Getting your Cross Country Skis ready for the Season k2nicol 2026-09-21 | Getting your Cross Country Skis ready for the Season
Swimming with salmon at Puntledge Park in Courtenay, B.C. k2nicol 2023-08-27 | Every odd year the returns of Pink Salmon to the Puntledge River are large and this year- 2023 - is no different. Check out this blogpost for more details- http://keithnicol.blogspot.com/2023/08/swimming-with-salmon-in-puntledge-river.html We find the best place to see salmon is Puntledge Park and we use the beach just above Morrison Creek. We use water shoes to wade out over the slippery rocks and then do a shallow dive into the river. Almost immediately you are over the huge numbers of salmon as you can see in the video. We use a mask and snorkel and try to exit the river close to where Morrison Creek enters the river. If you stay in the river too long it is hard to get back up to the beach due to the slippery rocks and strong current. Check out this amazing show of nature! This video was taken on August 26, 2023 and there should be a few more weeks of good salmon viewing.
The Rossignol Evo OT 60 can be used in groomed tracks and off trail k2nicol 2023-04-16 | The Rossignol Evo OT 60 is a versatile ski that can be used both in the groomed tracks and off trail. This is a video I did earlier related to control on downhills with this ski- youtube.com/watch?v=roL0vmVj5ZA The ski is slightly wider than a regular xc ski and has a partial metal edge which helps deal with icy trail conditions. It is sized shorter than a regular ski so is abit more maneuverable in off trail situations. I liked its good grip (it has a long fishscale base) and has pretty good glide. It usually comes with a standard xc ski binding so regular ski boots can be used. This ski however would not be suited to deep off trail snow or steep off trail terrain. See www.rossignol.com for more info.
How to easily apply storage wax to your cross country skis k2nicol 2023-04-14 | Each spring after the cross country season is over you should put on a layer of storage wax to protect your skis from drying out and oxidizing through the summer. In this demo I am using a Base Prep wax by Fast Wax which doubles as a storage wax. The nice thing about putting on storage wax is you don't need to scrape it and brush it at the time ..you simply leave on a layer of the wax through the off season. Then in the fall when you are ready to ski you scrape off the storage wax when you want to go skiing. For more info see: https:// www.xcman.com digital wax iron skifastwax.com Fast Wax
Cross Country Skiers: Be sure to Practice this Key Skill in the Offseason k2nicol 2023-04-07 | As a ski instructor I find that most classic and skate students have a great deal of difficulty balancing on 1 ski at at time. But until they acquire good 1 footed balance these skiers will not really improve their classic or skate skiing. With many xc ski seasons just 2-4 months long this means that in the other 8 to 10 months xc skiers should practice 1 footed balance exercises to maintain and improve your ability to balance on one foot at a time, This video gives several ideas for working on 1 footed balance in the off season. If you are interested in roller skiing then check out these videos on getting started with classic and/or skate roller skiing. youtube.com/watch?v=FmZsgHIzKA4 Start Classic Roller skiing youtube.com/watch?v=rCyh_hIGsBs Start Skating on roller skis Contact me if you are interested in our Fast Track Roller Ski programme -k2nicol@gmail.comThanks to our sponsors :auclair.com Auclair web site skifastwax.com Fast Waxstoko.com Stoko tights discount with promo code K2NICOLrossignol.com Rossignol Cloting https:// www.xcman.com Digital waxing iron
Testing the XCMAN digital waxing iron for Glide Waxing Cross Country Skis k2nicol 2023-04-06 | With many wax companies giving a specific temperature for melting glide waxes onto cross country skis it makes sense to use a digital waxing iron. I have used this one by XCMAN on several oocasions since I received it 3 weeks ago and it consistently holds it temperatures within a couple of degrees C of the set temperature. I have always waxed outside which is not ideal but in our environment where winter temperatures are not that extreme this iron works well. The iron comes with a rubber mat to rest it on when not in use and you can get more information about the waxing iron at: xcman.com and WhatsAPP:+86 15959293121 Check it out.
