles with hips forward of the heel. Like snow skis rollerskis have a tendency to run
away from you, dumping you on your backside but rollerskis are even shorter than snow skis so
require even better balance. Try stepping from ski to ski, balancing on one foot at a time. Step in
a circle while stationary. Circle in the opposite direction.

If you have inline skated in the past you may find rollerskis not too different in terms of basic
technique. Find a flat, safe area with lots of space and a good surface without drain covers or
other obstacles. Begin on one foot (the Scooter drill) pushing with the other just getting used to
skis, do not use poles. Get a feeling for balance and gliding on one ski. Swap and try on the
other foot. Try and lengthen the glide.

If you feel ready to roll, without too many rocks then put both skis on: skate or classic but
without poles. You can wear wrist, as well as knee and elbow protection if you wish. For skating
we will use the basic skate technique similar to inline or ice skating. Push skis in a V pattern with
the upper body facing in the direction of the glide ski. For classic try diagonal striding, pushing
gently with the skis to move forward while moving the arms as if walking. For skating, put some
cones down and try making very gentle turns in and out, U turning at the end of the course. All
the time focus on increasing the glide and joint ankles to maintain good balance and begin to
move arms to aid balance and weight transfer. You can start to improve the arm movements to
mimic those used in skate or classic.

Moving onto poles (and taking off those wrist guards) stand on both feet, weight evenly
distributed and just double poll (on either skate or classic skis). Try and keep your skis parallel
and not too far apart. If they start to diverge, step them back into line. Try lifting one foot, then
the other while polling. Now start to add the skiing motions. Skate using a short diagonal stride
planting the poles with every other leg action as the new ski touches the ground. At the risk of
stating the obvious, be careful never to plant a pole between your skis at the same time try not
to A-frame the poles too much. The body should be fairly upright. Eyes looking in front with the
head and body facing in the direction you are skiing - don’t rotate the upper body
Classic Style
Classic is the original cross-country skiing technique. Often beginners will start with classic and
at the ski center you’ll see folk shuffling around the trails yick-yacking and enjoying a peaceful
afternoon out in the winter wonderland. Don’t be fooled. Classic, done well, is every bit as
technical as skating technique.

In order to propel himself forward the cross country skier has two tools, the poles and the legs.
Depending on the technique and the skier’s own strength the proportion in which these are
employed varies but for expert skiers up to half the power comes from the upper body and
arms.

Rollerski Techniques
Three techniques are used when classic rollerskising:

1. Diagonal Stride
2. Kick Double Pole (or One Step Double Pole)
3. Double Pole

These all transfer well to snow.

Diagonal Stride
French​:​ Le Pas de Classique ou Alternatif
​ asso alternato
Italian:​ P
German​: ​Klassisk, Diagonal
Norwegian/Swedish​: ​Diagonalgang

Diagonal stride, where you ​put one foot in front of the other​ swinging your arms is similar to
walking or running. That is opposite limbs move in synchronisation. It is a natural movement. A
leg and opposite arm drive forward and they are counterbalanced by the opposite arm and leg
swinging backwards. Pole planting of the lead arm helps with weight transfer, balance and
assists the legs in moving forwards.

Diagonal stride is used to accelerate and especially when climbing hills. Beginners may use it
on flats as well.

At first you need to just ​find your balance​, the non-return wheels will let you move forward.
Don't try to glide. To improve you need to focus on your glide by ​breaking the movement
down into 2 parts:

● Propulsion phase​ that drives you forward.

● Gliding phase​ that allows you to maintain your speed.
This is where things get, well, uncomplicated with rollerskiing. Because the non-return wheels
give you kick every time it is possible to be lazy and not fully transfer weight to the drive ski. This
will lead to bad habits on snow and you will need to pay particular attention to your technique.

(1) The skier is at the end of the propulsion phase on their left leg. The lead ankle, knee and
hips are flexed, nose is over the knee which is pretty much over the toe. If you drop a line from
the front of the hips it is over the center of the lead boot. Even though the hips are largely
behind the boot, due to the forward body angle which is similar to the lower leg leg, we can say
that the center of gravity is bang in the middle of the lead boot. The back is straight.

Lead arm is at right angles with the hanging from the hand. The trail arm is outstretched and not
gripping the pole. The skier is looking up the road in the direction of travel. The trail leg is
outstretched but the non-return wheel is still on the ground providing some power
(2) This is the glide phase. The recovery (right) foot lands in front of glide foot, this gives good
slide and weight transfer. The recovery (left) arm is swinging forward, the power arm on the right
is still pushing down but the elbow is still bent more or less at right angles. The shoulders are
rounded and used to apply power as well as the arm. The hands are not tightly gripping the
poles. On the power arm the strap is used to apply force and on the recovery arm the fingers
are used to guide the pole. The ankle, knee and hip angulation increases slightly to provide
power to the leg and arm push.
(3) Weight has transferred to the right leg. The flexing of the knee and ankles in the glide phase
(2) increases the down force when the weight is transferred and the body straightens slightly.
On snow this would enable the “wax pocket” of the ski to grip the snow firmly and is extremely
important to get this right on rollerskis. The pole is planted opposite the toe, the return action
flicks the pole into position. Note the lead lower leg, pole and body all have similar angulation.
The trail hand brushes past the hip and releases any grip on the pole straightening at this point.
Bad Habits - Late Kick
You may hear people tell you not to classic rollerski or not to diagonal stride. The problem with
striding on classic rollerskis is that the ratchet allows you to kick no matter how poor your
technique. That is you can push back even when your weight is not fully over the ski. You can
push too long and too slowly rather than giving a short, sharp kick. Try this on snow and the ski
will slip backwards, especially on hills.

Cross country skiing relies a lot on balance and accurate movements. The techniques are
acquired by building muscle memory during training. Rollerskiing, so the argument goes, lets
you ingrain bad technique. This can be very hard to correct. Some people suggest only double
poling or kick-double poling on classic rollerskis to build much needed upper body strength
without the risk of acquiring poor technique.

