The way you design your videos is the BEST way to learn. Even if people want shorter videos and "straighter" to the point, do not listen to them. As I am currently doing a PhD course about learning in general (or "how to learn stuff" basically), your way of doing it with comprehensive videos with theoretical and practical explanations with several repetitions is by far the best way to learn something. Don't feel bad about the length and repetitions in your videos, that is how our brain wants it haha. Anyway, if it was not clear yet, your serie of videos are the best videos to be introduced to XC skiing!
Hey Marc-Antoine, Thanks so much for the kind words and meaningful feedback :) I've struggled with whether or not I want to take some of the more instructional videos that I produce and break them up into smaller segments. However, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me because nothing operates in a vacuum. There are so many interconnected pieces when it comes to xc skiing (marriage of body movement and technology). So, I ultimately decided to take the more comprehensive approach for this series. I think over time , people searching TH-cam for how-to videos have been conditioned to view longer videos as something to avoid, which is unfortunate. Because, as you probably know (and the majority of the population when it comes down to it!) becoming good at anything requires a lot of effort and time. A 3-minute video just doesn't cut it in most cases. haha! Another thing I've grown to hate about TH-cam is the rapid-fire pacing of peoples' videos. Mostly I'm talking about editing styles where people cut out every fraction of a second of "in-between time" or the pauses between the notes, so to speak. It's as if people don't realize that the mind requires time to process and catch up. I think the spaces in-between essentially frighten creators because they believe that if they're not cramming every possible second of their video with some sort of stimulus and cutting out every spot of "dead" air, that people are going to somehow lose interest. I suspect the main reason they do this is to shorten their videos to make them look more appealing. I'm no expert, but I can say with a fair amount of certainty that, again, those spaces between the notes are where the music happens. I've also adopted a pretty relaxed style of presenting information. I had a good friend who always tried to convince me that I needed to include sort of gimmick or gag in each video in order to capture peoples' attention. As much as I thought the idea could be fun, I decided to keep things straightforward. Again, all of that nonsense that people incorporate into their work just winds up distracting the audience as well as undermining their work. At least that's what I think. The creator either knows what they're doing or they don't, and the audience is either interested in the subject or not. So, no amount of bells and whistles and pratfalls are going to make people coming back for more. Long story short, I'm not trying to be some sort of popular "influencer" trying to gain millions of followers and corporate sponsors. I'm just a dude trying to teach people how to xc ski, for example, so that they can get outside during the winter and have a safe and fun time exploring nature. No gimmicks or rapid-fire jump cuts required :)
@@JaredManninen Thank you for your answer. Keep it like that, do not change your way of doing things to please people outside your audience. It is also very true that doing videos to "entertain" people is VERY different from learning/educative videos like yours. Learning videos should not be thought as "fast-food" videos like TikToks or very fast-paced videos like most videos on TH-cam but more as "raclette" or "fondue" videos! ;) You simply can not cheat your brain if you really want to learn something! As I am learning XC ski right now, I will probably have to go back to some of your videos later when I face a wall in my XC learning curve. Why your videos? Because I know the answers will be there. Continue like that Jared and thank you again for these videos! :)
@@marc-antoinefortin9296 Thanks again so much for the meaningful feedback, Marc-Antoine. I love your analogies, as well. haha! Fast-food versus fondue. I'm going to have to remember that one ;) I'll definitely keep on producing videos in the style I've laid out as they appear to resonate with a lot of people. And because I've developed this particular style (that resonates with me, too!), it's just so much easier and efficient for me to produce them. Certain aspects of them may take a little longer for me to create, but none of which is super technical for me to incorporate. Mostly it's just challenging to film myself all the time (i.e. I have to make sure I'm frame - ha!). Anyway, thank you again and let me know if you ever have any questions!
Thanks again for the nice feedback! I really appreciate it :) And it's inspiring to hear that you're consistently working on getting better. I love it :)
@@JaredManninen no questions yet, thanks, my wife and her sister are total beginners and I have a little experience from a youth in Vermont, but we all just had “a-ha!” moments as you explained the weight shift/distribution/push off in your zen-like way. If you had called this series “Zen and the Art of Cross Country Skiing” it wouldn’t be far off. You have a way of explaining that gave each of us something to work on for our own skiing when we head out this afternoon. Will be back with questions, I’m sure!
Again, thanks for the kind words. It means a lot to me 🤗 Zen would've been a great title for the series! I did love Persig's Motorcycle Maintenance 👍 It is interesting the different styles of teaching. I've just never been the high-octane, cheerleader type. My personality suits some people more than others, but it's how I approach life so it is what it is. I just like to be as down to earth as possible and let people go through their own process of discovery. Anyway, thanks again for everything!
"Deceptively complex" is a good summary concept for Nordic/xc skiing. Been working in a sports shop for many years and I'm abashed to say that after watching this instructional/intro, I realize I/we haven't been giving xc skiing the respect and appreciation it deserves. Since we're in a very touristy town and with a lot of alpine skiing, we have treated Nordic skiing very simplisticly casually akin to going for a walk on skis. But to see the "light on your feet" concept and jogging motions, it makes so much more sense now! Usually when it comes to more aerobic exercise we tend to recommend skate skiing but now I feel we just haven't fully understood the capabilities of classic xc! Thank you for this instructional!
Thanks so much for the kind words :) Yeah, traditional cross-country skiing is a bit misunderstood so it's totally understandable. Realistically, though, you can just walk with them on and have a fun winter adventure. The entry point to xc skiing is pretty low in that respect, but if you want to really get all the benefits of xc skiing there definitely is some technique involved. It takes most people many years of training to get good at it, so it's not something I'd expect most people to figure it out in a session or over the course of the weekend. As far as I'm concerned, though, just getting outside during winter regardless of knowing technique is a win in my book :) I'd be curious to know where you're located. I don't need to know the shop or anything, just the general region is fine. I'm always interested in knowing where xc skiing has a presence :) Anyway, thanks so much for watching! Feel free to ask me any/all questions that you may have about classic skiing :)
Awesome! Glad you found this video useful :) As someone who's relatively new to xc skiing (this is my 9th season), I've just grown to not like the term "kick" as it has so many different interpretations, most of which are misleading at best and incorrect at worst. So, thanks for tuning in and for the nice feedback!
Thanks Jared! This series is amazing. I'm going XC skiing for the first time from badger pass to Glacier point for a couple nights on the south rim. Your cerebral teaching style is how I think in my head. Thanks A lot!
Hey Eric! Thanks so much for the nice feedback. I really appreciate it, and glad I could be of service :) I always like to break things apart and put them back together - mostly metaphorically ;) But it's nice once you get past the mechanics of the thing and are able to just cruise along. Your trip sounds amazing, btw! I hope you have a great time, and be sure to let me know how it goes once you return :) Again, thanks for tuning in and for the kind words.
After watching this I went skiing. It was my sixth day on nordic skis. I had an epiphany. A few of those actually. First, I also watched a video by K2nichol about lunging and how not to do that. That made me realize I was doing that--weighting one ski and forcing the other one forward in an attempt to glide. Correcting that was in my mind combined with your concept of planting a ski and pushing off from there. From that I found that if I very briefly paused at the moment of pushing without moving my unloaded foot forward, the glide happened. Then I simply shifted my weight to the other ski, push, pause, and glide. The rhythm emerged, effort levels dropped and I was doing the thing. A key thing I noticed was when it was working, I could feel the pressure on the weighted ski in the ball of my foot and toes. One thing I noticed--I skied alpine for 50 years and I was good at it, I hated walking on alpine skis so I skated over the flats. I have never nordic skate skied but I have ice skated a fair bit--I found the rhythm of weight shift, push, pause, glide is identical to skating, the difference being the motion is fore and aft as opposed to diagonal. It's the same feeling as skating on alpine skis or even skating on ice skates. Once I'd figured that out, it all clicked and everything became easier. Thanks for being the spark plug.
Glad I could be of service, John 🤗 Sounds like you're doing a great job of embracing xc skiing and all its subtleties. Evaluating our position and movement and then making adjustments based on that evaluation is key to becoming a better xc skier. So keep at it! Thanks again for tuning in, and sharing your experience. It's all motivating to me 🙌 Let me know if you ever have any specific ski questions, and I'll share whatever knowledge or info that I can.
Hey Jay, I really appreciate the kind words and positive feedback :) Glad I could be of service! Let me know if you ever have any specific questions about xc skiing.
I"m learning at age 57 and let me tell ya.... what you are saying is so helpful! Thanks!! Watching you just do it is very helpful as I also need to watch the motions. I was a dancer once upon a time and relating the motions to dance is useful to me... so seeing your body mechanics helps so much. Today was my third time out. Next year, I'll be ready for new adventures.
Hey Jeanette! Thanks so much for the kind words :) I really appreciate it! Glad I could provide some inspiration and instruction. I'm also a visual learner and make faster progress by seeing other people do (the thing that I'm trying to learn). I find that a lot of how-to videos tend to focus on the ideal form for a couple of repetitions, but it's almost abstract at that point. I like to see the range of movement under different circumstances and conditions, which is why I try to include as much variation of the same basic concept as possible. Anway, thanks so much for tuning in and for the nice feedback! Let me know if you ever have any questions :)
Hey Paul! Thanks so much for the kind words. I appreciate the feedback :) And I'm glad to hear that I could be of service. Let me know if you ever have any specific questions :)
I appreciate it :) Yeah, full weight transfer from ski to ski is the key to feeling confident on xc skis. When you do commit to putting all of your weight on one ski, you can engage the grip zone and you are less likely to slip and slid (in a bad way).
I have had a couple of lessons this winter, but no one has been able to explain the dynamics as you have. I am ready to head outside to just play with the drills!
Excellent, Peg! I'm glad to hear you've taken some lessons. And I'm even more glad to hear that you find my information and approach to teaching useful :) In all fairness to other instructors, I don't normally go into the amount of detail (as I do in this series of videos) as I would on a regular one-time group lesson, for example. But thanks to TH-cam, I can present information however I see fit without time constraints or having to accommodate many people all at once. So I'm glad this info has resonated with you :) Again, thanks for tuning in and for the really nice feedback. Let me know if you ever have any questions. And have fun out there practicing!
This could be the best cx skiing lesson i’ve watched so far in 2021, when at the age of 60 i decided to give a try to skiing. I’ve being on the snow with these awkward, unnatural, slippery pieces of equipment attached to some footwear, 5 times. I have fallen so many times, i lost count. But, no way on earth i will give it up. I live in a place where written on our license plates says,, “best snow on earth,” Utah. Because not been naturally born here, though i spent more than half my life, its almost embarrassing to say, “no, i don’t ski.” Since my soccer carreer ended i looked for physical demanding sport to fill in the gaps, winter time its always been times waited for the cold to end so summer activities can resume. Cross country skiing is ending this type of thinking, I’ve never been so excited when new snow is falling. Having a beautiful younger girl friend who loves the outdoors in summer or winter also made a big difference. This video is so inline with way I learn things. The teacher is athletic, eloquently, practical, confident in his crasft and not afraid to be sincere, and honest. Though I was a trained athlete, still in very good physical shape, this cross country skiing made me realize that being humble is still required even of those who think physically can accomplish almost everything. The exercises shown here, flat surface, no polls, short spurs of balancing on one leg, the push forward motions, stops and turns, getting used to being attached to the skis, its so valuable. Just staying over these things its being so challenging. Thank you, so much. On my fifth try i only fell twice, i stayed on the snow for 6 hours, am gonna learn to cross country ski and change my outlook to winter months.
