Skiing Disciplines - Skate Skiing

Written by: marijoy

It looks so graceful to see skate skiers fly. They glide a long way and they go fast, slogging along and dancing or flying. This sport that requires more athleticism is Skate Skiing. It is also known as freestyle because this hybrid movement allows for more variety in techniques. Skate Skiing is the fastest way to cover terrain on Skis. It is also a healthy activity and appeals to those who want to do some aerobic exercises.

Skate Skiing is all about the thrill of the fast flight on flats and hills. Like any snow sport, Skate Skiing requires skills and experiences in skating or Skiing. One of the essential things you need to know about Skate Skiing is that it involves shifting your weight from one Ski to the other. This is similar to the typical skating technique, so ice skaters will find it easier to go Skate Skiing. It requires leg balance and with each push, as the skate skier is committed to one Ski during the glide phase. The basic Skate Skiing is skating in a “V” stride and actually shift all the weight from one Ski to the other as the person skates on.

To determine if you have the right skate Skis, put the Skis on a flat floor and then stand on them as if you are going to ski. Take a piece of paper and have someone slide it directly under the boot area on both Skis. The paper should slide easily between the Ski and the floor. Shift all the weight on one Ski. If the Ski collapses so that the paper cannot move directly under the boot area, the Ski is too flexible and soft for the weight. A skate Ski needs to be slightly stiff because the skier does not want it to make contact with the snow. If it does, it will work but it will be much slower because of more surface contacting the snow. Also, the skate Ski must be stiffer so that when there is a need to kick off in a “V” stride, it will give more of a spring in the glide and it won’t be so sluggish.

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