There is also some debate about whether the ratchet should be on the front or back wheel.
Back wheels wear faster and ratchet wheels are more expensive to replace. Fischer claims that
a back wheel ratchet helps to prevent late kick - presumably as competent rollerskiers will be
lifting their rear wheel off the tarmac at the end of the stroke.
The Invisible Wall
One of the things beginner and intermediate cross country skiers get told a lot, be they classic
or skate skiers, is to get their hips forward, and up. We’ve even used the term “hip extension”
earlier. For many people, when told this, they will thrust their hips forward probably arching their
backs as well. At the same time we’ve said that classic style is really just like walking on skis. If
we look at a walker their legs form an upright triangle (the stride triangle) with the back vertical.
If you take a runner the triangle is tilted backwards due to the leg extension to the rear but a
significant part of the stride triangle is still in front of the hips. Things are different for expert
classic skiers. The upper body is angled forwards and the stride triangle is behind a vertical line
dropped from the front of the hips. In this picture the skier’s hips are forward of the stride
triangle but relative to the upper body they are further back than those of the walker or runner.
This forward body lean is unnatural for beginner skiers.

Ski coach Kim McKenney (​http://xcskination.com​) came up with the concept of the invisible wall
to help skiers achieve the correct posture. You can stretch your leg back as far as you like but
the balance point of your foot should not extend past this invisible wall. Note the closed ankle
angle as well as the nicely flexed knee. This keeps the hips over the skis giving good balance
and weight transfer.
(Modern) Double Poling
French: ​La poussée simultanée
Italian:​ Scivolata spinta
German​: ​Doppelstock
Norwegian​: ​Staking

With the double pole technique the skier pushes down on both poles simultaneously to move
forwards. It is generally used on flat or gentle uphills although strong skiers will use it on quite
steep slopes.

Double poling has changed significantly over the last few years. it has revolutionized classic ski
racing, to the point where elite skiers only use double poling technique. The Lysebotn Op is a
rollerski race up a 7.5km climb in Norway. With it’s switchback roads it is often referred to as
rollerskiing’s l’Alpe d’Huez. In the summer of 2019 a new double polling only competition was
won by Britain’s Andrew Musgrave for the men and Astrid Slind in the women’s event. What was
significant was that Musgrave’s time of 30.52 was only a couple of minutes behind the winner of
the skate event (28.33) and faster than Therese Johaug skating (31m18).

Obviously Musgrave isn’t relying solely on his arms to power himself up such a steep climb.
Researcher Jørgen Danielsen1 says that ​“about 60 per cent of the workload in low-intensity
poling happens in the upper body. But as the intensity and incline increase, more and more of
the work comes from the legs. Then the legs are doing well over 50 per cent of the work.”

Forget about old school double poling where the skier would bend his trunk at right angles with
poles far out behind. To increase power the skier stands on his toes, creating forward
acceleration and then pushes down on the pole using body weight to increase the force. The
arms are braced rather than pushing and the core trunk muscles are used. Hands finish around
the hips and the cycle rate is faster.

There are some differences between snow skiing and rollerskiing. Danielsen has studied skiers
on various inclines and notes ​“If a hill is steep and long enough, it’s probably more economical
in terms of energy to use a diagonal stride. But depending on the snow and what the rest of the
course is like, you might be able to gain a considerable amount of time – and glide – by not
using kick wax”. ​Because classic rollerskis wheels have a non-return clutch elite rollerskiers will
switch to kick double pole then diagonal stride techniques as the hill ramps up. On a long
“loppet” type classic rollerski race you’ll see mainly double poling on the rolling terrain but a hill
climb like Monte Bondone will be a mix of all three techniques depending on gradient.

Obviously you need a good level of fitness to be able to pole up inclines but many rollerskiers
will only double pole during their workouts to build upper body fitness for winter and to avoid bad

https://norwegianscitechnews.com/2018/02/proper-poling-technique-can-decide-olympic-podium
-position/
habits such as “​late kick”​ on snow. The movements of the double pole technique are also
fundamental to skate skiing so it is worth learning.

(1) The start position. The skier actively falls onto her poles using body weight. The correct
technique involves stiffening the upper body while making a rapid forward poling stroke. The
powerful trunk muscles are used to create pressure that generates forward motion. Poles are
planted at the front wheels principally by flexing the hips while keeping the upper body stable.

This is a front view of the start position. The skis are parallel and poles are parallel. Elbows
pointed out. The skis are the same width apart as they would be on snow. Beginners often have
feet wider apart for stability.
(2)​ Shoulders are rounded with weight forward and the upper body used to push down on the
poles. Elbows are still at right angles, ​arm muscles are not used for pushing​ at this stage but
to form a solid frame. Heels have fallen back onto the bindings and knees and ankles and most
importantly the hips are flexed to provide more downwards force.

At this point in the cycle aximum power is now being applied.

(3) feet come forward underneath underneath the skier, the arms are still braced with the legs
and upper body generating force on the poles, the elbow angle has hardly changed.

(4) Arms have now followed through pushing to the rear with the elbow beginning to straighten.
The back is rounded and body is compressed to apply upper body force through the poles.
This is a front view of the same position. Hands brush the legs around mid-thigh

and note that the elbows are now close to the body

(5) This is the end of the push phase, poles are in the air with arms extended. This hand
position is more appropriate for long distances with fewer cycles per minute. In a sprint or
climbing hands might finish around the level of the hips. Remember that the end position is
variable but the start position is always the same. The hips appear to be a long way back but
the front of the hips is still forward of the heel and the skier’s COM is around the front of the foot.

(6) During the glide phase the skier prepares for the next push. Shoulders move up and arms
follow through in in an arc via the hips, the skier is upright with weight forward. Note the hips are
extended central over the feet but the back is still slightly rounded, not arched.
(7) The skier thrusts upwards and forwards with the legs. Heels are lifted and hips are now well
forward of the heels. Even if you keep your heels planted on the bindings, note this hip position.
Hands are nearly at eye level. The back convex and the body braced structurally. Elbows still
form a right angle but pointing outwards.