Wow, thanks so much for the kind words and positive feedback 🤗 More importantly, I'm so glad to hear that xc skiing is motivating you to get out and play in the winter! I've lived in snowy climates nearly all of my life, but xc skiing has really been the activity that's caused me to love winter. The freedom of movement and the physical nature of it are the most appealing aspects for me. Cross-country skiing is an activity that you can dive as deep as you want to. Groomed trails are fun. The backcountry is fun. It's all fun in my books 🤗 Anyway, I totally appreciate your kind words. Always feel free to ask me questions as they come up! Good luck, and enjoy the winter ❄😊❄
I love your videos. They're not too cerebral, they are actually focused on embodiment in a whole way that made me a better skier very quickly. Thank you! I'm so much drier out there now!
Thanks so much for the kind words, Rei! And, I'm glad I could be of service :) The integration part of it is wonderful -- that is, when you start to understand that those skis are now a part of you and not just something that you strap on to your feet. Let me know if you ever have any questions!
As a person who has skied for a few years, but never quite felt like I have the balance or technique down right, I appreciate the extra detailed information. I especially appreciated seeing the drilling exercises; I look forward to trying out something different on my skis in order to feel more confident. Plus there are just some days when I don't want to travel to get out on the track and practicing skills will afford me an alternative to that. Thank you Jared.
Thanks so much for the kind words, Valerie. And I'm glad I can be of service :) There are always drills specific to learning technique but most often what I find with drills, particularly for junior (i.e. kids) skiers, is that they're really more about getting the students to become familiar with having skis on their feet. Just getting to a point where skis feel like a natural extension of your body is a very beneficial thing. And this all contributes to becoming confident while using your skis as your technique progresses. I find that once the skis become more familiar to you (while moving around naturally), you can then really develop your technique. The reason I believe this is because you're no longer fighting the natural rejection or disbelief that comes with the unfamiliarity of wearing some type of external new gear. Just think of the funny dog memes where dogs are wearing booties (that protect their paws from abrasive surfaces such as ice or coarse sand) for the first time. The dogs become absolutely paralyzed in their ability to walk or run naturally because their minds just can't comprehend the piece of fabric covering their paws. I see that same situation (or at least some variation of it) all the time with people who put on xc skis for the very first time. The skis, visually and physically, are so foreign to the person that learning technique is often completely out of the question. The first step is to, literally, get them to start taking steps in a forward direction. Anyway, if you ever watch kids on a nordic ski team or program playing around, you'll know what I'm talking about. After their first couple of times putting on skis, they act as if they've been wearing them all their lives. It's super fun to see how agile some of them become. And then, of course, this often will translate into learning technique relatively fast.
Just to tag onto Valerie's comment as I fully agree with her point. And the main point that you are making in your videos, Jared, which is that cross country skiing looks deceptively easy. I have been a recreational, beginner, on and off, skier for 20 years and although I can get a few strides strung into a satisfactory flow, I still can't get that seamless flow on a consistent basis. I just checked a few other beginner instructional videos and couldn't believe how they would present things in that 1, 2, 3 fashion and give an impression that you can start properly cc ski the first day you strap your skis on. An analogy to that would be to tell someone that they can swim by just kicking their legs and alternately stretching their arms and scooping and pulling the water. And then throw them in the water. When you go to recreational trails you can actually see that majority of people don't properly cc ski but shuffle. Because it's very hard to get it right. I really appreciate, Jared that you recognize this and give it proper attention. If only I could have learned from an instructor like you for all these 20 years :)
@@shapo001 Thanks so much for the additional feedback and kind words, Tomislav :) It's always a funny thing (and there are tons of online memes directly referencing this idea) that no matter the sport or activity (learning to paint, play music, solve the mysteries of dark matter...) where you see a step-by-step "tutorial" that goes something like: Step 1 - draw a circle; Step 2 - draw another circle connected by a line; Miracle Occurs; Step 3 - freakin' masterpiece worthy of placement in a museum. haha! The bottom line is that to produce quality results regardless of the endeavor, it just takes a lot of hard work, trial and error, and (essentially) a total surrender to the activity. The student/learner needs to fully embrace the experience and understand that no matter how talented a person is, they're learning something new that requires a suspension of disbelief (yes, you can do this), and a willingness to become a beginner again. I do believe that shuffling around on xc skis is a valid and fun activity (if that's as far as your desires take you). But to really have a good time on xc skis and reap the benefits of their design (that allows you to ski more efficiently and safer), learning technique is recommended. Anyway, thanks again for the comment. I greatly appreciate your input :)
@@JaredManninen Thanks, your videos are covering most of my questions, now I just have to get out and practice. Being a old fart at 68 doesn't help. LOL
I just came back from my first weekend on cross country skis and I wondered if I would ever learn this. Looking for some clues on TH-cam I found Jared’s instructions and it seems like he has an explanation for my troubles. I wish someone had asked me to do these somewhat silly looking exercises to find my balance before hitting a crowded track. Now I can’t wait to get out there again and try this stuff. Thanks Jared. !!
Very cool! Glad I could be of service :) Cross-country skiing is definitely a fine art with lots of subtleties to it. But, like you said, finding your balance through exploration and movement is the way to go. It'll take some time to embody that experience, but it's just a matter of practice. Thanks for watching, and for the kind words :)
Thanks so much for the kind words, Dot! I appreciate your feedback, and I'm glad that I can be of service. Most of all, however, I really applaud your enthusiasm for getting ready for the xc ski season (in August!) - haha :) Let me know if you ever have any questions about xc skiing. I'm willing to help out and can usually respond within 24-48 hours (here in the comment section).
I’m getting back into x country as a much older guy after decades of not skiing. I was not a huge athlete but never had any trouble striding or even skating back in the day. Now I’m much more uncertain. Your videos are an excellent help.
Thanks again for watching, Thomas! And I appreciate the kind words🤗 Like I said in my other response, I'm glad to hear you're giving cross-country skiing a try again. Hope you have some fun adventures. Let me know if you have any questions!
It actually sounds closer to what I heard about sprint runners focusing on, not just off the blocks. The best runners, tend to focus on pounding hard into the ground and with maximum amount of pressure on their downward foot, as discovered by analysis of Olympic sprinters. This gives them maximum grip to push forward from. So to improve, the focus should be more downward than forward, which may sound unintuitive at first. But it tracks with your points about not using the terms kick and glide as mental visualization.
A lot of running videos have popped up in my TH-cam recommendations/feed over the past couple years and I've noticed that the contemporary approach to running has some similarities. I think the biggest similarity that I've seen emphasized by pro runners is the idea of planting the foot directly beneath the body before pushing off instead of planting your foot in front of the body and pulling yourself forward and over that foot. So it's very similar to what you've noticed/described. However, the actual push off or "pounding down" on the push-off foot (as you describe) is going to be slightly different. Again, there is the glide phase which separates classic xc skiing from running. We often describe the push-off as an impulse down (with all of our body weight), not just pounding the snow with our ski. Minor difference, and I understand what you were trying to say, but there is a demonstrable difference between the two different movements. So I just wanted to clarify/express that. Long story getting longer ... feet directly beneath the body when you push off, and don't let your feet/foot ever get in front of your body during the glide phase. Counterintuitive but effective :)
@@wyskass861 XC skiing is super fun, but it will feel completely new to you coming from an alpine background. Just give yourself plenty of time to make the necessary adjustments of being on skinny skis :)
Thank you very much for the kind words, Elizabeth :) And I'm so glad to hear you're getting back into cross-country skiing. Feel free to ask any questions that you may have, and I'll do my best to answer them :)
Thank you for the comment, Colleen 🤗 There's still a lot of people that use "kick and glide," but there's definitely a trend to stop using it by instructors. Mostly I think it's used by people who have been xc skiing for many, many years and already know what the "kick" part means. And that's fine for them. But as an instructor (to many beginners), it just makes more sense to me to be as specific as possible when describing a movement. Even the PSIA (of which I'm certified) cross country manual features a specific (albeit short) section that talks about the use of "kick." In that section they acknowledge that it's inaccurate to describe the pushing off phase. But they also note that it'll probably remain in cross country vernacular for a long time. That said, you won't hear me using it 😉
Thank you. I enjoy your videos, and appreciate the time you put into them. 63 years old, in my 4th season cross-country skiing, starting to get some idea of what to do, and it's a blast. You are helping me learn. Cheers!
Thanks so much for the kind words, Ken! I'm glad to be of service :) Yeah, xc skiing is super fun. And it only gets better as you develop your technique!
Dude, incredibly informative and nuanced instructional you've developed here! I have just dipped my toes into nordic skiing and your entire suite of tutorials has been a valuable resource for me to lean on and reference presently. I enjoy your more cerebral approach to instructing, coupled with the technical side of the activity. I'm feeling inspired and better prepared for my outings. Thanks!
Hey Eugene, Super kind of you to offer such nice feedback :) I totally appreciate it! I'll continue to produce more similar and somewhat in-depth styles of tutorials. Getting a grip on the mechanics of a thing is usually my way of learning faster. Also, having a broader sense of the activity (in order to help it tie in to the bigger picture) also contributes to my ability to pick up new activities. So, I'm glad to hear that my approach to presenting this information has resonated with you. Glad I can be of service :) Again, thanks for the kind words and enjoy your time outdoors this winter!
Decided to try Cross country skiing, the last attempt I was 18, I am now mid 60's. After 2 days of short trips and one good fall (snowplow gone bad) I realized there was more than jogging on the snow. I watched a couple of short videos but yours was the first to show the transition of weight. The no snow push off to the other foot. So I am now lunging around the house practicing the movement. Looking forward to trying it out tomorrow.
Very cool, Tim! I support the indoor training - haha ;) Just watch the furniture! I'll be honest, I find myself standing on one leg whenever I find myself standing around, like in the grocery line, etc... :) Thanks for the nice feedback, by the way, and for tuning in. There are a lot of xc ski related videos on TH-cam, many of which are far shorter than mine. But xc skiing seems like such a subtly complex art that shorter videos just don't tell the whole story. Anyway, I really appreciate you watching! Let me know if you ever have any questions :)
Thank you. This video had the best advice for me. Hop! I am a novice skier and it's the one sport I do all by myself so I don't get the benefit of other skier's feedback. I had two lessons but they didn't effectively communicate how to transfer weight. So when I found your video I practiced hopping in my home and then went to the mtn to practice. It worked! Managed to take a half-hour off my time for doing my loop, I felt so much more in control to propel forward. Hop is the very best advice!
Thank you, Erin! I appreciate the comments and support :) Yeah, it's kind of a funny thing when it comes to transferring your weight. Being light on your feet essentially enables you to become heavier on your feet, but in a more focused manor. By being able to hop and skip and quickly moving from one foot to another in a quick fashion, you're more apt to be able to compress the ski more effectively and, therefore, be able to get better grip for push off. Before this season (2020-21) is out, I'm going to try to put together another video with various "agility" drills and movements to encourage people to "play" a little more on skis so that they can develop that light-on-the-feet approach to xc skiing. Again, thanks for tuning in!
Very interesting comparison! Body movement can always be so deceptive -- pushing instead of pulling, for example. Unless you actually train and practice in the given sport, it can seem so straightforward yet inaccurate! Thanks for the insight!
Really good explanation on how to push off! Don't know what I was doing the first couple of tries on xc skies. Today I showed some major improvements after watching your video. Achieved good speed on flat surface and only fell once :) Sure going to watch more of your videos, enjoy the winter!
