Practice Using Active Feet When XC Skiing Downhill

[@AlistairLipp]

Thanks

[@davidpfurr4350]

Jared, thanks for another video addressing downhill technique on XC gear. Running downhills is more difficult on Nordic skis than on alpine (possible exception plastic boots and full-on tele skis). This video is an extension of others you've done which focus on the one-footed nature of XC skiing. The "athletic stance", staying loose and light on your feet, and an ice-skater awareness of your center of gravity seem to be called for in all kinds of skiing.

[@JaredManninen]

It's interesting with cross-country skiing just how much we have to rely on our bodies and positioning (on our skis) for support versus equipment. I know a lot of people feel like there's no real structure behind their downhilling technique/experience on xc skis, but that's simply because we have to create it internally, hence all of these mini-tutorials that I've been producing :) There doesn't ever seem to be a one-size-fits-all approach to xc ski downhilling because there are so many variables to this equation. Fortunately, however, most of those variables involve ourselves (position, movement, timing), so they're ultimately controllable so long as we embrace the freeform nature of xc skiing. Thanks again, David, for contributing to the conversation! I appreciate the feedback and encouragement :)

[@nordicwilly6650]

Thanks Jared such a great tip. Downhills are my kryptonite in XC and I too notice that locked up feeling. I'll stay footloose!

[@JaredManninen]

Awesome! I definitely get nervous going downhill when I don't stay loose and move around a bit. So you're not alone in your feelings toward downhill xc skiing ;) Thanks for tuning in and providing feedback!

[@RugbyGuide]

No snow where I live, but being somewhat new to roller skiing, I've found this necessary too! Feel like I'm frozen if I just cruise down slopes in the road so will remember to keep the feet active the whole time.

[@JaredManninen]

Yes! Basically the same situation. When I roller ski, I'm often "probing" with my roller skis making micro-adjustments to my line of travel. I find with the rubber wheels on asphalt, it's so easy to wind up doing the splits - haha! - if I land a roller ski too wide and can't correct it in time (by slightly lifting and repositioning the roller ski). Thanks for tuning in and reaching out. I appreciate it :)

[@bradshacker246]

Love your "still waiting for snow" comments ... I suppose things are all relative to what you are used to! We just experienced a brief snow "squall" here, but unfortunately it was little snow but some very high winds. Not sure if it is good or bad technique, but I find I try to use active feet (lifting one foot then the other just an inch or so) when I am in a classic track going around a 90 or 180 degree corner with some speed, perhaps having just come down a hill or long downhill slope. Helps me stay in the track with both feet, otherwise the outside foot always wants to edit the track.

[@JaredManninen]

Yeah, I probably should've said still waiting for "new" snow 😆 But California is technically a Mediterranean climate, so our only precipitation falls during the winter. Therefore, low precipitation = high wildfire danger during the summers 😬 That's a creative way of approaching cornering. I'll just put both skis on edge and ride around the corner. The outside ski will still definitely want to pop out, but then I just edge a bit more extreme. I'll have to try your method, though, and see how i fare. I'm glad to hear you're already using active feet! They are imperative to all kinds of maneuvering 🙌

[@paulgrimshaw8334]

If anyone new to XC skiing is watching this video, there is one very important thing to consider. Avoid any established tracks on the downhill legs. They look enticing but they’re not. A competent track setter will raise the sled on downhill legs. Any tracks, or channels, set by previous skiers in soft or deep snow will restrict your ability to manoeuvre. This often leads to falls because it’s difficult to control speed when you can’t snowplow or Christie because your skis are locked into a groomed or skier-defined track. Sidestepping in and out of tracks is best practiced on the flats. Until one masters this, trying it on a fast downhill section can be tricky and often results in a fall.

[@JaredManninen]

Hey Paul! Thanks for the feedback, and contributing to the conversation :) Yeah, get out of the tracks on the downhills unless you're supremely confident in your skills ;) And I completely agree that practicing getting in and out of the tracks on flat terrain is a great way to build up to the skill (of getting out of the tracks while in the descent). In the meantime, just get out of the tracks at the top of the hill and give yourself a wide berth in which to do some snowplows and other downhill techniques. Again, thanks for tuning in :)

[@paulgrimshaw8334]

@ My pleasure, Jared. Your videos are superb. Very clear and methodical. One thing that’s worked for me is speed control on the first 1/3 of the decent. Whenever I went in fast, it complicated control later on. Small movements at higher speeds were magnified, especially if freaking out. So a snowplow or Christie at the beginning provided an easy opportunity to run parallel and tuck later on. This is useful on rolling terrain to carry speed onto the next uphill section and enable a kick (instead of herringbone) or double pole to crest a moderate rise. The racing car driver Stirling Moss once said, I’d rather go into a corner slow and come out fast than go in fast and come out dead. It can be applied to downhill sections on XC skiing… start the descent slow and build controllable speed as you go. Carry that speed on the flats or to the next rise for more consistent speed throughout the session.

[@ecphotographer]

Active feet is a good action keyword. So yesterday and today, I wend on a long downhill, had no falls and successfully executed one hockey stop. Now here’s my question. I wore my smaller fitting boots and tighten them before my descent so there would be no play in my turns. About 3/4 the way down the black diamond, I felt some strong cramping- Charlie horse in my feet. Can I safely assume it was a coincidence between the tight laces and my forward position or is it that my feet aren’t used to black diamond skiing in soft boots? Mind you, I didn’t feel like the tightness was a problem on the ascent. Could it be that my feet is not used to the slalom turn wedge skiing?

[@JaredManninen]

Hey EC! Congrats on the hockey stop and successful downhill mission :) No matter how tight our boots fit in xc skiing, they're still relatively soft which means we're most likely going to be performing a lot of extra foot movement within the boots. For example, I've usually found that cramping in the feet is a result of excessive "gripping" with those feet. Basically, we do everything possible to hold on to those skis. But this constant gripping with our feet is often related to our body positioning and confidence in that positioning. When I have good alignment and I'm on top of my gliding ski (single leg balance) my feet are mostly relaxed. Or, rather, I don't even notice them because they're just there as my base and everything is properly stacked on top of them. If I'm not modeling good alignment on my ski(s), I have a tendency to "do more" with my feet as a response to my lack of alignment. That's when I experience any cramping. My feet just work way more than they should be in those cases, and probably doing some weird stuff trying and keep me upright. All of that said, my feet are probably more active (not necessarily in a good way, here) when descending difficult, variable terrain and/or really steep angles where I'm doing everything possible to stay upright. But on standard groomed terrain, mostly regardless of angles (assuming the snow is favorable), I'm confident in my skills so my feet are appropriately relaxed. Long story getting longer, keep training on that same terrain, building confidence, and see if you generally become more relaxed when tackling it. I suspect the more you train and consistently find that single leg balance, your feet are going to be commensurately more relaxed (and less crampy). I know you're referring to downhill technique where you're on both skis, but with xc skis even in downhill terrain, we're still doing a ton of single leg balance/work. It just happens to be a lot more in a lateral plane (i.e. pressuring down on the downhill ski so as to slide the uphill ski parallel). Anyway, thanks for tuning in and reaching out. I think you're doing fine, just get a few more thousand reps in and you'll be good to go ;)

[@ecphotographer]

@ Thanks a bunch!

[@JaredManninen]

@ecphotographer 👍