Kick Double Pole

French​: ​Le Pas de Un
Italian:​ Passo Spinta
German​: ​Doppelstock mit Zwischenschritt
Norwegian​: ​Dobbelttak med fraspark

This technique combines elements of diagonal stride and double poling. As its name implies
after alternate kicks there is a push on both batons. It is an intermediate technique that can be
used when speed is too fast for diagonal striding but insufficient, or you don’t have the strength,
for extensive double poling. It is often used on gentle up hills or on the flat.

Coordination between arms and legs is important. You can practise the timing without skis. First
by making the kicking movement with your legs then introducing your arms. Remember to plant
the poles as your kicking leg comes forward.

(1) Begin the kick as the hands come back past the thighs. If hands are already too far forward
momentum will be lost. In this example the skier is kicking with the left leg.
(2) The skier is kicking with the left foot while still bringing the poles forward. The right leg is
flexed. Pressure the striding ski with a forceful downward kick towards the ground, this will give
you grip on snow, with rollerskis a ratchet stops the kicking ski from sliding backwards.
(3) ​The kick is complete, left leg fully extended. Elbows form a right angle. A forceful push from
the upper body with back and shoulders slightly rounded gives more power and is less tiring on
the arms.

(4) Once the kick is completed and while the left leg is travelling back, quickly plant the poles to
begin the double pole push. As with Double Poling take advantage of the upper body to apply
force, not just the arms.
(5)​ The push phase, this is the period of maximum force which is to the rear of the skier

6. Both skis are flat, skier is pushing on both poles Because we’re gliding on both feet after
poling, it's stable and gives a moment of rest End of the push phase. Hands by hip joints. Don’t
go too far back. Repeat with the other leg

Note: if you want you can kick with the left leg or right leg for several strokes. There is no need
to follow the left/right rhythm to the letter.
Skate Style
One of the reasons for roller-skiing is to improve skiing technique. It is said that great skiers are
made during the off season; this is the time to improve existing techniques and expand your
repertoire. Good technique means more efficient, faster and less tiring skiing. Skating on roller
skis is technically more difficult compared to snow. The contact patch with the tarmac is a few
mm rather than the 40+ mm width of a ski on snow. Falling, or fear of falling, is also a big factor.
That means that once a technique is mastered on roller-skis it should transfer easily to skis with
benefits.

Most snow skiers have one skating technique they use 95% of the time, a (frequently mistimed)
offset ski. That is, one push for every two skates. It is fairly easy to balance on skis like this and
this is even more the case with roller-skis especially with frequently rough road surfaces. It is a
fairly laboured style, and is a bit like driving your car everywhere in fifth gear. They may
diagonal skate or waddle up steep hills but that is about it.

For snow skiing there are actually five core skating styles in addition to techniques for downhill,
cornering, sprints and stopping. With skating, rollerskis are positioned in a “V” during the
propulsion phase, pushing on the inside of the tires. This obviously has the effect of wearing
tires more on one side and it will be necessary to swap wheels or skates sides from time to time.
The profile of the tires will also tend to flatten with time from a rounded or elliptical shape. As
tires wear they will get smaller.

We’ve used Canadian naming conventions for skate techniques and given translations into
major languages. In the English speaking world things are confusing with every country having
its own, sometimes contradictory names, for example Canadian “​one skate​” and UK “​skate two”​ .
Both are logical for different reasons. The Canadians are focussed on timing, the Brits like the
analogy of gears of a car for when to use the technique. For rollerskiing we’ll focus on the
techniques of: offset, one skate and two skate. Other techniques are less frequently used.

Diagonal Skate
UK:​ Herringbone skate
French​: ​le pas de patineur alternatif
German​:
Norwegian​:​ glidende fiskebein or kjerringdans
Italian:

This “duck footed” technique is used for climbing steep hills. You push with the pole opposite
your skating ski. It is very rarely used when rollerskiing because balance is relatively difficult
compared to snow and other techniques are normally sufficient to get you up all slopes but it is
worth being able to demonstrate the skill.

Offset
US:​ ​V1
UK:​ ​Skate One
French: ​Pas de patineur deux temps (décalé)
German​: ​Asymmetrisch
Norwegian​: ​Padling
Italian: ​Pattinaggio corto​ or simply: ​Corto

Offset is an asymmetrical skating technique - that is the position of left and right poles is
different and there are small differences in the skating pattern. It is primarily used for hill
climbing and accelerating from standstill but may be used by less powerful skiers on the flat or
false flats particularly when the road surface is rough. Balance and coordination are somewhat
easier on rollerskis.

● One push of the arms for two leg pushes

● Your arm push should happen at the same time as your “attack” leg hits the ground
● Left or right handed, according to your preference but as a general rule the attack leg
should be on the higher side of any slope (frequently the mountain side) if the slope is
not flat
● Second leg push happens at the same time as your arms return (see the tic-toc exercise
below)
● Chest faces the slope
● Shoulders and hips remain horizontal and parallel to the slope
● When your feet return try and get them forward
● Use your abdominal muscles to maintain your body relatively straight while pushing with
your arms, you should initially use body weight to push down on the poles, this is less
tiring than using arms alone
● Hips should be over bindings, bottom should not be too far back - flex the ankles to keep
the hips forward (exercise with flexion)

Timing is important. The start position is poles and glide rollerski planted at the same time, this
forms a stable “tripod” and the combination of a double pole plant plus skate gives the technique
its power. Poles are planted just in front of but close to bindings. The stability makes it easier for
beginners who may not have perfect balance; you will also see skiers using this technique with
poor timing, for example planting when the trailing ski hits the ground or using skate two timing
so it is important to master timing.
Left handed start position, right knee and ankle flexed (poles could be closer to bindings)

Shoulders and hips stay horizontal. Eyes should be looking about 10 meters up the track. The
glide ski knee should be over binding and pointing in the direction of travel, the shoulders are
slightly pivoted in this direction. The lead pole should be near vertical and close to the forearm
with the elbow about 90 degrees. The hand is at head height. The trailing pole is held at an
angle to clear the ski when pushing and the elbow angle is around 60 degrees. The trail pole will
point roughly in the direction of the glide ski. The lead arm is wide of the skiers shoulder but
arms are never outstretched. This lets the skier use body weight and strong shoulder and upper
body muscles to initiate the push. Around 40% of the power will come from the upper body.