Hey Alex! Thanks so much for the kind words. I really appreciate it! And I'm glad to hear you were making some good forward progress - pun intended ;) Classic xc skiing usually looks so easy but there are just a lot of small details to focus on. So I'm glad you're finding my videos helpful and I hope you keep training. Thanks again for tuning in, and for the feedback :) Let me know if you ever have any specific questions about classic skiing and I'll do my best to answer them promptly.
Thank you for this video, it's been very helpful. I'm quite the beginner and loving the sport, but I've been looking for good video to help since I have no one to teach me where I am (unless I spend more money than I have) and have been struggling. I appreciate your time and effort!
Hey Jessica! Thanks so much for the kind words and feedback. I really appreciate it :) I'm glad to hear that you're having a great time with cross-country skiing. Let me know if you ever have any specific questions :)
Thanks so much for the kind words, Kim 🤗 I'm glad I could be of service. And I'm even more glad that you have snow on which to ski! ❄️❄️❄️ Let me know if you ever have any questions.
hey i really appreciate this video, i managed to snag a pair of XC skis for 10 bucks with matching poles, I've always wanted to try it and these videos are helping tremendously
Hey Rex! So glad I could be of service :) I'm also glad to hear that you're getting into cross country skiing! I have a bunch of xc ski videos here on TH-cam, so take a look and let me know if you ever have any specific questions. Thanks for tuning in, and for the kind words :)
Cheers for the video, really helpful. Australian living in Norway, so it's all very new. I'm falling over a lot when I ski so your explanations will help immensely. Thanks
Hey David, Thanks so much for the positive feedback. Sounds like you're on a wonderful life adventure! I fell a lot when I was first starting to xc ski, as well (as do most people!). But once you start to grasp the mechanics of the skis and using them as they're designed, you'll feel a lot more confident and begin to know how far you can push them. I still fall on occasion now, but it's usually when I'm moving out of my comfort zone, particularly when practicing my downhill technique. Good luck, and let me know if you ever have any questions!
I've really enjoyed your first two intro videos, Jared! I'm 68 and done with winter and summer powersports I want to try CC skiing and your videos encourage me I wish I lived closer to you to take your lessons, but I'm in W central Wisconsin
Thanks so much for the kind words :) And I totally appreciate you tuning in to my channel. Believe it or not, I'm an Upper Midwesterner too. I grew up in the Upper Peninsula until I was 10 (yes I'm technically a Yooper - haha), and then lived in the Twin Cities until I graduated high school. But in my youth, I never got into snow sports. Wrestling was my winter sport in junior high and high school. haha. But I did always love playing outside in the winter. I started to snowboard in the winter of 2005/06 (soon after moving to Tahoe). And it wasn't until eight years ago that I started cross-country skiing. I fell in love with it immediately and kind of wished I had done it many, many years ago. Regardless, we are here today and can choose to do it now! So glad you're getting into xc skiing and find value in my work. Let me know if you ever have any questions, and I'll do what I can to answer them :)
You are doing great job. I have learned a lot by watching your videos! Offcourse the practise and trying it in real life is the most important thing. But I find your way of explaining things to a beginner really helpfull. I try to remember them my best when I get on to my skies. I have now skied like 6 times as an adult (I turn 43 next month) and I just wanted to tell that your videos has helped me so much to find a tecnique to be safe and learn to ski. Offcourse I understand that I just need a lot of hours on the track and practise again and again to really get it and to find a totaly new muscles and a courage to to this. But your advice on my mind I can develope my skils slowely as it may be but I allready can feel a progress and with that I have to give a really big thanks for your videos. Thank you so much! I love this sport allready! I can only get better! 😆 Sorry If my spelling was bad! I’m from Finland ❤️
Hey Hanna, Again, thank you so much for the kind words 🤗 I really appreciate all of the positive feedback. Yes, repetition and putting kilometers on the skis is definitely the key to becoming a better xc skier. But I also believe that having some specific focus (on aspects of technique) is just as important. So you're on the right track. Keep in mind that nobody can focus on everything at the same time every time they're learning something new, so just be clear about a couple specific elements you want to work on each time you ski. And, always remember to have some fun when you're out there practicing 😁 I wish you continued success on your journey. Let me know if you ever have any questions. And, your English is great! No apologies necessary 👍
Thank you! I’ve been skiing for years but I’m in the process of getting my hubby out and about. You gave me some great understanding and tips for teaching a beginner. Having fun out there and being able to ski for an afternoon, have a picnic under a tree feeding the whiskey jacks is the goal 😊 happy new year!
Thanks so much for the kind words, Heidi 🤗 And glad I could be of service! Sounds like you have some great adventures ahead of you this winter. Let me know if you ever have any questions. Happy New Year ❄️❄️❄️
Wonderful video. There's finally snow on the ground in the mid Hudson valley of upstate New York and we just skied at the golf course at Vassar College. To say we are rusty is an understatement. Your video using repetition, different ways to describe motion, and the humble and winning manner you have of doing that shows teaching skills and skiing technique that is convincing and entertaining and the considerable thought behind it all. Thanks.
Thanks, Jay! I really appreciate the kind words and meaningful feedback 🤗 For awhile it seemed like out here on the west coast we were the only ones with snow. So I'm glad to hear you have some snow your way! It's always better when we can share the winter experience ❄️❄️❄️ Again, thanks for the nice feedback. I try to be straightforward and to avoid making a circus out of the production. So I'm grateful that my presentation style resonates with you ☺️ Take care, and let me know if you ever have any questions! But I have confidence you'll work off the rust in no time 👍
Thank you. Nice job. It would be helpful if you included some slow motion from a variety of angles so I can see and understand the pole and push off. It’s hard to see if when your quickly moving.
Thank you for the meaningful feedback, David! Yes, I probably should incorporate more slow motion footage into my videos. I'll start to keep that in mind as I'm filming. Unfortunately, I'm primarily a one-person operation so it's often difficult to get lots of angles, particularly close-ups. But I will try to do better! Thanks for tuning in, and let me know if you have any specific questions :)
Hey I found your videos trying to learn how to deal with hills! It may sound funny but we cc skied in high school always on the flat ten years ago! I have nice club in my town I volunteer at so ended wanted get back into cc get good work out and found this place had many grads to go down. I can get along fine but I took few spills trying to remember the snow plow. I took time watched all parts and few other videos and can’t explain how helpful it was. I’m going to be going to beginner classes with my little girl but wanted to get out before hand and night(lights on trail) Thanks again
Hey Justin, Thanks so much for the kind words :) And I'm glad you're finding value in my videos! I think by necessity (i.e. geography) a lot of xc ski programs deal with flatter terrain, particularly those in the Midwest. Here at Lake Tahoe, there are lots of cross-country ski teams and clubs. But instead of training on the flats, they end up skiing mostly hills and mountains due to being located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. I noticed this weekend one of my co-workers (who also races) was maintaining a high cadence/tempo on a flatter section of terrain. I asked her about it afterwards (why not draw the glide out a little longer and give yourself a fractionally longer rest?), and she said where she normally trails there are very few actual flat sections. Basically, it's become habitual for her to maintain such a high cadence. She's also a lot younger than me, so she's still in that young person mentality of using strength/speed instead of leverage/timing (as we're wont to do the more we age). Anyway, it's interesting to recognize that different terrain can yield different technique and tempo. Sounds like you're going to have a great season. Thanks for volunteering with your local club. I suspect that most xc ski clubs across the nation could benefit from having more volunteers and mentors. Over the past few years I've helped out a little with the local high schools xc ski program, but I haven't made the commitment to do it more often. Take care, and let me know if you ever have any questions!
Of all the videos I’ve watched I think these are the most comprehensive when it comes to form and distribution of weight. As I said in a comment from a previous video, I find myself getting worn out and I’m pretty sure it has something to do with my form and not my fitness level. Can’t wait to get back out there and put your instructions to use
Thanks so much for the kind words, Dina! Glad I can be of service :) Of the two (form and fitness), I do find that form is the more critical factor in having a more enjoyable and less exhausting (!) time on snow :) Not sure if I'll have the time to produce more similarly in-depth classic xc skiing-related videos this season. But, no matter what, I'll definitely pick back up where I left off next winter. Here at Lake Tahoe we're already experiencing spring-like conditions so I have a few videos that I'm planning to make related to that aspect of xc skiing. Thanks again for tuning in. I truly appreciate it :)
good stuff....like to think of "kick" as kicking a ball (forward), not kicking backwards. All about the forward drive. I enjoy your explanations. [from a ski instructor] :)
Thanks for the kind words, John! And for watching :) Yeah, kicking a soccer ball forward is one way in which instructors have transformed the idea of "kicking" over the years (to encourage that forward motion). It's a great visual aid, for sure. That said, I still just try to avoid using "kick" when describing diagonal striding. Call me "new school" Haha! But whatever works is good :) Thanks again for tuning in, I appreciate the feedback!
Another great video, thanks. It certainly confused me when I was getting started, the kick and glide. I had it in my head that the kick must mean putting my leg back, as that’s what you do to kick. Confused me quite a bit. Your push and glide is such a better way of explaining. Great practices too.
Thanks again, Bill, for the feedback :) A lot of people will continue to use the term "kick," but I have eliminated it from my vocabulary ;) It just makes so much more sense to use accurate terminology to describe a body movement. Anyway, thanks again for the comment!
Thank you so much Jared for your tutorials. I have been searching for something like this for a long time. Like you, I am also a visual learner, so I appreciate the opportunity to watch you ski over and over again. I have a suggestion that, at least for me, will make your tutorials even better. If you could add to your descriptions how your movements feel in the body, what muscles are getting activated, what should hurt at the end of the day, that will make your videos perfect for my kind of learning. Hope you will consider this suggestion. Thank you again for your very helpful work.
Thanks so much for the kind words and the great feedback! I agree that I need to incorporate into these tutorials more about the feeling, sensation, and the muscles engaged. This is an athletic endeavor, after all! Again, thank you so much for tuning in. I appreciate you watching and offering the helpful suggestions :)
If I slow down the video to 1/4 speed it looks as though your ski is completely stopped before it pushes off and then raises. Is that a correct observation?
Hey Cynthia, Great observation! Yes, you are absolutely correct in that the push-off ski comes to a complete stop. This pause is only for a split second, though. It happens because I've transferred all of my weight on to the push-off ski in order to flatten it (so that the grip zone engages with the snow). It's at that point I can actually push off and move forward. Generally speaking, this should be really fast and dynamic so that you can maintain forward momentum. Basically, you don't want to linger on a stopped ski because you won't go anywhere :) Again, great attention to detail! Let me know if you have other questions.
Hey Wayne, Thanks so much for the kind words :) And I'm glad you're finding my videos helpful. As far as the ads go, I'm also not a huge fan of having to watch them. However, now that I'm creating videos way more often and do draw a little revenue from those ads, I can't really complain about them too much ;) Just know that when you are faced with having to watch those ads, you're actually supporting small-time creators like me :) Over the long-term, I plan to produce many more of these intro to classic xc skiing videos. So if you ever have any requests for topics or tutorials, let me know! Take care :)
@@JaredManninen I moved to Truckee on October 1 and want to take up X-country skiing to add to my outdoor and hunting skill set. Your videos are gold. Best of luck!!!
I went through all of my videos last season to make sure that there weren't an excessive number of ads. I originally used auto ads, and youtube included a lot of them.