How to Install and Adjust the Rossignol Turnamic binding on Cross Country Skis k2nicol 2023-04-03 | The Rossignol Turnamic binding can be installed with no tools and is also adjustable to give more grip or more glide. Thanks to our sponsors: Auclair gloves, Rossignol clothing, Fast Wax, Stoko "medical grade" tights and Xcman waxing irons. For more information on the Rossignol Turnamic binding see: rossignol.com
Metal Edged Skis might be the key to speed control on Cross Country Skis k2nicol 2023-03-27 | Metal edged skis can certainly help control speed on downhill sloples on cross country ski trails. In this video I test the Rossignol EVO OT 60 which has a partial metal edge. It is wider than the typical cross country ski but still fits in the groomed tracks of a cross country trail system. Besides keeping your speed down on the hills I found it provided good grip but also surprisingly good glide in the tracks. And it can also be used in non groomed trail situations. Check it out if you want abit more control on downhills in a cross country ski at: rossignol.com . See this video for how to steer your skis in the snowplow turn- youtube.com/watch?v=O8_IOJu9aa4 Also thanks to our other sponsors- Auclair gloves, Rossignol clothing, Fast Wax, Stoko tights and Wcman waxing irons.
Use Shadows to Immediately Improve your Classic Cross Country Skiing k2nicol 2023-03-21 | There are few ways to get immediately feedback about how your are cross country skiing. But when the sun is behind us we can use our shadows to see how we are double poling and if we are getting good weight shift in diagonal stride. Try it the next time you are out skiing and let me know what you think. Thanks to our sponsors- Auclair gloves, Fast Wax, Rossignol clothing, Stoko tights and Xcman waxing irons. For more info - on the Eversharp tool contact www.skifastwax.com
Try this Tip to Improve your Snowplow turns on Cross Country Skis k2nicol 2023-03-17 | A great way to slow down on downhills on cross country skis is to make small turns. You need to steer your skis to be able to do this and the drill in this video should help you get a feeling of how to do this. You need to put more weight on the outside ski and steer the outside foot in the direction you want to go. Try it and let me know how it works.I am also in the process of testing an XCMAN digital waxing iron and in some early testing it worked very well. For more info- see www.xcman.com and/or WhatsAPP:+86 15959293121
Alpine Skiers try Classic Cross Country Skiing k2nicol 2023-03-15 | Cross training is great for both types of skiing and many alpine skiers would benefit from learning to classic cross country ski. Our Fast Track to Classic programme is an ideal way to speed the learning curve - contact k2nicol@gmail.com for more info. The narrower cross country ski with lower boots that don't have bindings that which lock in the heel will challenge your balance when you just start out. But alpine skiers have an advantage since they are used to sliding on skis and use the classic athletic stance which is useful in classic skiing as well. Thanks to Auclair gloves, Rossignol clothing, Fast Wax and Stoko tights for their help with these videos.
Cross Country Skiing is my church and my gym says 81 year old skier. k2nicol 2023-03-09 | John Bucher really got into cross country skiiing after he retired and now he averages between 60 and 70 days of xc skiing per season . He is now 81 years old and tells people that skiing is "my church and my gym". So if you want a winter activity that is easy on the joints and that you can start almost at any age then think about cross country skiing. Thanks to our sponsors Auclair Gloves, Fast Wax, Rossignol clothing and Stoko tights.
Cross Country Skiers with knee problems should check out these Stoko tights k2nicol 2023-03-07 | Stoko has created tights that also act as a brace to give your knee lots of support when you cross country ski. Be sure to use the code K2NICOL for a discount when you order them. The tights are great for much more than cross country skiing- use them for any activity to support your knee like running, hiking, biking, alpine skiing etc. Stoko can be reached at: www.stoko.com. Also this blog post has more information about the tights -http://keithnicol.blogspot.com/2023/03/cross-country-skiers-with-knee-issues.html
How to correct Passgang in Cross Country Skiing k2nicol 2023-03-01 | Passgang is a term cross country skiers use to describe poling and striding or skating on the same side--ie left pole and left ski move forward together. This motion is not very efficient and I find that it sometimes occurs with beginner classic and beginner skate skiers. Thanks to Auclair gloves, Rossignol clothing and Fast Ski Wax for they help with this video. For information about our Fast Track to Classic or Skating On Line Programmes contact me at : k2nicol@gmail.com Click here to check out Rossignol Clothing- rossignol.com
Has your Diagonal Stride Plateaued in Cross Country Skiing? k2nicol 2023-02-25 | Skiers plateau at various stages in the diagonal stride - the bread and butter technique for classic cross country skiing. By plateau I mean that they don't improve beyond a certain point.But by using our "Fast Track to Striding" on line programme you can break through that plateau and move on to the next level. If this programme is of interest to you contact me at k2nicol@gmail.com. This video is sponsored by Auclair Gloves, Fast Ski Wax and Rossignol Clothing.