The elbows remain bent as the skier pushes in the direction of travel of the lead ski until the
hands reach the hips.
If the slope is not too steep the hands should continue back with the arms almost straight.

Arms outstretched behind, grip on poles released (photo Swix)

At this point the skier transfers weight to the trail ski with an upward motion straightening the
knee - this should get a bit of “pop” (shoe lifts off the ski). The poles should not be gripped but
the fingers used to guide the poles as they return. Note the trail ski is not powered by the arms
but relies on the body extension and leg push to achieve forward movement.

Transfer to trail ski, poles return and are not tightly gripped

The back is relatively straight when the poles are planted and shouldn’t be bent past an angle of
100 degrees when pushing. It is possible to lead with either left or right arm. Practise both to
avoid developing a weak side.

In these images from the 2015 Toppidrettsveka Therese Johaug has her lead knee and ankle
flexed. Both poles are planted in front of their respective bindings but the trail pole is behind the
lead binding pivot point.
The flexing of the ankle and knee helps balance, the back relatively straight, bent at the hip.
Right leg extended. Trailing pole is pointing in the same direction of travel as glide ski. The
trailing pole hand is about chest height.

Now the science​: A study of elite skaters (​Three-dimensional Force and Kinematic Interactions
in V1 Skating at High Speeds​) has revealed some interesting data. Empirically these skiers
have arrived at an efficient technique. The lead (upper) pole is set nearly vertical (6-11° forward
angle depending on slope steepness and speed and a 3° side angle). The tip is planted around
3-6cm in front of the lead ski binding pivot point. The trailing (lower) ski tip is set 6 to 16cm
behind the lead ski pivot point (again depending on speed) and has a 21-24° forward and
sideways lean, it follows the angle of the glide ski. This is necessary to avoid the trailing ski. The
lead hand is relatively wide of the shoulder with the pole falling close to the forearm and the trail
hand is in front of the chest. Ski angle varies depending on the slope, a steep slope needs a
wider angle. More efficient skiers had better synchronized pole motion and symmetric leg
motion. Ski angles are not entirely symmetric with the direction of travel.
The British use the analogy of gears in a car and this is seen as first gear for starting or getting
up hills. Perhaps illogically Diagonal Skate is not seen as first gear although you would not start
up in Diagonal Skate. The British and Canadian terms lead to confusion. In the United States it
is known as V1 - 1 arm push for two skate pushes (the V).

Troubleshooting Offset Technique

● Reaching too far forward - this requires more arm than upper body strength.
● Dipping shoulders, tempting when tired and looking for some force when pushing,
maybe a symptom of poor hand positioning (above). Look up the track. Maybe poles are
too short?
● Rotating upper body excessively in the direction of the skate ski
● Bad Timing: planting poles with trailing ski or in advance of glide ski (V2 Alternate
timing). - exercises?
● Gripping poles, use the straps to apply force and follow through to the end of the push
● Lack of ankle flex, the legs produce 60% of the power and a flexed ankle and knee
followed by an extension will give more power
● Dropping the butt rather than flexing the ankle - like you are sitting down.
 ● Bending too far forward as the hands follow through past the hips
● Don’t step up hill. If you step too far forward it puts weight on the heel which acts as a
brake, experiment to find the sweet spot.

One Skate
US:​ V2
UK:​ ​Skate Two
French: ​Pas de un
German​: ​1-1 (Eins-eins)
Norwegian/Swedish​: ​Dobbeldans
Italian:​ ​Pattinaggio con doppia spinta​ or ​Doppio f​ or short

A few years ago One Skate would have been considered best suited to flats and gentle hills, but
the trend is to use it increasingly on uphills as well. You will see top competitors one skating on
8-10% grades with a very high tempo and no arm extension. It is used to maintain high speeds,
from slight descents to uphills (depending on fitness and upper body strength). This should be
your go-to skating technique, both on tarmac and on snow.

(1) One skate is a symmetric technique. A double pole occurs with each skate push. Due to the
fast tempo the arm action is shorter and the recovery is quick. At the start of the glide the skier
has his weight towards the outside of the rollerski, you should be able to feel this through your
feet.. The ankle is flexed and the knee is driven forward over the toes - as opposed to the
bottom dropping backwards over the heels.. This helps with balance. The hips and upper body
form a soft “C” shape, aka “The Gunslinger” with shoulders rounded.
(2) The poles are planted partway through the glide and assist the glide ski. Note the poles drop
vertically from the hands (​Matteo Tanel almost has his poles in a V here - don’t trip on your
poles trying to imitate him​) with the tips planting around the level of the front wheel of the glide
ski.

The hands are a shoulder’s width apart, not too far in front of the body and the elbows at around
90 degrees and pointing out. This forms a stable base, the idea is not to push with the arms but
to allow the shoulders and upper body to apply force initially. The body is relatively upright, the
glide leg is straight and hips will be over the shoes.

(3) As the poles come down the elbows move towards the body but the 90 degree angle is
maintained until the hands reach the hips. The force in this initial part of the cycle comes from
the body compressing, almost falling, down on the poles. The shoulders and trunk (abs) are
used but the arm is not extended. Using the upper body like this gives a lot of power while not
over tiring the arm muscles. It is basically Classic Double Poling applied to skating
The flexion / extension is important to get right as well as stable arms to apply force down
through the poles.