I would assume ski length is more critical for XC skis than alpine or skinning. How do you optimize the right amount of load on the grip zone, based on body weight? Just by length? Too short seems would not give enough lift and give too much drag, while too long might not engage the grip zone enough. How sensitive are grip zones to body weight, say if I carry heavy pack for longer trip? As an alpine skier, I'm familiar with length determining speed stability vs turn agility. Curious about XC in this regard for length selection
More great questions! I love it :) In xc skiing, the length of your ski is critical for your specific body weight. Every ski made by every manufacturer has a specific weight recommendation. I personally never recommend buying a set of skis outside of that range because the experience is exactly as you describe -- too long = no grip, too short = drag. And since diagonal striding is about achieving an ideal balance between grip and glide, you need the proper length of ski in which to accommodate that. This video is older and not as polished as my more contemporary ones, but I explain this concept (th-cam.com/video/_egFpCYX7Z8/w-d-xo.htmlsi=8AuJ4MOB0mOgtUYT ) about choosing the right length of xc ski for you body weight. And in this video I discuss why I don't recommend using a longer ski (for your body weight) even if you're planning on carrying a heavy pack (th-cam.com/video/_egFpCYX7Z8/w-d-xo.htmlsi=8AuJ4MOB0mOgtUYT ). Basically, you're mostly going to be limited in ski length based on your weight. So you won't have too many options for trying to figure out whether you want to buy a longer or short ski. That said, higher end xc skis designed more for racing (classic or skate skis) will offer some different camber stiffnesses at different lengths. So, if you were super tall and skinny, you'd want to use a longer ski with a softer camber. And if you were short and heavy you'd want to use a shorter ski with a stiffer camber. But these skis, again, are more oriented toward racing and groomer skiing. When it comes to the length of a backcountry xc ski, you're limited to the lengths based on your body weight. And, again, I don't recommend deviating from these manufacturers recommendations. That said, nearly all backcountry-oriented xc skis are going to be significantly shorter than a track ski since they're going to be wider, more shaped (hardly compared to an alpine ski, though!), and designed to negotiate the unpredictable backcountry situations (uneven terrain, natural obstacles). Those backcountry xc skis are going to most likely be longer than an alpine ski no matter what, however. That's just the deal with xc skiing. A longer overall ski, regardless of style, will help you cover more distance with less work. Anyway, let me know if you have more questions or want additional clarification of anything I've written here. Again, thanks for watching and asking questions!
And one last time... haha! I appreciate all of the comments :) Most people who use waxable cross-country skis are classic racers and resort skiers (who are probably racers or former racers). There are some brands of backcountry xc skis that sell waxable bc xc skis (namely Asnes), but I think most people prefer a dedicated grip zone (scales) or to use detachable skins. Again, with a waxable grip zone you have to get that wax right otherwise you get no grip. And that doesn't make for a great backcountry ski tour. And, in the backcountry, the snow can be really variable so there's less of a chance of grip waxing those skis perfectly. A scale-patterned grip is the most versatile and dependable (in my opinion), so if you were planning a backcountry xc ski tour with either a backpack or pulk I'd just stick with that. I did do an overnight tour last month wearing a weighted backpack and it worked just fine for me. There are clearly considerations, particularly with how you bear that weight, when skiing with a pack. But it's totally doable with the right skills. Here's a link to that video if you're interested in checking it out. th-cam.com/video/t0zyUavikoY/w-d-xo.html Okay, I totally appreciate you tuning in and for adding to the conversation(s)!
Yes, I went out late today (Sunday, 12/13) for an hour and a half and it was storming wonderfully. A definite mix of snow quality, but coverage all over ❄😁❄
Thank you so much for these beginner videos. Today as I was out there I tried focusing on my weight placement. I notice that I’m very slow. Is the body core meant to stay sort of stationary over the center, or in order to put all the weight on one ski is the core of the body sort of leaning slightly on the side of the ski taking on the weight?
Your welcome, Kimberly :) I'll be talking more about the weight transfer from ski to ski in my next video of this series. Although, it may be a little while before I produce that one. Some of these more detailed videos take me a long time to make - haha! So, in the meantime... You want to slightly shift your center of mass from side to side when transferring your weight from ski to ski. Believe it or not, I consider this to be a relatively advanced concept. The reason being is that it's such a subtle shift of your weight (a few inches). And, to introduce the idea too soon tends to cause beginners to really exaggerate the side-to-side movement. Then it ends up looking a bit comical, like a wobble, wobble-type thing going down the tracks. So, be patient with yourself as you work on shifting your weight. Consider this ... if you stood upright (without skis) and kept your feet in a neutral stance (hip-width apart) and then took one leg away, you'd naturally fall toward the space where your leg was. This is due to your center of mass having been centered between both feet (two bases of support). Pretending that the leg completely disappeared (i.e. you can't recover by putting it back down) your natural reaction (hopefully!) would be to shift your weight onto the remaining leg. This seems pretty instinctual, right? You use what you have to prevent yourself from falling over and, in this case, it would be your only remaining leg. This is similar to the idea when transferring your weight in classic skiing, except that you're intentionally removing that second leg from the equation (temporarily, so that it can basically rest for a moment while utilizing your other leg to glide and then push off). The trick to effectively transferring your weight, however, is to keep everything aligned properly (ankles, knees, hips, and torso). And this looks mostly straight, up and down. Obviously all of our bodies have some types of curves to them, but essentially you want your joints to be stacked so that you're not relying on awkward muscular contractions to keep you upright. Your hips and shoulders should be parallel to the ground when standing on one leg (i.e. no leaning over) through this transfer. There is hip rotation occurring as you drive the trailing leg forward into the glide phase, but that's another subtle/advanced detail that I wouldn't focus on right now. And, your hips will remain parallel to the ground no matter what. To ensure that your hips and shoulders are parallel while balancing on the one leg, you'll have to move your hips slightly to the outside (like I said, a few inches). Do some practice in front of a mirror to find your balance/alignment point. First, just stand on one leg and lean your upper body to the outside and notice how, technically, you're balanced on one leg, but the posture looks awkward. Often in this position your body will have all kinds of odd angles to it (in relation to the horizontal ground). Your knees might be collapsed inward, your hips will probably be angled down toward the "missing" leg, and your shoulders are most likely angled down toward the outside. Or, you'll have some variation of that zig-zaggy type configuration. From that awkward position, visualize a string pulling your hip outward just a few inches so that the center line of your torso is basically directly over that foot (on which your standing). As you draw that hip outward, notice how you begin to stand a little taller (everything is stacked now) and all of those angles (knees, hips, shoulders) look, more or less, parallel to the ground. I practice this all time (not necessarily the bad posture part or while standing in a mirror). But, often while I'm waiting in line at the grocery store, or whatever, I'll work on balancing on one leg by shifting my hips from side to side to see where I begin to come out of alignment. To put this alignment in motion is challenging, though, because it's such a subtle shift from side to side. But once you start to get a feel for your balance point, it'll come pretty naturally. Anyway, that's probably enough for now! haha. Let me know if you have other questions :)
Hey Mike! Great to hear from you :) Hope you're having a great holiday season. Yeah, why don't we keep in touch and schedule something after the new year. I have some oddball work days in the next week and a half (due to the holidays), so I don't want to plan anything quite yet. And, if you don't mind, send me an email with your contact info via my website (tahoetrailguide.com/tahoe-trail-guide-support-services/) so that I can get in touch with you directly. Thanks!
I'm just starting out at this at 59 years old...I'm finding your insights very valuable. As my balance isn't what it used to be... the idea of being "light" on your feet has helped considerably. However...as I get going down the track I find myself slapping my skis down quite hard as I try to increase my stride. Do you have any tips to minimize or eliminate this?
Hey Peter, It's definitely never to late to start xc skiing. And I appreciate that you're finding value in my videos. Thanks for the kind words :) As far as your skis "slapping" goes, that's often a result of landing your trailing ski too early. This is kind of challenging for me to express in words, but... Try to land your foot of the new glide ski (the ski that was trailing behind) in front of the other foot (which was the push-off foot). So when you've just pushed-off, you're going to be transferring your weight onto the other ski. It's this other ski that needs to land (your foot actually) in front of the push-off foot. But rather than focusing on where your foot is going to land for that new glide ski, think of driving your knee forward (i.e. bend your knee slightly). The problem with trying to focus on the placement of your foot/ski is that the ski is at the end of the line (i.e. attached at the end of your leg). People tend to get target fixated on that ski and forget to bend their leg enough (because they're so focused on the ski). So their leg is often too straight to land their foot in front of the other (especially on an uphill trail). The slapping occurs because the ski lands too early (i.e. slightly behind the other foot). Again, this is tough to describe so I'm hoping I'm not confusing you more :) If anything, try to visualize walking with absolutely straight legs (like Frankenstein's monster). If you didn't bend your knee, you'd always be landing your feet right next to each other or maybe even slightly behind. So, walking normally is a matter of bending our knees slightly so that the trailing leg (and attached foot) can land in front of the other one. Let me know if that's helpful or not (and I'll try to explain more clearly). But this is a pretty common problem, and I still occasionally do this myself. Mostly I find myself doing this on an uphill and I become lazy or forget to bend my legs enough to land my foot in front of the other. Thanks again for tuning in :)
@@JaredManninen Thank you for this explanation! I’m in week one of learning xc and am trying to reduce how often I “shuffle” and instead really bring my trailing leg forward correctly. The way you described it above was very helpful.
Thank you for the kind words, Liv! And glad I could be of service 🤗 Another aspect about reducing that slapping sound (aka landing your trailing leg too early) is that when you push off to the next ski it should be pretty assertive so that you're nearly bounding. It shouldn't be excessive, but rather just committed to shifting your weight to the next ski which has you then being "tall" which creates some necessary space for your trailing leg to swing through. Anyway, it's a very subtle thing and challenging to consistently perform when you're starting out. So hopefully i haven't caused any confusion 😏
@@thetinycathouse Just an FYI ... here's a video where I describe in a little more detail about that ski slapping issue th-cam.com/video/2HEiuzjOwLA/w-d-xo.html
I realize this is nearly a year later, but I did produce a video this past week regarding that ski slapping issue (if you're still interested). th-cam.com/video/2HEiuzjOwLA/w-d-xo.html
Great tutorial and explanations. However too many ad interruptions. I understand it's an income from advertisement but every 5 minutes or less having to watch 2 ads is really too much.
Hey Nuno, Thanks so much for tuning in! I've been sorting through this whole monetization/ads thing all winter (as I'm new to it), so I appreciate the specific feedback. Mostly I've just been using the "auto" feature from TH-cam for ad placement, but it appears that based on how I edit videos (i.e. some have more transitions and pauses in audio than others) that causes TH-cam to either include more or less ads. So, some of my videos have lots of ads while others have none. Clearly, I need to spend some time sorting through my videos to correct that (i.e. delete the excessive ads). So, again, I appreciate you taking the time to bring that to my attention. And, of course, I'm glad you liked the actual video :)
Perhaps you could take comfort in knowing that by suffering through a couple of TH-cam ads, you're supporting small publishers like myself who produce content on our own time and dime for everyone to watch for free.