Help- Are my Waxless Cross Country Skis really Waxless? k2nicol 2023-02-18 | Are waxless cross country skis really waxless? This is a common question I get from many of my students and occasionally from viewers of my you tube channel. Actually they do need to be waxed at the tip and tail of the ski to help with the skis ability to glide. Fast Wax Ski Wax makes a paste wax that is well suited to quickly glide waxing the tips and tails of your classic skis and their web site is: skifastwax.com Here is a link to a video showing how they worked on my skate skis - youtube.com/watch?v=tR1Y00MYgxM The link to Rossignol clothing - rossignol.com
Learning the Hockey Stop on Cross Country Skis k2nicol 2023-02-09 | Learning to stop quickly with skis parallel is a worthy goal for many cross country skiers. Thanks to our sponsors Auclair Gloves and Fast Wax (ski wax) - check out their web sites listed below. Before you attempt the hockey stop you might want to check out my videos on parallel turns and intermediate skidded turns first - youtube.com/watch?v=NKamE8Zvtuk Intermediate Christie youtube.com/watch?v=fU4qJ8TxH2U&feature=youtu.be Parallel turns on xc skis auclair.com Auclair skifastwax.com Fast Wax
Developing quick feet and agility on cross country skis k2nicol 2023-01-30 | In my nordic ski lessons I frequently see skiers that ski very stiffly. Instead we want to develop an athletic stance when we ski and this video shows a variety of ways to develop quick feet and flexiblity in the ankle, knee and hip joints. Give these drills a try and let me know what you think. Thanks to Auclair Gloves and Fast Wax for their help with this video.
Adding Power to the Marathon or 1/2 skate on Cross Country Skis k2nicol 2023-01-25 | The marathon or 1/2 skate is often overlooked but can come in to its own in some situations- like when the classic track is faster than the skate lane or when want to you pass people in the skate lane. Thanks to Auclair Gloves and to Fast Wax for their support with this video. Here is a link to my initial marathon skate video showing how to correct common errors and also how I use the marathon skate to help skiers with improving their glide or skating action:youtube.com/watch?v=wKMjy0Cz2Yo&t=0s ½ skate or marathon skate drill to improve different aspects of free skate youtube.com/watch?v=-Z1NwW5KD3U Marathon skate- correcting common problems
Dont forget this if you want to improve glide on your skate skis k2nicol 2023-01-23 | One of the big lesson requests I get from skate skiers is that they want to improve their ability to glide on skis. So I usually start with a variety of 1 footed balance drills to improve a skier's balance. But waxing your skis is also important and I have been testing some easy to use paste wax from Fast Wax (details at: skifastwax.com) It certainly made my skis glide better and is worth a look for those people that want a quick and easy way to wax their skis. Note that in the video I mentioned using a "Speed Brush"..in fact Fast Wax calls it their "Speed Block". Here are some previous videos that I have done that deal with this topic of 1 footed balance and balancing on a flat ski. Check them out to improve your skating. youtube.com/watch?v=brGZlZkCwyk free skateyoutube.com/watch?v=GYxxib1lhjU coffee cup drillyoutube.com/watch?v=i0k9I38GmB8 Flat ski progression for skatingThanks to our sponsors Fast Wax and Auclair gloves.
How to make tuck turns on cross country skis k2nicol 2023-01-11 | For those skiers that want to go faster down the twisty sections of a cross country ski trail then learning to make tuck turns may be very useful. Thanks to long time sponsor - Auclair gloves --auclair.com "Don't let cold hands stop you skiing". And for those people that want to try our personalized on line ski instruction - shoot me an email at k2nicol@gmail.com We have clients across North America and Europe.