(5) As the hands pass the hips the arms now extend out backwards applying force. Weight is
fully transferred to the new glide ski just as the poles lift off the ground.
(6) The forward motion of the arms are synchronized with the extension of the skier’s glide leg
and body. This extension lets the ex-glide ski drop back under the body without lifting the foot.

(7)​ and repeat on the other leg

Note that the leg action is the same on both sides and the same as skating without poles. If you
were to trace the nose it makes a flat ‘U” shape as the skier moves through the cycle.

Troubleshooting One Skate

1. Stance too upright - are the poles too long?
2. Can’t hold the glide - try skiing on one ski, try down a gentle slope
3. Hip rotation (late kick) - ski with hands on hips feeling for rotation
4. Poor timing, possibly balance related, lack of time to recover arms - try skating without
poles and extending the glide as long as possible on one leg, then the other. Also watch
hips, they should not go back from the heels. Try skating with hands on hips to feel their
movement.
5. Leg lifting to recover non glide ski. The skier is not extending enough.
6. Bottom sticking out. Related to poor ankle flex. Because skis want to run away from the
skier this can lead to the skier getting dumped on their rump. Not a pleasant experience
on the road. Try the “extra small” exercise.
7. Body hunched - body not extending on glide ski - try double polling on skate skis

Two Skate
US:​ V2 Alternate or Open Field
UK:​ ​Skate Three
French:
German​:
Norwegian​:
Swedish: Enkeldans skoyting
Italian:
Used on fast flat or gentle downhill terrain. Where One skate would require too high a tempo.

Stance:
Feet: weight centered over the feet. As the ski is set down it will be slightly towards the toes
moving towards heel during the skate but the majority of the force comes off the whole foot.
Ankle flex is essential for a powerful skate, the knees will be flexed in proportion to the ankle to
keep the center of mass (fore/aft) over the feet. V2 uses a higher position compared to V1.
Hips are over feet.

The double poling happens on every other skate. Needs good balance.

The ams are fully extended to the rear. Only polling on alternate skates allows more time to fully
extend the arms. The glide rollerski is on outside edge. Skiers center of mass is firmly over the
glide ski. The knee and ankle are flexed, knee driven forward and upper body in “C” position.
The skier starts to transfer weight to the right ski, the glide ski has rolled over to a neutral
position and arms are moving forward

Weight has now transferred to the new glide ski as forced still applied to the left ski, arms
coming forward to perform the next polling acton.
The left leg is now fully extended, weight completely over the glide ski, hands are around
eye-level. (rise up on straighter leg prior to push)

The body extended over the glide ski. The hips are over the foot foot with the glide ski heel
perhaps slightly raised.
poles are planted by the front wheel of the glide ski, the poles are vertical and parallel about
shoulders width apart. Force is applied through the shoulders and upper body with elbows
forming a stable right angles.
New slide ski touches down at the same time as poles leave ground behind and are no longer
applying any force.

Faults:
1. Movements too fast, work on balance
2. Poor coordination
3. Upper body and head rotation away from glide ski as hands start to come forward
4. Poor ankle angulation putting the COM behind the ankles, drive the knee forward to
angle the ankle correctly
5. Folding at the waist intoan “r” position is the mostcommonerrorskierstendtomake.This
forces the hips back and generally increases the angle at the ankle

Once you are going too fast for One Skate it’s time to move to Two Skate. It is a great technique
once you’ve built up speed on the flats or on slight downhills. It seems similar to V1 in that the
skater only polls on one side but it is much closer to V2 with one of the polling phases
eliminated. Unlike V1 polls do not touch down at the same time as the glide ski, there is a delay
in setting down the ski which allows a longer overall gliding time.

Weight is centered on the foot with a bit more over the ball. At the end of the push the weight
will be on the front of the foot. Ankles knees flexed, angles reflect each other to keep skier
centered. Skiers have trouble with ankle angle which pushes skiers weight backwards.
Here is a quick contrast of the three techniques:
● In the V1 technique the skier maintains a lower position throughout the skating cycle.
● In, V2 the skier will use a higher position in general and, especially when moving fast,
rise up on a straighter/straight leg prior to the skating push.
● In the V2 alt technique a combination of V1 and V2 leg positions are used. (see timing).

Free Skate
Norwegian​: ​friskøyting

Free Skate is the last of the five core techniques. It’s good for when you’re moving too fast to
use your poles.
Posture
We spoke about hip extension and the invisible wall with classic technique but what about
skating?

(photo: Mansfield Nordic)

Drills
Why do drills, why not just ski?

Drills address two areas. They help beginners discover and improve the fundamentals of
balance, propulsion and coordination. For intermediates and beyond they can be used to
address weaknesses in technique that would only be reinforced with general skiing.

It is true that “stupid drills”, as they’ve been called, should not become an end in themselves
and they shouldn’t be laboured. A training session should include a mix of drills and rollerskiing.
Repeating the same drill over and over until the skier “gets it” is not going to be very enjoyable,
or productive even if top level athletes do have a fairly single minded approach to things.

Some drills appropriate to snow skiing don’t transfer well to tarmac. Rollerskis don’t skid (well
not in the dry) so you can’t do little tricks like reverse snow ploughing on a slope to find your
natural attack angle when skating. Classic is problematic as you have the issue of “perfect kick”,
so exercises to improve kick on snow will not transfer so well to rollerskiing. Classic skiers have
to be particularly mindful of technique on rollerskis

Extra Small
Improve ankle flex. Skate with poles behind and just above the knees, upper body stable and
straight.

(mobilesport: ​https://youtu.be/HhA3Poe1W-g​)

Frog Hops
Flexion and extension. While skating put your hands on your mid thigh. Push hard on your toes
to force you skates outwards in a V. Jump like a frog to return to the start position.
(mobilesport: ​https://youtu.be/K1N5qdFu1D8​)

Steeplechase
Improve flexion and extension for both skating and classic. Skate with hands on hips then with a
clear flexion/extension jump over obstacles (sticks). This is not an easy exercise. Without a
clear extension you won’t clear the gap. Vary the gap and height between the obstacles.
see also: skip hop

The Waiter
Weight transfer from one leg to the other. Skate along the road, each time you change the glide
foot serve a drink with the hand flat and upwards and thumb out.