@@graywolfcarpentry564 Honestly, before about two hours ago I didn't even know that I had the ability to manipulate how many ads were presented on each video. The thing about Google and TH-cam is they actual prefer to automate everything for us small publishers based on their algorithms. It increases their revenue. And it generally makes things easier for us creators because we don't have to manually do everything ourselves. But automation is usually less than desirable as evidenced by your viewing experience. I just finished a two-month battle with Google (last week) due to what Google perceived as "invalid" traffic on my website (Tahoe Trail Guide). You know what the problem ended up being? It was the Auto Ads function that I had enabled based on Google's recommendation. But Google doesn't actually tell you what the problem is so I wasted a ton of hours trying to figure it out. Basically, the auto ads feature put ads everywhere on my site and this is contrary to Google's own policy. So my ads were limited for the two months and caused me to lose a bunch of ad revenue. I've since disabled the auto ad feature and have been placing ads manually on the 100+ articles that I've published for the site. The bottom line is that, like most people, I have a job, other life commitments, and a finite amount of time to create new content. So as much as I welcome feedback, feedback without a solution, recommended path to reconcile the situation, or specifics isn't helpful. Fortunately the person who complained about the ads today mentioned they were showing up every couple of minutes (which sounded odd to me as that's too frequent), so I investigated and learned how to modify them. But of the 3,000+ views of the video, you two were the only ones who said anything about the volume of ads. So, prior to that I had no reason to go looking into the issue. Anyway, this whole topic is now moot because I've since reconciled it.
@@JaredManninen thank you. It is better when being taught something you want to learn is not constantly interrupted. Also I would bet if I never clicked skip ads that the ads themselves would be longer than your entire video.(if not double the time).
@@graywolfcarpentry564 No prob. Yeah, some of those ads are super long! I believe I disabled all of the non-skippable ads on my videos, as well as tweaking the volume that they appear during the videos. I can't believe how many details and customizable options there are to address for every video! Thanks again for watching.
Most definitely a challenge to overcome bad habits based on the longtime use of unclear language :) I think in some contexts it's fine to include the word (kick double pole comes to mind), but to do so sparingly and to be clear about the intended use. It's just to easy to misinterpret. Thanks for the comment as always, Newt :)
The way you design your videos is the BEST way to learn. Even if people want shorter videos and "straighter" to the point, do not listen to them. As I am currently doing a PhD course about learning in general (or "how to learn stuff" basically), your way of doing it with comprehensive videos with theoretical and practical explanations with several repetitions is by far the best way to learn something. Don't feel bad about the length and repetitions in your videos, that is how our brain wants it haha.
Anyway, if it was not clear yet, your serie of videos are the best videos to be introduced to XC skiing!
Hey Marc-Antoine,
Thanks so much for the kind words and meaningful feedback :)
I've struggled with whether or not I want to take some of the more instructional videos that I produce and break them up into smaller segments. However, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me because nothing operates in a vacuum. There are so many interconnected pieces when it comes to xc skiing (marriage of body movement and technology). So, I ultimately decided to take the more comprehensive approach for this series.
I think over time , people searching TH-cam for how-to videos have been conditioned to view longer videos as something to avoid, which is unfortunate. Because, as you probably know (and the majority of the population when it comes down to it!) becoming good at anything requires a lot of effort and time. A 3-minute video just doesn't cut it in most cases. haha!
Another thing I've grown to hate about TH-cam is the rapid-fire pacing of peoples' videos. Mostly I'm talking about editing styles where people cut out every fraction of a second of "in-between time" or the pauses between the notes, so to speak. It's as if people don't realize that the mind requires time to process and catch up. I think the spaces in-between essentially frighten creators because they believe that if they're not cramming every possible second of their video with some sort of stimulus and cutting out every spot of "dead" air, that people are going to somehow lose interest. I suspect the main reason they do this is to shorten their videos to make them look more appealing. I'm no expert, but I can say with a fair amount of certainty that, again, those spaces between the notes are where the music happens.
I've also adopted a pretty relaxed style of presenting information. I had a good friend who always tried to convince me that I needed to include sort of gimmick or gag in each video in order to capture peoples' attention. As much as I thought the idea could be fun, I decided to keep things straightforward. Again, all of that nonsense that people incorporate into their work just winds up distracting the audience as well as undermining their work. At least that's what I think. The creator either knows what they're doing or they don't, and the audience is either interested in the subject or not. So, no amount of bells and whistles and pratfalls are going to make people coming back for more.
Long story short, I'm not trying to be some sort of popular "influencer" trying to gain millions of followers and corporate sponsors. I'm just a dude trying to teach people how to xc ski, for example, so that they can get outside during the winter and have a safe and fun time exploring nature. No gimmicks or rapid-fire jump cuts required :)
@@JaredManninen Thank you for your answer. Keep it like that, do not change your way of doing things to please people outside your audience.
It is also very true that doing videos to "entertain" people is VERY different from learning/educative videos like yours.
Learning videos should not be thought as "fast-food" videos like TikToks or very fast-paced videos like most videos on TH-cam but more as "raclette" or "fondue" videos! ;) You simply can not cheat your brain if you really want to learn something!
As I am learning XC ski right now, I will probably have to go back to some of your videos later when I face a wall in my XC learning curve. Why your videos? Because I know the answers will be there.
Continue like that Jared and thank you again for these videos! :)
@@marc-antoinefortin9296 Thanks again so much for the meaningful feedback, Marc-Antoine. I love your analogies, as well. haha! Fast-food versus fondue. I'm going to have to remember that one ;)
I'll definitely keep on producing videos in the style I've laid out as they appear to resonate with a lot of people. And because I've developed this particular style (that resonates with me, too!), it's just so much easier and efficient for me to produce them. Certain aspects of them may take a little longer for me to create, but none of which is super technical for me to incorporate. Mostly it's just challenging to film myself all the time (i.e. I have to make sure I'm frame - ha!).
Anyway, thank you again and let me know if you ever have any questions!
This video is solid gold. I'm back again this season to tighten up my form! Thanks Jared!
Thanks again for the nice feedback! I really appreciate it :) And it's inspiring to hear that you're consistently working on getting better. I love it :)
By far the best and most informative videos on XC skiing on the entire Internet-thank you, great job
Hey Mark, thanks so much for the kind words 🤗 I appreciate it! And thank you for tuning in. Let me know if you ever have any questions!
@@JaredManninen no questions yet, thanks, my wife and her sister are total beginners and I have a little experience from a youth in Vermont, but we all just had “a-ha!” moments as you explained the weight shift/distribution/push off in your zen-like way. If you had called this series “Zen and the Art of Cross Country Skiing” it wouldn’t be far off. You have a way of explaining that gave each of us something to work on for our own skiing when we head out this afternoon. Will be back with questions, I’m sure!
Again, thanks for the kind words. It means a lot to me 🤗 Zen would've been a great title for the series! I did love Persig's Motorcycle Maintenance 👍
It is interesting the different styles of teaching. I've just never been the high-octane, cheerleader type. My personality suits some people more than others, but it's how I approach life so it is what it is. I just like to be as down to earth as possible and let people go through their own process of discovery.
Anyway, thanks again for everything!
"Deceptively complex" is a good summary concept for Nordic/xc skiing.
Been working in a sports shop for many years and I'm abashed to say that after watching this instructional/intro, I realize I/we haven't been giving xc skiing the respect and appreciation it deserves. Since we're in a very touristy town and with a lot of alpine skiing, we have treated Nordic skiing very simplisticly casually akin to going for a walk on skis. But to see the "light on your feet" concept and jogging motions, it makes so much more sense now! Usually when it comes to more aerobic exercise we tend to recommend skate skiing but now I feel we just haven't fully understood the capabilities of classic xc!
Thank you for this instructional!
Thanks so much for the kind words :)
Yeah, traditional cross-country skiing is a bit misunderstood so it's totally understandable. Realistically, though, you can just walk with them on and have a fun winter adventure. The entry point to xc skiing is pretty low in that respect, but if you want to really get all the benefits of xc skiing there definitely is some technique involved. It takes most people many years of training to get good at it, so it's not something I'd expect most people to figure it out in a session or over the course of the weekend. As far as I'm concerned, though, just getting outside during winter regardless of knowing technique is a win in my book :)
I'd be curious to know where you're located. I don't need to know the shop or anything, just the general region is fine. I'm always interested in knowing where xc skiing has a presence :)
Anyway, thanks so much for watching! Feel free to ask me any/all questions that you may have about classic skiing :)
Finally, a video that made understand the push-off phase. I totally agree with you. This term is much better than kick.
Awesome! Glad you found this video useful :) As someone who's relatively new to xc skiing (this is my 9th season), I've just grown to not like the term "kick" as it has so many different interpretations, most of which are misleading at best and incorrect at worst. So, thanks for tuning in and for the nice feedback!
Thanks Jared!
This series is amazing.
I'm going XC skiing for the first time from badger pass to Glacier point for a couple nights on the south rim.
Your cerebral teaching style is how I think in my head.
Thanks A lot!
Hey Eric!
Thanks so much for the nice feedback. I really appreciate it, and glad I could be of service :)
I always like to break things apart and put them back together - mostly metaphorically ;) But it's nice once you get past the mechanics of the thing and are able to just cruise along.
Your trip sounds amazing, btw! I hope you have a great time, and be sure to let me know how it goes once you return :)
Again, thanks for tuning in and for the kind words.
After watching this I went skiing. It was my sixth day on nordic skis. I had an epiphany. A few of those actually.
First, I also watched a video by K2nichol about lunging and how not to do that. That made me realize I was doing that--weighting one ski and forcing the other one forward in an attempt to glide. Correcting that was in my mind combined with your concept of planting a ski and pushing off from there.
From that I found that if I very briefly paused at the moment of pushing without moving my unloaded foot forward, the glide happened.
Then I simply shifted my weight to the other ski, push, pause, and glide. The rhythm emerged, effort levels dropped and I was doing the thing.
A key thing I noticed was when it was working, I could feel the pressure on the weighted ski in the ball of my foot and toes.
One thing I noticed--I skied alpine for 50 years and I was good at it, I hated walking on alpine skis so I skated over the flats. I have never nordic skate skied but I have ice skated a fair bit--I found the rhythm of weight shift, push, pause, glide is identical to skating, the difference being the motion is fore and aft as opposed to diagonal. It's the same feeling as skating on alpine skis or even skating on ice skates.
Once I'd figured that out, it all clicked and everything became easier.
Thanks for being the spark plug.
Glad I could be of service, John 🤗
Sounds like you're doing a great job of embracing xc skiing and all its subtleties. Evaluating our position and movement and then making adjustments based on that evaluation is key to becoming a better xc skier. So keep at it!
Thanks again for tuning in, and sharing your experience. It's all motivating to me 🙌
Let me know if you ever have any specific ski questions, and I'll share whatever knowledge or info that I can.
Thanks for focusing on fundamentals. I appreciate all the tips in your video.
Thank you so much for the nice feedback! I appreciate it. Let me know if you ever have any specific questions :)
I really appreciate the way you do these videos. This really fits in with my mind learning style. Thank you for taking the time.
Hey Jay,
I really appreciate the kind words and positive feedback :) Glad I could be of service! Let me know if you ever have any specific questions about xc skiing.
I"m learning at age 57 and let me tell ya.... what you are saying is so helpful! Thanks!! Watching you just do it is very helpful as I also need to watch the motions. I was a dancer once upon a time and relating the motions to dance is useful to me... so seeing your body mechanics helps so much. Today was my third time out. Next year, I'll be ready for new adventures.
Hey Jeanette! Thanks so much for the kind words :) I really appreciate it! Glad I could provide some inspiration and instruction. I'm also a visual learner and make faster progress by seeing other people do (the thing that I'm trying to learn). I find that a lot of how-to videos tend to focus on the ideal form for a couple of repetitions, but it's almost abstract at that point. I like to see the range of movement under different circumstances and conditions, which is why I try to include as much variation of the same basic concept as possible.