Using Shadows to Improve your Free Skate in Roller Skiing k2nicol 2022-11-03 | To improve in any activity you need to get continual feedback on what to change until it becomes part of your muscle memory. To do this many people take lessons from a qualified instructor. But if an instructor isn't available you can use shadows to let you know what your technique looks like in cross country skiing if the sun is in the right place. For more info see: http://keithnicol.blogspot.com/2022/10/shadows-are-great-way-to-get-feedback.html Of course shadows only show you so much but they can help with correcting arm and torso positions in nordic skiing. You can also try our on line programme for improving your roller skiing -- for more information contact Keith Nicol at k2nicol@gmail.com
Use the athletic stance to improve your skate roller skiing k2nicol 2022-10-27 | The athletic stance where the skier is flexed at ankles, knees and hips provides a great starting point for cross country skiers getting into skating on roller skiing. The athletic stance provides a stable platform from which to free kate from ski to ski. It is critical that the skier land in this flexed position since it improves the likelyhood of being able to balance on one ski at at time. The full version of the coffee cup drill mentioned in this video can viewed here - youtube.com/watch?v=GYxxib1lhjU . If you are new to skating on roller skiing then check out this video - youtube.com/watch?v=o17PPVjr6Rw
Classic and Skate? How do you decide which cross country ski technique to use k2nicol 2022-04-04 | Many skiers ask me how I decide if I will go skate skiing or classic skiing on any given day. If I am not teaching xc skiing and therefore teaching what a client wants, I will let snow and temperature conditions dictate if I go classic or skate skiing. Thanks to Auclair Gloves for helping sponsor this video.
Help! Why cant I balance on my skate skis! k2nicol 2022-03-11 | Most recreational skiers who skate land on their inside edges when they skate on their cross country skis. An edged ski is very hard to balance on so these skiers end up only gliding on their skis for a short distance. Instead you need to put down a flat ski when you glide and I have created a "flat ski progression" to help skiers learn to glide on a flat ski. Thanks to our sponsor Auclair Gloves for their help with this video. If you would like to help sponsor a video or join our on line xc ski school contact me at : k2nicol@gmail.com
Speed or Glide? Tempo changes in Free Skate in Cross Country Skiing k2nicol 2022-02-20 | Adjusting tempo in cross country ski technique means that you can go fast when you want to and then go slower and enjoy the glide at other times. In this video I look at what tempo changes look like in the free skate. Thanks to Auclair Gloves for their help with this video- see www.auclair.com for more information. If you would like to become a you tube sponsor contact me at: k2nicol@gmail.com. Also if you want to improve your skiing check out our on line nordic ski school. Contact k2nicol@gmail.com for more information. Check this blog post for more info on tempo change and free skate- http://keithnicol.blogspot.com/2022/02/tempo-variations-in-free-skate-in-cross.html
Cross Country Skiers should check out this Madshus Ski Bag k2nicol 2022-02-13 | If you want a cross country ski bag that keeps your ski boots away from the rest of your clothes or lunch then have a look at this ski bag by Madshus. It has a large storage area and we like it since we can bring along extra clothes, lunch, water bottles etc. For more information see: Madshus at : madshus.comIf your company makes products that cross country skiers should know about: contact me for review purposes at k2nicol@gmail.com
Help! My skis are slapping when I classic ski k2nicol 2022-02-08 | I recently received an email from John who skis in the New England States and he asks about his skis slapping when he classic skis. Thanks to Auclair Gloves for their help with this presentation. This video shows a couple of reasons why slapping might occur and how to correct it. If you would like to check out our on line nordic ski school to improve your skiing send me an email at k2nicol@gmail.comIf you want to improve your balance in classic skiing check out this video:youtube.com/watch?v=G3Vue10ItXg&t=4s diagonal stride no poles