Double Pole

Figure of 8
// do tightish (3 meter) figure of 8 circles in both directions
Double Pole Hop

Push with poles and as you slow down do a little jump on your skis.
Skip Hop
V2 skate, either with poles or without a pole push and do a hop or skip on each glide. For
propulsion, balance and weight transfer.
Mansfield Nordic: ​https://youtu.be/KwInfR_iUYA

One Foot
Skate with and without poles and see how far you can go on one ski, repeat on the other ski.
Mansfield Nordic: ​https://youtu.be/Fm7qR19mlso

Doubles (Trebles) All Round

V2 skate but pole twice on each glide (or three times if you can) to improve balance and weight
transfer.

Terrain Change
Find a park or car-park with a mix of asphalt and grass, skate from hardtop to grass and back
again. If there are kerbs or obstacles incorporate these by jumping up or down. To transition
smoothly onto the grass at speed put one ski forward and run as you slide onto the grass; jump
as you come back onto the asphalt.

Downhill S turns
find a gentle downhill slope and practise doing left and right stepped turns down the slope in the
shape of an S.
// photo
Sit Ski

One Foot Slalom

Lay out a slalom course with cones. Go around the cones on one ski, always the same foot (left
or right). You’ll need to hop the ski around the cone.
Two Foot Giant Slalom
Lay out a course with cones. Skate around the cones using both skis with step turns.
No Pole Uphill

Transitions
As you come up to the crest of a hill skating V1 transition smoothly to V2.
// good for building upper body + arm strength

Tic Toc

Breaking Techniques
Breaking Wedge

One Leg Squat

Weight in the middle between legs, balance. Progression to telemark turns. Leg and lower back
strength.
Video: ​https://youtu.be/MQAYnIxEmJk

Diagonal Polling on Classic Skis

Keep legs aligned and alternate pole with opposite arms. Avoid rotation. Upper body strength.

https://youtu.be/L-0EdKAGksA

Diagonal Legs Only

The Swiss Cross

One legged gliding with raised ski crossing over gliding ski (similar to Javelin turns in Alpine
skiing).

Coordination, balance, axis stability

(Photo. Fischer ​https://youtu.be/bku35TwHcLI​)

No Pole Skips

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ypl6Wqy7oxA
Cross Training
There are two principal reasons to train off rollerskis.

Learning movements or a series of movements is easier if it is performed in a controlled

environment. For example in running shoes and on a flat, grippy surface. Once the move has
been correctly learned it can be repeated with inline skates or rollerskis in order to transfer the
technique to that environment.

Strength, power, speed, endurance, agility, and balance, can all be improved via different sports
while still doing some rollerski training. This give a mental break from the sport and different
activities will work different areas to a greater or lesser degree. For example endurance is very
important for rolllerskiing and cross country skiing and the best way to improve endurance is by
running.

Nordic Walking
Nordic walking has a bit of an image of old ladies in tracksuits walking around the local park with
ski poles but it can form an integral part of off season training for roller and cross country skiers.
Image (Fischer skiletics)

Kill the Ball

Ketchup
This exercise helps you understand the classic basic position. Place your hands on your hips
and focus on the lower body. Crush an imaginary tomato in front of you with your toes, applying
pressure with both your knee and hips. Hold the position for three seconds. Take another step
forward to crush the next tomato. You can increase the difficulty by doing it on uneven terrain
(outside in a field or on a slope)

(mobilesport.ch ​https://youtu.be/d2XwumOrv28​)

Windscreen wiper

This exercise allows children to familiarize themselves with the basic position and the key
movements in skating. Take the basic position on the supporting leg while skating with your
hands on your hips (knees and ankles flexed). As soon as the position is stable, jump sideways
with the free leg and resume the basic position on that leg. Respect the key position points
during the standing phase. Repeat the movement ten times while remaining on a line.
To increase the difficulty try on uneven terrain (carpet, meadow, slope, etc.). Increase the speed
but with the movement always stabilized!. Note: don’t change the basic position as you move
sideways.

Steps with resistance

Use a training band around the knees. The resistance this creates makes the exercise more
difficult. Repeat the windscreen wiper move above.
Working with kids
Teaching children has its own problems (and pleasures). Children rarely have the patience to
spend an hour lesson focusing on a single aspect of technique. Variety and having fun are
important aspects of the learning process. Indeed kids don’t even need to be aware they are
learning new techniques. Training without having the impression of training should be the order
of the day.

The particular audience can have an impact. There is a big difference between a 7 and 14 year
old and differences between children who are sporty or members of a sport club, particularly a
ski/inline skate background and those who are largely sedentary. You will see issues with
coordination and endurance or fitness. Don’t be over ambitious.

There is no minimum age for using rollerskis but for younger children, say under 12 years old, it
is wise to master inline skating first. Properly used inline skates are an excellent means to
become accustomed to key movements in roller and cross country skiing. They are less
expensive, more maneuverable and lighter than rollerskis.

It is an unwritten rule that you shouldn’t do any strength training with children until their bodies
are fully grown; however they can still build strength and endurance through exercises and
games which will improve upper body stability and leg strength.

Speed should not be an aim in itself but linked to movement via exercises or games like relays.
Once children can perform rapid movements through short and intensive games, speed
exercises can be introduced on roller skis or skates. The elasticity of the joints, tendons and
muscles is very good at this age. Exercises can take advantage of this to train a full range of
movement on the joints

Don’t neglect team and competitive spirit in the group while keeping a friendly and sporting
environment. The trainer should increase the complexity of challenges to enable the children to
stretch themselves and reach their potential. Different levels of difficulty can be proposed
depending on the aptitude of the kids. Emulation is an important driver.