Anway, thanks so much for tuning in and for the nice feedback! Let me know if you ever have any questions :)
Big improvement on the "knock Knee" problem you've mentioned, thanks Jared, always informative and well presented as usual!
Hey Paul!
Thanks so much for the kind words. I appreciate the feedback :)
And I'm glad to hear that I could be of service. Let me know if you ever have any specific questions :)
Watched this 1 again and I'll keep repeatedly watching these to help me get over the fear of falling...falling = broken bones to me...
I appreciate it :) Yeah, full weight transfer from ski to ski is the key to feeling confident on xc skis. When you do commit to putting all of your weight on one ski, you can engage the grip zone and you are less likely to slip and slid (in a bad way).
I have had a couple of lessons this winter, but no one has been able to explain the dynamics as you have. I am ready to head outside to just play with the drills!
Excellent, Peg! I'm glad to hear you've taken some lessons. And I'm even more glad to hear that you find my information and approach to teaching useful :)
In all fairness to other instructors, I don't normally go into the amount of detail (as I do in this series of videos) as I would on a regular one-time group lesson, for example. But thanks to TH-cam, I can present information however I see fit without time constraints or having to accommodate many people all at once. So I'm glad this info has resonated with you :)
Again, thanks for tuning in and for the really nice feedback. Let me know if you ever have any questions. And have fun out there practicing!
@@JaredManninen At nearly 72 and a lifelong alpine skier, what you have put forth as tips has been great! I was about to give up trying to transition.
@@pegrearick9831 Again, thanks so much for your generous feedback. Really glad I could be of service 🤗
This could be the best cx skiing lesson i’ve watched so far in 2021, when at the age of 60 i decided to give a try to skiing. I’ve being on the snow with these awkward, unnatural, slippery pieces of equipment attached to some footwear, 5 times. I have fallen so many times, i lost count. But, no way on earth i will give it up. I live in a place where written on our license plates says,, “best snow on earth,” Utah. Because not been naturally born here, though i spent more than half my life, its almost embarrassing to say, “no, i don’t ski.” Since my soccer carreer ended i looked for physical demanding sport to fill in the gaps, winter time its always been times waited for the cold to end so summer activities can resume. Cross country skiing is ending this type of thinking, I’ve never been so excited when new snow is falling. Having a beautiful younger girl friend who loves the outdoors in summer or winter also made a big difference.
This video is so inline with way I learn things. The teacher is athletic, eloquently, practical, confident in his crasft and not afraid to be sincere, and honest. Though I was a trained athlete, still in very good physical shape, this cross country skiing made me realize that being humble is still required even of those who think physically can accomplish almost everything.
The exercises shown here, flat surface, no polls, short spurs of balancing on one leg, the push forward motions, stops and turns, getting used to being attached to the skis, its so valuable. Just staying over these things its being so challenging. Thank you, so much.
On my fifth try i only fell twice, i stayed on the snow for 6 hours, am gonna learn to cross country ski and change my outlook to winter months.
Wow, thanks so much for the kind words and positive feedback 🤗
More importantly, I'm so glad to hear that xc skiing is motivating you to get out and play in the winter! I've lived in snowy climates nearly all of my life, but xc skiing has really been the activity that's caused me to love winter. The freedom of movement and the physical nature of it are the most appealing aspects for me.
Cross-country skiing is an activity that you can dive as deep as you want to. Groomed trails are fun. The backcountry is fun. It's all fun in my books 🤗
Anyway, I totally appreciate your kind words. Always feel free to ask me questions as they come up!
Good luck, and enjoy the winter ❄😊❄
Thank you very much for helping me learn, Mr. Manninen!
You're welcome! And thanks for the kind words. I appreciate the feedback :) Feel free to reach out if you ever have any specific questions.
Love these drills and the ease with which you move around on your skis.
Thanks so much for the kind words, Elise :) Good luck with your training!
I love your videos. They're not too cerebral, they are actually focused on embodiment in a whole way that made me a better skier very quickly. Thank you! I'm so much drier out there now!
Thanks so much for the kind words, Rei! And, I'm glad I could be of service :)
The integration part of it is wonderful -- that is, when you start to understand that those skis are now a part of you and not just something that you strap on to your feet. Let me know if you ever have any questions!
@@JaredManninen Thanks! It's all in the body as I'm starting to meet the snow with ease! Your service made all the difference!
@@feathernorth Excellent! I look forward to hearing more about your winter adventures :)
As a person who has skied for a few years, but never quite felt like I have the balance or technique down right, I appreciate the extra detailed information. I especially appreciated seeing the drilling exercises; I look forward to trying out something different on my skis in order to feel more confident. Plus there are just some days when I don't want to travel to get out on the track and practicing skills will afford me an alternative to that. Thank you Jared.
Thanks so much for the kind words, Valerie. And I'm glad I can be of service :)
There are always drills specific to learning technique but most often what I find with drills, particularly for junior (i.e. kids) skiers, is that they're really more about getting the students to become familiar with having skis on their feet. Just getting to a point where skis feel like a natural extension of your body is a very beneficial thing. And this all contributes to becoming confident while using your skis as your technique progresses.
I find that once the skis become more familiar to you (while moving around naturally), you can then really develop your technique. The reason I believe this is because you're no longer fighting the natural rejection or disbelief that comes with the unfamiliarity of wearing some type of external new gear. Just think of the funny dog memes where dogs are wearing booties (that protect their paws from abrasive surfaces such as ice or coarse sand) for the first time. The dogs become absolutely paralyzed in their ability to walk or run naturally because their minds just can't comprehend the piece of fabric covering their paws.
I see that same situation (or at least some variation of it) all the time with people who put on xc skis for the very first time. The skis, visually and physically, are so foreign to the person that learning technique is often completely out of the question. The first step is to, literally, get them to start taking steps in a forward direction.
Anyway, if you ever watch kids on a nordic ski team or program playing around, you'll know what I'm talking about. After their first couple of times putting on skis, they act as if they've been wearing them all their lives. It's super fun to see how agile some of them become. And then, of course, this often will translate into learning technique relatively fast.
Just to tag onto Valerie's comment as I fully agree with her point. And the main point that you are making in your videos, Jared, which is that cross country skiing looks deceptively easy. I have been a recreational, beginner, on and off, skier for 20 years and although I can get a few strides strung into a satisfactory flow, I still can't get that seamless flow on a consistent basis. I just checked a few other beginner instructional videos and couldn't believe how they would present things in that 1, 2, 3 fashion and give an impression that you can start properly cc ski the first day you strap your skis on. An analogy to that would be to tell someone that they can swim by just kicking their legs and alternately stretching their arms and scooping and pulling the water. And then throw them in the water. When you go to recreational trails you can actually see that majority of people don't properly cc ski but shuffle. Because it's very hard to get it right. I really appreciate, Jared that you recognize this and give it proper attention. If only I could have learned from an instructor like you for all these 20 years :)
@@shapo001 Thanks so much for the additional feedback and kind words, Tomislav :) It's always a funny thing (and there are tons of online memes directly referencing this idea) that no matter the sport or activity (learning to paint, play music, solve the mysteries of dark matter...) where you see a step-by-step "tutorial" that goes something like: Step 1 - draw a circle; Step 2 - draw another circle connected by a line; Miracle Occurs; Step 3 - freakin' masterpiece worthy of placement in a museum. haha!
The bottom line is that to produce quality results regardless of the endeavor, it just takes a lot of hard work, trial and error, and (essentially) a total surrender to the activity. The student/learner needs to fully embrace the experience and understand that no matter how talented a person is, they're learning something new that requires a suspension of disbelief (yes, you can do this), and a willingness to become a beginner again.
I do believe that shuffling around on xc skis is a valid and fun activity (if that's as far as your desires take you). But to really have a good time on xc skis and reap the benefits of their design (that allows you to ski more efficiently and safer), learning technique is recommended.
Anyway, thanks again for the comment. I greatly appreciate your input :)
Semantics is important, thank you very much for explaining this so clearly. I found it very helpful in my training.
I appreciate the kind words :) Let me know if you ever have any questions.
I’m getting back into XC skiing after 40 years, your videos are great for the beginner, or someone getting back into the sport. Thanks
So glad to hear you've come back to xc skiing. And so glad I could be of service :)
Let me know if you ever have any questions!
@@JaredManninen Thanks, your videos are covering most of my questions, now I just have to get out and practice. Being a old fart at 68 doesn't help. LOL
@@ER-mo3wq Excellent! Yep, time on snow is the key to it all, whether learning for the first time or revisiting an old passion :)
I just came back from my first weekend on cross country skis and I wondered if I would ever learn this. Looking for some clues on TH-cam I found Jared’s instructions and it seems like he has an explanation for my troubles. I wish someone had asked me to do these somewhat silly looking exercises to find my balance before hitting a crowded track. Now I can’t wait to get out there again and try this stuff. Thanks Jared. !!
Very cool! Glad I could be of service :) Cross-country skiing is definitely a fine art with lots of subtleties to it. But, like you said, finding your balance through exploration and movement is the way to go. It'll take some time to embody that experience, but it's just a matter of practice.
Thanks for watching, and for the kind words :)
This is so helpful. Thank you! It's never been explained to me this way; and these fundamentals make all the difference.
Thanks so much for the kind words, Dot! I appreciate your feedback, and I'm glad that I can be of service. Most of all, however, I really applaud your enthusiasm for getting ready for the xc ski season (in August!) - haha :)
Let me know if you ever have any questions about xc skiing. I'm willing to help out and can usually respond within 24-48 hours (here in the comment section).
I’m getting back into x country as a much older guy after decades of not skiing. I was not a huge athlete but never had any trouble striding or even skating back in the day. Now I’m much more uncertain. Your videos are an excellent help.
Thanks again for watching, Thomas! And I appreciate the kind words🤗
Like I said in my other response, I'm glad to hear you're giving cross-country skiing a try again. Hope you have some fun adventures. Let me know if you have any questions!
It actually sounds closer to what I heard about sprint runners focusing on, not just off the blocks. The best runners, tend to focus on pounding hard into the ground and with maximum amount of pressure on their downward foot, as discovered by analysis of Olympic sprinters. This gives them maximum grip to push forward from. So to improve, the focus should be more downward than forward, which may sound unintuitive at first. But it tracks with your points about not using the terms kick and glide as mental visualization.
A lot of running videos have popped up in my TH-cam recommendations/feed over the past couple years and I've noticed that the contemporary approach to running has some similarities. I think the biggest similarity that I've seen emphasized by pro runners is the idea of planting the foot directly beneath the body before pushing off instead of planting your foot in front of the body and pulling yourself forward and over that foot.
So it's very similar to what you've noticed/described. However, the actual push off or "pounding down" on the push-off foot (as you describe) is going to be slightly different. Again, there is the glide phase which separates classic xc skiing from running. We often describe the push-off as an impulse down (with all of our body weight), not just pounding the snow with our ski. Minor difference, and I understand what you were trying to say, but there is a demonstrable difference between the two different movements. So I just wanted to clarify/express that.
Long story getting longer ... feet directly beneath the body when you push off, and don't let your feet/foot ever get in front of your body during the glide phase. Counterintuitive but effective :)
@@JaredManninen Ok. thanks for clarifying. I'm looking forward to trying some XC this winter for the first time, being an alpine skier otherwise.