Help! I cant stop in a snowplow on cross country skis k2nicol 2022-01-30 | I often get letters from viewers of my you tube channel and this one deals with a skier that can't slow down in a snowplow and wants some help. Often leg position plays a role in this and in this video I show how to correct this. Thanks to our sponsor Auclair Gloves- auclair.com/. If you would like to join our on line ski school for help with your cross country skiing contact me at k2nicol@gmail.com Also check out this blog post for more information on this topic- http://keithnicol.blogspot.com/2022/02/help-i-cant-stop-on-my-cross-country.html Also see these other videos which may help you slow down on your cross country skis- youtube.com/watch?v=kmw9LxutG_8 How to slow down on xc skis youtube.com/watch?v=CZ-EWyi1UNE How to Stop on XC Skisyoutube.com/watch?v=1rGOKDjTZEs&feature=youtu.be How to make snow plow turns on cross country skis
Improving your Arm Position for Snowplow turns on Cross Country skis k2nicol 2022-01-26 | Using the correct arm position can really improve your stability when making snow plow turns. The great thing is that once you learn it you can use if for all your downhill cross country turns. Try it out and let me know how it works. If you would like to join our on line ski school for help with your cross country skiing contact me at k2nicol@gmail.com This video is sponsored by Auclair Gloves- auclair.comCheck out the following videos which also deal with the snowplow and slowing down on cross country skis.youtube.com/watch?v=1rGOKDjTZEs&feature=youtu.be Making Snow plow turns youtube.com/watch?v=CZ-EWyi1UNE How to stop on XC Skisyoutube.com/watch?v=kmw9LxutG_8 How to slow down on xc skis
Let roller skis get you in top form for skiing before the snow flies k2nicol 2021-10-28 | Roller skis let you improve you skiing over the summer and fall so that when the snow flies you are skiing better than ever. See this blog for more details-http://keithnicol.blogspot.com/2021/10/let-roller-skiing-get-you-in-top-cross.html . If you are looking for on line cross country ski or roller ski instruction contact me at - k2nicol@gmail.com Thanks to Jenex roller skis for their help with this video.The link to the full coffee cup drill video is at: youtube.com/watch?v=GYxxib1lhjU
Getting started with Classic Roller Skiing k2nicol 2021-10-20 | Roller skis area a great way to get ready for the cross country ski season.This blog post also has more information about classic roller skiing and provides an easy to follow progression - http://keithnicol.blogspot.com/2021/10/getting-started-with-classic-roller.html Thanks to Jenex Roller Skis for their help with this video.
Cross country skiers need to know the difference between offseason exercise and training k2nicol 2021-09-14 | Many cross country skiers need to know the difference between exercise and training. In the offseason many cross country skiers bike, sea kayak and hike for exercise and to stay in shape for xc skiing but they should build in some ski specific training through the fall to get ready for the ski season. This blog post has more information about the importance of doing more specific training which works on 1 footed balance which most summer sports don’t develop- http://keithnicol.blogspot.com/2021/09/cross-country-skiers-need-to-know.html Below are several videos that deal with topics in this video in more detail. youtube.com/watch?v=sjGwC8x8crg Homemade balance aids for xc skiers youtube.com/watch?v=IdZqmgYfikY Wobble board use for xc skiers youtube.com/watch?v=o17PPVjr6Rw Getting started on skate skiing on roller skis – Part 1
Swimming with salmon in the Puntledge River , Courtenay , BC k2nicol 2021-09-04 | The return of salmon to their home river to spawn is one of nature's wonders and being able to see salmon in the river while swimming is amazing. This blog post has more details on where we like to go to see salmon by the 100's - http://keithnicol.blogspot.com/2021/09/swimming-with-salmon-in-puntledge-river.html
Off season cross country ski drills to improve your balance and reaction time k2nicol 2021-08-30 | I teach many masters aged skiers in lessons and cross country ski camps that I coach for and one of the issues that all skiers have as they age is declining reaction time. See this blog for more information- http://keithnicol.blogspot.com/2021/08/off-season-cross-country-ski-drills-to.html Here is a link to another video about using the bongo board-- youtube.com/watch?v=U7D37gKxPV8Thanks to Fitterfirst and Jenex V2 roller skis for help with this video
A Grizzly bear tour with Homalco Wildlife and Cultural Tour is much more than bears k2nicol 2021-08-24 | Homalco Wildlife and Cultural Tours in Campbell River , B.C. run a variety of tours and we recently took one of their grizzly bear tours. This First Nations company has just started giving boat tours and it exceeded our expectations. Check out homalcotours.com for more details about their schedule for various tours.
