XC Skiing for Cross Training and LOVE GROWN GIVEAWAY

Morning kids.

It was a great Canadian weekend, complete with a winter hike and some cross country skiing.

I have had a pair of classic XC skis for a couple years now, but never learned how to use them properly. I decided that this winter was the year I was going to tackle it and I joined forces with the local varsity team last week and learned some key movements and drills. This weekend, I headed out to practice for a couple hours and am excited to get the swing of things.

Why Cross Country Skiing is Great Cross Training for Runners

I love cross country skiing in the winter because I don’t do any of my interval training outside as I don’t want to slip on ice and get injured. Cross country skiing is an awesome simulation of running that is aerobically challenging and uses just about every muscle in your body.

To properly master cross country skiing, you need to do a lot of single leg work which helps to even out imbalances that a lot of runners have, strengthens runners ankles and makes them more balanced and flexible.

The downside is that is a very technical sport and it requires snow. If you are willing to learn and live in a cold environment, amazing!

Then you need to decide whether you will chose to do Classic or Skate skiing. I chose classic because it is easier to learn and is great for trails and tracks. Skate skiing mimics skating and requires you to have access to groomed snow. It is, however, a faster form of skiing than classic.

Form tips for Cross Country Skiing

The movement of XC skiing is not innate. Classic skiing is not “walking on skis” or even “running on skis with a glide”; it’s a completely different gait. You do move your ski poles in a diagonal movement, just like walking or running, however, the actual leg movements are different.

I started without poles to make sure I had the correct movement. Some basic tips?

• Lean forward and bend your knees, keeping your hips open.
• Focus on your weight shift. Push off of one leg before committing weight to the other and focus on gliding. Really push down in the centre of your ski – it is how you get your grip and propulsion.
• When you go up hills, you want to herring bone. When you go down hills, you want to snow plow.

I won’t be racing XC skis anytime soon, but it is always fun to learn a new sport.

Before I let you go, I needed to let you know about some hugely exciting news for the carb lover in me.

Love Grown Foods introduced a kids cereal line!

This past week, I gave them all a sample to see what I liked best and the chocolate lover in me certainly loved the Comet Crispies, however, if you are a fan of Fruit Loops, the Sea Stars tasted EXACTLY like them. The Polar Puffs tasted like Blueberry Vanilla which can’t be shock to anyone.

Love Grown Cereals are great because they are low in sugar and made with navy, lentil, and garbanzo beans. This means they are free of genetically modified ingredients, high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils.

I would love for you to try some of the new cereals!

Just let me know in the comments what one you most want to try and I will announce the winner next Monday!