@@wyskass861 XC skiing is super fun, but it will feel completely new to you coming from an alpine background. Just give yourself plenty of time to make the necessary adjustments of being on skinny skis :)
Many thanks for this! Getting back to skiing after 40 some years. With your instruction in my head now I feel very confident. Great videos!
Thank you very much for the kind words, Elizabeth :)
And I'm so glad to hear you're getting back into cross-country skiing. Feel free to ask any questions that you may have, and I'll do my best to answer them :)
Thank You!! The word “kick” never made sense to me. Push and glide makes much more sense! Appreciate your videos.
Thank you for the comment, Colleen 🤗
There's still a lot of people that use "kick and glide," but there's definitely a trend to stop using it by instructors. Mostly I think it's used by people who have been xc skiing for many, many years and already know what the "kick" part means. And that's fine for them. But as an instructor (to many beginners), it just makes more sense to me to be as specific as possible when describing a movement.
Even the PSIA (of which I'm certified) cross country manual features a specific (albeit short) section that talks about the use of "kick." In that section they acknowledge that it's inaccurate to describe the pushing off phase. But they also note that it'll probably remain in cross country vernacular for a long time. That said, you won't hear me using it 😉
Thank you. I enjoy your videos, and appreciate the time you put into them. 63 years old, in my 4th season cross-country skiing, starting to get some idea of what to do, and it's a blast. You are helping me learn. Cheers!
Thanks so much for the kind words, Ken! I'm glad to be of service :)
Yeah, xc skiing is super fun. And it only gets better as you develop your technique!
Dude, incredibly informative and nuanced instructional you've developed here! I have just dipped my toes into nordic skiing and your entire suite of tutorials has been a valuable resource for me to lean on and reference presently. I enjoy your more cerebral approach to instructing, coupled with the technical side of the activity. I'm feeling inspired and better prepared for my outings. Thanks!
Hey Eugene,
Super kind of you to offer such nice feedback :) I totally appreciate it!
I'll continue to produce more similar and somewhat in-depth styles of tutorials. Getting a grip on the mechanics of a thing is usually my way of learning faster. Also, having a broader sense of the activity (in order to help it tie in to the bigger picture) also contributes to my ability to pick up new activities. So, I'm glad to hear that my approach to presenting this information has resonated with you. Glad I can be of service :)
Again, thanks for the kind words and enjoy your time outdoors this winter!
Decided to try Cross country skiing, the last attempt I was 18, I am now mid 60's. After 2 days of short trips and one good fall (snowplow gone bad) I realized there was more than jogging on the snow. I watched a couple of short videos but yours was the first to show the transition of weight. The no snow push off to the other foot. So I am now lunging around the house practicing the movement. Looking forward to trying it out tomorrow.
Very cool, Tim! I support the indoor training - haha ;) Just watch the furniture! I'll be honest, I find myself standing on one leg whenever I find myself standing around, like in the grocery line, etc... :)
Thanks for the nice feedback, by the way, and for tuning in. There are a lot of xc ski related videos on TH-cam, many of which are far shorter than mine. But xc skiing seems like such a subtly complex art that shorter videos just don't tell the whole story. Anyway, I really appreciate you watching!
Let me know if you ever have any questions :)
Thank you. This video had the best advice for me. Hop! I am a novice skier and it's the one sport I do all by myself so I don't get the benefit of other skier's feedback. I had two lessons but they didn't effectively communicate how to transfer weight. So when I found your video I practiced hopping in my home and then went to the mtn to practice. It worked! Managed to take a half-hour off my time for doing my loop, I felt so much more in control to propel forward. Hop is the very best advice!
Thank you, Erin!
I appreciate the comments and support :)
Yeah, it's kind of a funny thing when it comes to transferring your weight. Being light on your feet essentially enables you to become heavier on your feet, but in a more focused manor. By being able to hop and skip and quickly moving from one foot to another in a quick fashion, you're more apt to be able to compress the ski more effectively and, therefore, be able to get better grip for push off. Before this season (2020-21) is out, I'm going to try to put together another video with various "agility" drills and movements to encourage people to "play" a little more on skis so that they can develop that light-on-the-feet approach to xc skiing.
Again, thanks for tuning in!
Xc skiing reminds me of kayaking ..when paddling u r actually "pushing" thru the water but many think u r "pulling" thru the water..
Very interesting comparison! Body movement can always be so deceptive -- pushing instead of pulling, for example. Unless you actually train and practice in the given sport, it can seem so straightforward yet inaccurate!
Thanks for the insight!
Really good explanation on how to push off! Don't know what I was doing the first couple of tries on xc skies. Today I showed some major improvements after watching your video. Achieved good speed on flat surface and only fell once :) Sure going to watch more of your videos, enjoy the winter!
Hey Alex!
Thanks so much for the kind words. I really appreciate it! And I'm glad to hear you were making some good forward progress - pun intended ;) Classic xc skiing usually looks so easy but there are just a lot of small details to focus on. So I'm glad you're finding my videos helpful and I hope you keep training.
Thanks again for tuning in, and for the feedback :) Let me know if you ever have any specific questions about classic skiing and I'll do my best to answer them promptly.
Thank you for this video, it's been very helpful. I'm quite the beginner and loving the sport, but I've been looking for good video to help since I have no one to teach me where I am (unless I spend more money than I have) and have been struggling. I appreciate your time and effort!
Hey Jessica!
Thanks so much for the kind words and feedback. I really appreciate it :) I'm glad to hear that you're having a great time with cross-country skiing. Let me know if you ever have any specific questions :)
Thank you for showing us the drills to get comfortable on the skis. Very helpful.
You're welcome, Vanessa! Glad I could be of service :)
Terrific video with great info. I appreciate your clear explanations, and precise language.
Enjoying some nice snow in the northeast.⛄️
Thanks so much for the kind words, Kim 🤗 I'm glad I could be of service. And I'm even more glad that you have snow on which to ski! ❄️❄️❄️ Let me know if you ever have any questions.
hey i really appreciate this video, i managed to snag a pair of XC skis for 10 bucks with matching poles, I've always wanted to try it and these videos are helping tremendously
Hey Rex! So glad I could be of service :)
I'm also glad to hear that you're getting into cross country skiing! I have a bunch of xc ski videos here on TH-cam, so take a look and let me know if you ever have any specific questions.
Thanks for tuning in, and for the kind words :)
Cheers for the video, really helpful. Australian living in Norway, so it's all very new. I'm falling over a lot when I ski so your explanations will help immensely. Thanks
Hey David,
Thanks so much for the positive feedback. Sounds like you're on a wonderful life adventure!
I fell a lot when I was first starting to xc ski, as well (as do most people!). But once you start to grasp the mechanics of the skis and using them as they're designed, you'll feel a lot more confident and begin to know how far you can push them. I still fall on occasion now, but it's usually when I'm moving out of my comfort zone, particularly when practicing my downhill technique.
Good luck, and let me know if you ever have any questions!
Nicely explained Jared. When it is done correctly, it looks effortless. But getting there is not easy. Skol!
Thanks, Robert! I appreciate the comment 🤗 Yeah, it's one of those things that's essentially simple, but definitely not easy 😉
I've really enjoyed your first two intro videos, Jared! I'm 68 and done with winter and summer powersports I want to try CC skiing and your videos encourage me I wish I lived closer to you to take your lessons, but I'm in W central Wisconsin
Thanks so much for the kind words :) And I totally appreciate you tuning in to my channel.
Believe it or not, I'm an Upper Midwesterner too. I grew up in the Upper Peninsula until I was 10 (yes I'm technically a Yooper - haha), and then lived in the Twin Cities until I graduated high school. But in my youth, I never got into snow sports. Wrestling was my winter sport in junior high and high school. haha. But I did always love playing outside in the winter. I started to snowboard in the winter of 2005/06 (soon after moving to Tahoe). And it wasn't until eight years ago that I started cross-country skiing. I fell in love with it immediately and kind of wished I had done it many, many years ago. Regardless, we are here today and can choose to do it now!
So glad you're getting into xc skiing and find value in my work. Let me know if you ever have any questions, and I'll do what I can to answer them :)
You are doing great job. I have learned a lot by watching your videos! Offcourse the practise and trying it in real life is the most important thing. But I find your way of explaining things to a beginner really helpfull. I try to remember them my best when I get on to my skies. I have now skied like 6 times as an adult (I turn 43 next month) and I just wanted to tell that your videos has helped me so much to find a tecnique to be safe and learn to ski. Offcourse I understand that I just need a lot of hours on the track and practise again and again to really get it and to find a totaly new muscles and a courage to to this. But your advice on my mind I can develope my skils slowely as it may be but I allready can feel a progress and with that I have to give a really big thanks for your videos. Thank you so much! I love this sport allready! I can only get better! 😆 Sorry If my spelling was bad! I’m from Finland ❤️
Hey Hanna,
Again, thank you so much for the kind words 🤗 I really appreciate all of the positive feedback.
Yes, repetition and putting kilometers on the skis is definitely the key to becoming a better xc skier. But I also believe that having some specific focus (on aspects of technique) is just as important. So you're on the right track. Keep in mind that nobody can focus on everything at the same time every time they're learning something new, so just be clear about a couple specific elements you want to work on each time you ski. And, always remember to have some fun when you're out there practicing 😁
I wish you continued success on your journey. Let me know if you ever have any questions. And, your English is great! No apologies necessary 👍
Thank you! I’ve been skiing for years but I’m in the process of getting my hubby out and about. You gave me some great understanding and tips for teaching a beginner. Having fun out there and being able to ski for an afternoon, have a picnic under a tree feeding the whiskey jacks is the goal 😊 happy new year!
Thanks so much for the kind words, Heidi 🤗 And glad I could be of service! Sounds like you have some great adventures ahead of you this winter. Let me know if you ever have any questions. Happy New Year ❄️❄️❄️
Wonderful video. There's finally snow on the ground in the mid Hudson valley of upstate New York and we just skied at the golf course at Vassar College. To say we are rusty is an understatement. Your video using repetition, different ways to describe motion, and the humble and winning manner you have of doing that shows teaching skills and skiing technique that is convincing and entertaining and the considerable thought behind it all. Thanks.
Thanks, Jay! I really appreciate the kind words and meaningful feedback 🤗
For awhile it seemed like out here on the west coast we were the only ones with snow. So I'm glad to hear you have some snow your way! It's always better when we can share the winter experience ❄️❄️❄️
Again, thanks for the nice feedback. I try to be straightforward and to avoid making a circus out of the production. So I'm grateful that my presentation style resonates with you ☺️
Take care, and let me know if you ever have any questions! But I have confidence you'll work off the rust in no time 👍
Thanks
Thank you so much for the support!
Thank you. Nice job. It would be helpful if you included some slow motion from a variety of angles so I can see and understand the pole and push off. It’s hard to see if when your quickly moving.
Thank you for the meaningful feedback, David! Yes, I probably should incorporate more slow motion footage into my videos. I'll start to keep that in mind as I'm filming. Unfortunately, I'm primarily a one-person operation so it's often difficult to get lots of angles, particularly close-ups. But I will try to do better!
Thanks for tuning in, and let me know if you have any specific questions :)
Hey I found your videos trying to learn how to deal with hills! It may sound funny but we cc skied in high school always on the flat ten years ago! I have nice club in my town I volunteer at so ended wanted get back into cc get good work out and found this place had many grads to go down. I can get along fine but I took few spills trying to remember the snow plow. I took time watched all parts and few other videos and can’t explain how helpful it was. I’m going to be going to beginner classes with my little girl but wanted to get out before hand and night(lights on trail)
Thanks again
Hey Justin,
Thanks so much for the kind words :) And I'm glad you're finding value in my videos!
