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If you think “nordic skiing” is Swedish for “go slow,” you haven’t tried skate skiing. It’s related to classic cross–country, but only in the sense that both require snow. Skate skiing is faster—pros reach speeds of more than 20 miles per hour on flat terrain—and it’s more fun, too, as a growing number of athletes are discovering. Equipment sales of this category now dominate the high–performance nordic market, and at some races officials have had to turn away excess skaters. Get in on winter’s best cardio–and–strength workout with our guide to technique, training, races, gear, and more.

Skate This Way
Like chess, skate skiing is easy to learn but takes a lifetime to master. To oversimplify: Imagine ice–skating on skis while simultaneously propelling yourself forward with poles and you have the basic concept of skate skiing. But to get the most from the sport—and go really fast—you’ll want to perfect the following movements, or strokes. Practice on flat, well–groomed tracks before graduating to hills and rougher snow.

V1: This stroke is simple to grasp and, once you’re proficient in the faster strokes, is typically used for climbing hills or battling a headwind. Think of it as a car’s second gear. (1) Push off with both poles while pressing out against the inside edge of the left ski and gliding on the right ski. (Your left arm and pole should be slightly ahead of the right.) (2) Bring your body over the gliding ski, keeping your knees and toes aligned. (3) Before the glide slows, bring poles forward (the recovery). (4) Push off the inside edge of the right ski and glide on the left. (5) Repeat the original plant/push/glide motion. (The V1 uses offset poling, which means you plant poles when pushing off with either your left or right ski, but not both. Experiment with each side to find which gives you better balance and power.)

V2: Use this quick–tempo stroke to reach high speed (like fourth gear). The key here is that you use double poling—planting your sticks on every skate/glide motion. (1) Press out against the inside of the left ski while pushing off with both poles. (2) Move your weight over the right ski and glide; recover poles for another push. (3) Before speed decreases, double–pole again, pushing off with the right ski and gliding on the left. (4) Repeat Step 1.

V2 ALTERNATE: With a longer glide and more reliance on skating power, the V2 alternate is best used for covering long distances at a fast pace (fifth gear). The plant/push/glide movement is similar to the V2, but the motion is quicker, with arms pumping between poling and body driving forward, core muscles engaged. At the fastest speeds, this becomes no–pole skating—you simply use arm swing, since your pole plants can’t keep up with the skating action.

Your Form

Skate Skiing

Body and pole position are fundamentally the same for all strokes.

(A) Poles are always angled back.

(B) Maintain a bend at the elbows.

(C) Initiate each stroke by bending at the ankles and pushing hips forward.

(D) Drive poles into the snow on a line with the gliding foot.

(E) Lead with the core of the body, not the head and shoulders.

(F) Use your whole foot to push and straighten the leg.

(G) Recover the nongliding ski close to the snow.

Your Coach

Speed up the learning curve with these tips from Dan Clausen, 15-year veteran of the Professional Ski Instructors of America National Nordic Team and ski pro at Wisconsin's Minocqua Winter Park.

IMPROVE BALANCE: Skate downhill on easy terrain. Maintain an inverted V with your skis, weighting one then the other, while keeping your upper body stable. Skate without poles, with your arms behind your back, or one arm back and one swinging, speed–skater style.

SKATE EFFICIENTLY: You should snap or pop from ski to ski between glides. After pushing off, relax your leg and let it swing away before returning to center. Actively bring the leg back under you to prepare for the next stroke.

CONQUER THE CLIMBS: Use this trick to learn V1 timing for uphills. With skis in a slight V, count out a 3–1–3–1 rhythm, landing two poles and one ski on the snow (three points of contact) for every 3, and one ski on the snow by itself (one point of contact) for every 1.

Train Like a Pro

World Cup racer and two–time Olympian Patrick Weaver shares his plan for achieving top fitness on a sane schedule. The 37–year–old is off the pro circuit, newly married, and running a business—in other words, he has to squeeze in his workouts just like you. Still, he won four ski marathons last winter using the following weekly regimen. Experts can jump on the complete plan right away; beginners should ease into the routine by starting with the modifications noted and building gradually as skills improve.

Day 1: Distance workout. Skate–ski one and a half to two and a half hours at a consistent pace on mixed terrain. Ski as fast as you can while still being able to maintain a conversation. Modification: Ski 45 minutes at a pace that allows you to maintain good form.

Day 2: Interval workout. Ski 15 minutes at a warm–up pace, finishing at the base of a hill. For four minutes, ski hard uphill at a race pace. Return downhill, recovering for four minutes. Repeat hill–climb intervals five times. Finish with a 15–minute cooldownski. Modification: Skip this day.

Day 3: Strength workout. Head to the gym for one hour of strength training. Weaver favors a routine heavy on core work, plus squats, pull–ups, and dips. Modification: None—skiing ability doesn’t affect sit–ups.

Day 4: Repeat interval workout.Modification: Do two or three intervalson a gentle slope.

Day 5: Repeat distance workout.Modification: Skip this day.

Day 6: Repeat intervals during raceseason, strength workout before and after. Modification: Repeat distance workout.

Gear Up

Advances in skate-specific equipment match the sport's surging popularity. Here are two of the year's top systems for advanced and intermediate skiers (forget entry-level gear; you'll outgrow it fast).