Vauxs Swifts return to the Courtenay, BC Museum Chimney k2nicol 2021-05-08 | Vaux's Swifts spend the winter in Central America and Mexico and are now migrating north to breed. Enroute they sometimes use chimneys to roost for the evening. This videos shows the swifts using the Courtenay, BC chimney which is located on Vancouver Island is one of the rare locations where they use chimneys in Canada. If viewers know of other Canadian locations let me know in the comments below. Also see this blog post for more information : http://keithnicol.blogspot.com/2021/04/the-vauxs-swifts-have-returned-to.html
Thinking about learning to skate on cross country skis? Watch this video first. k2nicol 2021-03-07 | If you want to have success skate skiing then learn to classic ski first. If you want to find out if you are ready to skate ski then check out my on line cross country skiing programme at http://keithnicol.blogspot.com/2021/02/on-line-instruction-new-way-to-improve.html If you can classic ski with good weight transfer and can do a solid double pole then you will likely have far more success learning to skate ski than a person that has never classic skied or a classic skier that shuffles or lunges. The video links below might be of interest in terms of improving your classic skiingyoutube.com/watch?v=EDJPH27giUo&feature=youtu.be double poling youtube.com/watch?v=L5qOjW8yxzU&feature=youtu.be Do you shuffle or stride?
The real secret to improving your cross country skiing k2nicol 2021-02-20 | The best way to improve your cross country skiing is to get accurate feedback on your skiing from a certified nordic ski instructor. Keith Nicol is a CANSI Level 4 instructor and teaches Cross Country Instuctor courses in Canada. For those people who do not have instructors in their area we are offering on line ski instruction. See this blog post for more information-- http://keithnicol.blogspot.com/2021/02/on-line-instruction-new-way-to-improve.html Skiers looking to solve their lunging problem can see this video- youtube.com/watch?v=GXO9Q3Pf0Sg&feature=youtu.be and for those looking for help develop a solid skate push can check out this video-youtube.com/watch?v=oJAjexZ0CGE&feature=youtu.be In Canada look for instructors certified by the Canadian Association of Nordic Ski Instructors (CANSI). CANSI has 4 levels of instructor certification- Level 1 - instructors are trained to work with beginning skiers through to Level 4 instructors who run instructor courses and can work with advanced skiers. CANSI info at: cansi.ca/index.php/en Other countries have their own cross country instructor certification programmes.
Try these tips to stay centred on your cross country skis k2nicol 2021-02-10 | Staying centred on your skis while descending hills, skating or classic skiing is crucial to staying balanced and in control. This video is suited all levels of cross country skier and for more information see this blog post- http://keithnicol.blogspot.com/2021/02/try-these-tips-to-stay-centred-on-your.html Thanks to our sponsors Auclair gloves and Infinity Ski Poles.
Correcting common double poling errors in cross country skiing k2nicol 2021-02-01 | The double pole is a useful classic skiing technique but is also used in some skating techniques. See this blog post for more information on the double pole-http://keithnicol.blogspot.com/2021/02/tips-for-double-poling-in-cross-country.html The key to this technique is keeping your elbows at 90 and getting your hips and torso forward over the poles at the start of the poling action. Thanks to our sponsors Auclair gloves and infinity Ski Poles.
Review of basic ski skating for Cross Country Skiers k2nicol 2021-01-21 | Early in the season we should review some basic skating fundamentals for skiing the flats, uphills and downhills. In this video we review the free skate, 1 skate ( V2 Skate for our US viewers) , diagonal skate and snowplow turns. This is also what is covered in a "learn to skate" lesson at Mt Washington Ski Resort on Vancouver Island. Here are links for more information on the techniques covered in this video: youtube.com/watch?v=brGZlZkCwyk free skateyoutube.com/watch?v=ZFPttSGcaSI 1 skate youtube.com/watch?v=1rGOKDjTZEs&feature=youtu.be snow plow turns youtube.com/watch?v=wKMjy0Cz2Yo&feature=youtu.be marathon or ½ skate drill youtube.com/watch?v=BOwnnE_BGRY&feature=youtu.be diagonal skate
Developing a solid push off when skating on cross country skis k2nicol 2021-01-17 | Developing a solid push off is an important part of skating on cross country skis. Skiers may wish to view this blog post to get more information on this topic - http://keithnicol.blogspot.com/2021/01/developing-solid-skating-action-in.html. Also the following video deals more fully with the circle skate discussed briefly in this video-youtube.com/watch?v=yNHDGztoJWc&feature=youtu.be Thanks to Auclair Gloves and Infinity Ski Poles for sponsoring this video.