The start and end of training sessions should have a ritual and the attitude of children to each
other, the trainer and equipment should be clearly explained. Remember that you are in charge,
don’t be driven by the children, they can often be over ambitious about what they want to do.
The training session can begin with a warm up exercise. At the end involve the children in
clearing up and storing equipment used during the exercises.

A theme should be explored without giving the children the impression that they are doing the
same thing over and over. Don’t jump around too many divirging exercises in one go but
propose variations around a central idea. Start simple. Children are not tiny adults and don’t
appreciate long, technical explanations using language they don’t necessarily understand.
Demonstrate rather than explain, solicit feedback from the group where possible but get them
started on the exercise as soon as possible. Keep things short but increase the difficulty and
features with each exercise with rapid explanations or demonstrations each time. The BASI
manual uses the term Maximum Class Activity. Use metaphors, it is easier for children to
visualize everyday situations - an invisible wall for not gliding their feet too far forward - than
listen to a technical explanation about position.

Safety
Safety rules for adults (discussed above) apply equally to children but kids are often less aware
of their environment in terms of danger. Mixing with traffic or other users (joggers etc) should be
avoided. Scope out the training zone for other dangers: potholes, rubbish, stones, kerbs etc.
Protection: knee, elbow and wrist pads (when not using poles) are a good idea. Helmets and
glasses should be worn. Think about sunscreen and water. Do you have a first aid kit and know
how to perform basic first aid. Can you contact medical help: phone or radio? Are the children
clear about the exercise they are going to carry out and what their responsibilities are to their
mates. Give them a safety briefing and point out any dangers (a drain cover or broken road
surface).

Fun and Games

The following games are without skis. Don’t have too many different games in a session, it can
be tiring to understand all the rules. Mix with other exercises, running, mountain biking or
ski/inline skate training.

Cross country rabbits

This game improves the cardio-vascular system. Mark out a terrain of 10x10 meters. The rabbits
can freely move around this zone but they are chased by two hunters. If they are touched they
go to a spawning zone where they have a penalty - 10 windscreen wiper jumps or 10 ketchups
before returning to the game. Swap the rabbits and hunters around. You get make the rabbits
and hunters move around with cross country ski steps (see exercises above for ideas).

The Pickpocket
Reaction, speed and sense of direction are fundamentals for this game. Mark out a terrain of
10x10 meters. Kids can move around with 5 clothes pegs attached to their clothes. They must
try to pickpocket the pegs of other competitors and attach them to their clothes. After a set time,
say 5 minutes, the child with the most pegs is the winner. There must be no physical contact.
Pegs should only be fixed to a T shirt. You can increase the difficulty by playing the game with
one hand behind the back.
Gymkhana
You can combine the various exercises outlined previously into a gymkhana. Mark out a track in
an area such as a carpark with chalk and cones and get the participants to compete the course.
You can use street furniture such as posts, curbs, grassed sections.

Click on the link ​https://youtu.be/dHMzRLEzjAY if you want to know what she’s going to do with
the football.

Football
Football is another way to improve agility, balance and endurance. It requires a certain level but
is good all round training without having to think about specific exercises.
(photo: Ankara Ski Team ​https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIfOJONiAm3Gr1w8MFUdGQQ​ )

Racing
As with its winter sibling there are a number of rollerski races throughout the summer and
autumn across the globe. These attract some of the same stars as winter but there are also
summer specialists. In Italy rollerskiing was managed by the inline skating federation until 2016
(​http://www.fisr.it/​) which allowed the sport to evolve an existence independent of snow. You will
also find rollerskiers and local races in hot countries such as Turkey, Spain (which also have a
number of ski areas) and even North Africa and Brazil.

The first European Rollerski championships were organized in the Netherlands in 1988 and in
1992 the FIS recognized rollerskiing as a separate sport with the first world championships held
in 1998. Races follow the winter model to a certain extent with short explosive sprints, often held
on city streets to long distance courses covering 50km or more over country roads. Helmets and
glasses (to protect against points) are mandatory.

A number of the big races occur during ski festivals. The long classic Kanalrennet is part of the
Sommarland ski festival. The spectacular climb to Lysebotn Op, a twisty switched back road by
a Norwegian fjord is part of the Blink festival. In Italy the climb to Monte Bondone during the
Fiemme Rollerski Cup.

At 90km the Klarälvsloppet at Karlstad in Sweden is the longest rollerski race in the world. It is
tackled on classic skis. The Alliansloppet in Trollhättan, Sweden is a 48km classic race
Gautefallrennet at Drangedal, Norvège is a 60km classic race and considered one of the
hardest rollerski events.

In the USA the Climb to the Castle is an autumn hill climb over 5miles with an average 8%
grade up the Memorial Highway to the summit of Whiteface Mountain – New York’s 5th highest
peak with an elevation of 4,867 feet.

Gear is sometimes provided, at least for the top 50 or so skiers, by an overall sponsor to even
up the competition - same wheels and skates but there is a move away from this and towards
individual gear. This is more interesting from a manufacturer’s viewpoint although there is some
worry from competitors that this will lead to higher overall speeds and more danger.
Rollerski Tracks

Biathlon
Biathlon, an exciting mix of target shooting and cross country skiing, is the Number One winter
sport in Europe and its popularity is increasing. The European Broadcast Union says that
viewing figures for Germany, Austria, Czech Republic and France are up 50% since 2013. The
French ​l’Equipe TV g​ et their highest ratings for biathlon with up to 1.5 million watching events in
the 2018 season. Scottish biathlete and Eurosport commentator Mike Dixon says that between
100,000 and 300,000 Brits tune in to their coverage.