The Myths of Cross Country Skiing-If you can walk you can ski k2nicol 2021-01-11 | Many people are told that cross country skiing is easy--"If you can walk you can ski". Unfortunately it isn't that simple. This video suggests that cross country skiing's tag line should be " If you can run you can ski". Remember that the running drill shown here develops weight shift- when you actually ski be sure to lengthen out stride but maintain the weight shift. Thanks to my sponsors - Auclair gloves and Infinity Ski Poles. Skier Keith Nicol is a Level 4 CANSI ski instructor. Below are some other videos that will improve your classic skiing. youtube.com/watch?v=G3Vue10ItXg&t=4s diagonal stride no polesyoutube.com/watch?v=k_YOUBPnrWU&feature=youtu.be Classic poling errorsyoutube.com/watch?v=sjGwC8x8crg&feature=youtu.be Homemade balance aid classic
Reviewing some basic classic cross country ski techniques k2nicol 2021-01-03 | This video is for beginner - intermediate skiers as a reminder for ski skills to remember for classic skiing. It reviews diagonal stride, double pole, herringbone and snowplow turns - the basic ski techniques we cover in a typical "learn to ski lesson" at Mt Washington Ski Resort on Vancouver Island, BC. For more information on the ski techniques present here see: youtube.com/watch?v=G3Vue10ItXg&t=4s diagonal stride without poles youtube.com/watch?v=GYxxib1lhjU coffee cup drillhttps://m.youtube.com/watch?v=L5qOjW8yxzU&feature=youtu.be Striding or shuffling youtube.com/watch?v=7X4yJxpqcgA&feature=youtu.be herringbone youtube.com/watch?v=1rGOKDjTZEs&feature=youtu.be snow plow turnsThanks to sponsors- Auclair gloves
Improving your parallel turns on cross country skis k2nicol 2020-12-29 | For many cross country skiers the most difficult alpine technique to do on cross country skis is to link parallel turns. This video will show one progression on how to acheive this goal and some common errors. See this blog post for more information : http://keithnicol.blogspot.com/2020/12/learning-to-make-parallel-turns-on.html Thanks to my sponsors Auclair gloves and Infinity Ski Poles.
Improving your arm action when free skating in cross country skiing k2nicol 2020-12-27 | Developing the proper arm swing can really help propel you down the track when doing the free skate in cross country skiing. See this blog post for more information on arm swing and free skate: http://keithnicol.blogspot.com/2020/12/developing-proper-arm-action-for.html I see many skiers in my classes having problems coordinating good arm swing with the appropriate leg action. This video shows several skier errors and how to correct them. Thanks to our sponsors: Auclair gloves and Infinity ski poles.
Check out the China Bowls on your next visit to Cumberland, BC k2nicol 2020-10-09 | The "China Bowls" are interesting erosional features in sandstone that have been carved out by Perserverance Creek near Cumberland , BC on Vancouver Island. For more information see: http://keithnicol.blogspot.com/2020/10/china-bowls-in-cumberland-is-worth-fall.html They are just a 2 km walk or bike ride along an access road in the Cumberland Forest Trails. Check it out on your next visit to this area.
More offseason balance aids for cross country skiers k2nicol 2020-06-15 | Practicing off season balance is an important part of getting ready for the next cross country ski season. More details in my blog at: http://keithnicol.blogspot.com/2020/06/more-offseason-balance-ideas-for-cross.html You can make this balance aid in just a few minutes and each board is roughly the width of a typical cross country ski.Other offseason balance videos: youtube.com/watch?v=IdZqmgYfikY&feature=youtu.be and youtube.com/watch?v=U7D37gKxPV8&feature=youtu.be
Point Holmes near Comox,B.C. is well worth exploring at low tide k2nicol 2020-06-10 | Point Holmes in the Comox Valley provides easy access to the ocean and also has a large parking area so is a perfect place to explore at low tide. For more details see our blog: http://keithnicol.blogspot.com/2020/06/point-holmes-is-well-worth-checking-out.html You never know what you might see in and near the tidal pools.
Getting rid of slugs in our garden and saving the beer k2nicol 2020-06-09 | It has been a wet cool spring in coastal BC and slugs have been having a field day with our strawberries. But no more-for more details see our blog : http://keithnicol.blogspot.com/2020/06/getting-rid-of-garden-slugs-and-saving.html