It is easy to understand the popularity. A single missed shot means a penalty loop, 150 meters
of pain and shame that can turn a race on its head. The various events can seem complicated
to the uninitiated. Races consist of 2 or 4 shooting rounds linked by skating around a set course.
Shooting is in the prone and standing position. The targets are positioned 50 meters from the
skier and the .22 long rifle has simple “iron” sights. In the standing position the targets measure
4.5” (115 mm) and in the prone position 1.8” (45 mm). You may think that makes standing
easier but the rifle weighs at least 3.5kg and after a hard session of skiing and polling it can
seem very heavy after the first couple of shots. The penalty loop takes some 20 to 30 seconds
to ski, extra distance on already tired arms and legs and more work to catch up with other
skiers. In some events the skier can load single shots into the rifle for each miss but even this is
quite time consuming for tired fingers.
World cup biathlon events generally take the form of a sprint over a 10 kilometres (6.2 miles)
course for men; 7.5 kilometres (4.7 miles) for women. The skier shots twice. Biathletes start at
intervals.

Wiesbaden City Biathlon

The pursuit event is a handicap race over 4 shoots. Racers start based on their time in the
previous race, generally a sprint. The first skier over the line wins. The distance is 12.5
kilometres (7.8 miles) for men, 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) for women. The first skier arriving at the
range will take the lane furthest to the right etc. If a skier starts a few seconds behind another
skier there is a tactical decision to be made whether it is better to attempt to catch that skier for
shelter and pacing. This can mean arriving at the shooting “in the red” and missing shots. For
the leading skier the choice is whether to hold off the chasers.

In biathlon, shooting speed and accuracy are as important as raw ski speed. To give an
example Finish women’s biathlete Kaisa Makarainen (now retired) was the fastest (and one of
the oldest) skiers with an average of over 24km/h. She was originally a pure cross-country skier.
Laura Dahlmeier is accurate, she’ll typically shoot 19/20 in a race. Dorothea Weirer is a fast
shooter but slightly less accurate, 18/20 is typical. She’ll often overhaul other skiers in the range
but she has to, she’s 0.3km/h slower than Dahlmeier and 0.7km/h slower than Makarainen.
However Maikarainen’s shooting accuracy of around 17/20 often costs her races.
Fans of most sports may be divided into pure armchair spectators and weekend warriors.
Anyone can kick a football around or play five-a-side with friends or ride a bike. Biathlon is not
so easy to get into, even in the Alps or Scandinavia it is generally restricted to skiers on the elite
competition track. That’s not surprising. You are shooting a target rifle that costs thousands of
dollars and the .22 rounds may be tiny but they travel at supersonic speeds and can punch
through wood, or bone, and are potentially lethal.

Biathlon with kids

Kids can start Biathlon shooting from middle school age. At first they will use laser rifles but can
then move on to air or compressed air guns on a 10 meter range. The equipment is relatively
expensive and generally only available as part of a club or ski school. Laser rifles are
completely safe to use but air guns require all the safety precautions of live ammunition .22
rifles both in terms of personal behavior and the selected shooting area (usually a shooting
range).

Until children are at a high level with both their skiing and shooting there is no need for them to
carry rifles around the track as in a real competition. Even exercises such as taking the rifle off
and on can be done wearing training shoes.

In the beginning the prone position should be favoured but using the larger standing targets. Be
careful about position (feet, arms) from the start. Laser rifles should not need zeroing unless the
sights have been disturbed but this may be necessary with air rifles depending on the conditions
- this can either be done before the session by the trainer or as part of the lesson. Laser rifles
simulate all of the functionality of full size rifles by using various buttons to charge the virtual
magazine of five shots and load each bullet. Laser biathlon targets are usually reset by aiming
the rifle at the target. Air rifle targets are reset with string and under no circumstances should
anyone stand in front of the shooting area.

You can play a number of games with children without launching into the complexities of a full
blown sprint or pursuit. Depending on the number of rifles, divide the group up into teams. Each
team is allocated a mat to shoot from. With a “patrol” race the children set off together and ski or
run around a circuit (poles are not used when skiing to simplify the approach to the shooting
mats). The lead from each team fires a single shot, the other skiers continue their “patrol” until
their mat is free. This continues until all the targets are hit. This requires reloading the rifle as
and when necessary.

With a relay each child will run to the rifle, take one shot then run back to touch the next team
mate. Repeat until all the targets are cleared. In a second round each child tries to clear all five
targets. For each miss there is a penalty such as 5 press ups or running around a fixed point.

Both games require teamwork and cooperation as well as tactics.

References
● http://crosscountryskitechnique.com/compete-weight-transfer-dogma/
● http://crosscountryskitechnique.com/better-balance-for-nordic-skiers/
● https://crosscountryskitechnique.com/invisible-wall-unusual-diagonal-stride-drill-really-wo
rks-video/
● http://www.dartmouth.edu/~jaydavis/fssc/features/rollerskiing.html
● http://www.skixc.com/survival-1-5.html
● https://www.roberts-1.com/xcski/classic/secrets/wax_pocket/index.htm
● https://www.rollerskimania.co.uk/art_DeBertolis.html
● Fischer SKILETICS® ​http://www.skiletics.com/
● https://www.tsalteshi.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Skate-Technique.pdf ←
interesting trouble shooting
● https://crosscountryskitechnique.com/
● https://www.mobilesport.ch/assets/lbwp-cdn/mobilesport/files/2015/04/Entrainement_hor
s_neige_Ski_fond.pdf
● http://www.ac-grenoble.fr/ien.annemasse2/spip.php?article486
● http://crosscountryskitechnique.com/introduction-primary-skate-skiing-techniques/
● http://crosscountryskitechnique.com/name-skate-skiing-technique/
● https://www.cccski.com/Programs/Coaching-Development/General-resources/You-want-
to-become-a-great-cross-country-ski-athle.aspx

Offset Technique

● https://crosscountryskitechnique.com/offset-explained/
● https://www.ferniefix.com/article/outdoors/offset-technique
● https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25207933
● http://www.skixc.com/V1-skate-10Tips.html

V2

● https://www.tsalteshi.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Us-ski-team-skate-v2-altern
ate.pdf