I think by necessity (i.e. geography) a lot of xc ski programs deal with flatter terrain, particularly those in the Midwest. Here at Lake Tahoe, there are lots of cross-country ski teams and clubs. But instead of training on the flats, they end up skiing mostly hills and mountains due to being located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
I noticed this weekend one of my co-workers (who also races) was maintaining a high cadence/tempo on a flatter section of terrain. I asked her about it afterwards (why not draw the glide out a little longer and give yourself a fractionally longer rest?), and she said where she normally trails there are very few actual flat sections. Basically, it's become habitual for her to maintain such a high cadence. She's also a lot younger than me, so she's still in that young person mentality of using strength/speed instead of leverage/timing (as we're wont to do the more we age).
Anyway, it's interesting to recognize that different terrain can yield different technique and tempo.
Sounds like you're going to have a great season. Thanks for volunteering with your local club. I suspect that most xc ski clubs across the nation could benefit from having more volunteers and mentors. Over the past few years I've helped out a little with the local high schools xc ski program, but I haven't made the commitment to do it more often.
Take care, and let me know if you ever have any questions!
Of all the videos I’ve watched I think these are the most comprehensive when it comes to form and distribution of weight. As I said in a comment from a previous video, I find myself getting worn out and I’m pretty sure it has something to do with my form and not my fitness level. Can’t wait to get back out there and put your instructions to use
Thanks so much for the kind words, Dina! Glad I can be of service :)
Of the two (form and fitness), I do find that form is the more critical factor in having a more enjoyable and less exhausting (!) time on snow :)
Not sure if I'll have the time to produce more similarly in-depth classic xc skiing-related videos this season. But, no matter what, I'll definitely pick back up where I left off next winter. Here at Lake Tahoe we're already experiencing spring-like conditions so I have a few videos that I'm planning to make related to that aspect of xc skiing.
Thanks again for tuning in. I truly appreciate it :)
@@JaredManninen here in Quebec as well it’s feeling like spring! 6 degrees and sunny (Celsius).
@@850081236 Crazy! I wish it would be snowy far longer :)
good stuff....like to think of "kick" as kicking a ball (forward), not kicking backwards. All about the forward drive. I enjoy your explanations. [from a ski instructor] :)
Thanks for the kind words, John! And for watching :)
Yeah, kicking a soccer ball forward is one way in which instructors have transformed the idea of "kicking" over the years (to encourage that forward motion). It's a great visual aid, for sure. That said, I still just try to avoid using "kick" when describing diagonal striding. Call me "new school" Haha! But whatever works is good :)
Thanks again for tuning in, I appreciate the feedback!
Another great video, thanks. It certainly confused me when I was getting started, the kick and glide. I had it in my head that the kick must mean putting my leg back, as that’s what you do to kick. Confused me quite a bit. Your push and glide is such a better way of explaining. Great practices too.
Thanks again, Bill, for the feedback :)
A lot of people will continue to use the term "kick," but I have eliminated it from my vocabulary ;) It just makes so much more sense to use accurate terminology to describe a body movement.
Anyway, thanks again for the comment!
Thank you so much Jared for your tutorials. I have been searching for something like this for a long time. Like you, I am also a visual learner, so I appreciate the opportunity to watch you ski over and over again. I have a suggestion that, at least for me, will make your tutorials even better. If you could add to your descriptions how your movements feel in the body, what muscles are getting activated, what should hurt at the end of the day, that will make your videos perfect for my kind of learning. Hope you will consider this suggestion. Thank you again for your very helpful work.
Thanks so much for the kind words and the great feedback!
I agree that I need to incorporate into these tutorials more about the feeling, sensation, and the muscles engaged. This is an athletic endeavor, after all!
Again, thank you so much for tuning in. I appreciate you watching and offering the helpful suggestions :)
If I slow down the video to 1/4 speed it looks as though your ski is completely stopped before it pushes off and then raises. Is that a correct observation?
Hey Cynthia,
Great observation! Yes, you are absolutely correct in that the push-off ski comes to a complete stop. This pause is only for a split second, though. It happens because I've transferred all of my weight on to the push-off ski in order to flatten it (so that the grip zone engages with the snow). It's at that point I can actually push off and move forward. Generally speaking, this should be really fast and dynamic so that you can maintain forward momentum. Basically, you don't want to linger on a stopped ski because you won't go anywhere :)
Again, great attention to detail! Let me know if you have other questions.
These are some EXCELLENT videos. Too bad TH-cam has put so many commercials/ads on them as it really distracts from what you're teaching.
Hey Wayne,
Thanks so much for the kind words :) And I'm glad you're finding my videos helpful.
As far as the ads go, I'm also not a huge fan of having to watch them. However, now that I'm creating videos way more often and do draw a little revenue from those ads, I can't really complain about them too much ;) Just know that when you are faced with having to watch those ads, you're actually supporting small-time creators like me :)
Over the long-term, I plan to produce many more of these intro to classic xc skiing videos. So if you ever have any requests for topics or tutorials, let me know!
Take care :)
@@JaredManninen I moved to Truckee on October 1 and want to take up X-country skiing to add to my outdoor and hunting skill set. Your videos are gold. Best of luck!!!
@@wayneparker9331 Thank you, Wayne! Perhaps we'll see each other on the trails sometime :) And good luck with the inbound snowstorm!
I only saw one ad in the whole video
I went through all of my videos last season to make sure that there weren't an excessive number of ads. I originally used auto ads, and youtube included a lot of them.
nice video for beginners, I’ll be sharing this
Thank you, Robin! I totally appreciate it. Now, I need to get outside and ski before I lose anymore light today. Have a great week!
I would assume ski length is more critical for XC skis than alpine or skinning. How do you optimize the right amount of load on the grip zone, based on body weight? Just by length? Too short seems would not give enough lift and give too much drag, while too long might not engage the grip zone enough. How sensitive are grip zones to body weight, say if I carry heavy pack for longer trip?
As an alpine skier, I'm familiar with length determining speed stability vs turn agility. Curious about XC in this regard for length selection
More great questions! I love it :)
In xc skiing, the length of your ski is critical for your specific body weight. Every ski made by every manufacturer has a specific weight recommendation. I personally never recommend buying a set of skis outside of that range because the experience is exactly as you describe -- too long = no grip, too short = drag. And since diagonal striding is about achieving an ideal balance between grip and glide, you need the proper length of ski in which to accommodate that.
This video is older and not as polished as my more contemporary ones, but I explain this concept (th-cam.com/video/_egFpCYX7Z8/w-d-xo.htmlsi=8AuJ4MOB0mOgtUYT ) about choosing the right length of xc ski for you body weight. And in this video I discuss why I don't recommend using a longer ski (for your body weight) even if you're planning on carrying a heavy pack (th-cam.com/video/_egFpCYX7Z8/w-d-xo.htmlsi=8AuJ4MOB0mOgtUYT ).
Basically, you're mostly going to be limited in ski length based on your weight. So you won't have too many options for trying to figure out whether you want to buy a longer or short ski. That said, higher end xc skis designed more for racing (classic or skate skis) will offer some different camber stiffnesses at different lengths. So, if you were super tall and skinny, you'd want to use a longer ski with a softer camber. And if you were short and heavy you'd want to use a shorter ski with a stiffer camber. But these skis, again, are more oriented toward racing and groomer skiing. When it comes to the length of a backcountry xc ski, you're limited to the lengths based on your body weight. And, again, I don't recommend deviating from these manufacturers recommendations. That said, nearly all backcountry-oriented xc skis are going to be significantly shorter than a track ski since they're going to be wider, more shaped (hardly compared to an alpine ski, though!), and designed to negotiate the unpredictable backcountry situations (uneven terrain, natural obstacles). Those backcountry xc skis are going to most likely be longer than an alpine ski no matter what, however. That's just the deal with xc skiing. A longer overall ski, regardless of style, will help you cover more distance with less work.
Anyway, let me know if you have more questions or want additional clarification of anything I've written here.
Again, thanks for watching and asking questions!
@@JaredManninen Ok, that makes sense. Thanks!
@@wyskass861 You're welcome :)
Do many people use wax these days ? Vs scales. Im thinking backcountry camping etc maybe pulling pulk
And one last time... haha! I appreciate all of the comments :)
Most people who use waxable cross-country skis are classic racers and resort skiers (who are probably racers or former racers). There are some brands of backcountry xc skis that sell waxable bc xc skis (namely Asnes), but I think most people prefer a dedicated grip zone (scales) or to use detachable skins.
Again, with a waxable grip zone you have to get that wax right otherwise you get no grip. And that doesn't make for a great backcountry ski tour. And, in the backcountry, the snow can be really variable so there's less of a chance of grip waxing those skis perfectly.
A scale-patterned grip is the most versatile and dependable (in my opinion), so if you were planning a backcountry xc ski tour with either a backpack or pulk I'd just stick with that. I did do an overnight tour last month wearing a weighted backpack and it worked just fine for me. There are clearly considerations, particularly with how you bear that weight, when skiing with a pack. But it's totally doable with the right skills.
Here's a link to that video if you're interested in checking it out.
th-cam.com/video/t0zyUavikoY/w-d-xo.html
Okay, I totally appreciate you tuning in and for adding to the conversation(s)!
@JaredManninen thanks very very interesting
I'll watch both vids
di you go out on Sunday? is there any/good snow out at Grass Lake, Luther Pass area? thanks.
Yes, I went out late today (Sunday, 12/13) for an hour and a half and it was storming wonderfully. A definite mix of snow quality, but coverage all over ❄😁❄
Thank you so much for these beginner videos. Today as I was out there I tried focusing on my weight placement. I notice that I’m very slow. Is the body core meant to stay sort of stationary over the center, or in order to put all the weight on one ski is the core of the body sort of leaning slightly on the side of the ski taking on the weight?
Your welcome, Kimberly :)
I'll be talking more about the weight transfer from ski to ski in my next video of this series. Although, it may be a little while before I produce that one. Some of these more detailed videos take me a long time to make - haha!
So, in the meantime...
You want to slightly shift your center of mass from side to side when transferring your weight from ski to ski. Believe it or not, I consider this to be a relatively advanced concept. The reason being is that it's such a subtle shift of your weight (a few inches). And, to introduce the idea too soon tends to cause beginners to really exaggerate the side-to-side movement. Then it ends up looking a bit comical, like a wobble, wobble-type thing going down the tracks. So, be patient with yourself as you work on shifting your weight.
Consider this ... if you stood upright (without skis) and kept your feet in a neutral stance (hip-width apart) and then took one leg away, you'd naturally fall toward the space where your leg was. This is due to your center of mass having been centered between both feet (two bases of support). Pretending that the leg completely disappeared (i.e. you can't recover by putting it back down) your natural reaction (hopefully!) would be to shift your weight onto the remaining leg. This seems pretty instinctual, right? You use what you have to prevent yourself from falling over and, in this case, it would be your only remaining leg.
This is similar to the idea when transferring your weight in classic skiing, except that you're intentionally removing that second leg from the equation (temporarily, so that it can basically rest for a moment while utilizing your other leg to glide and then push off). The trick to effectively transferring your weight, however, is to keep everything aligned properly (ankles, knees, hips, and torso). And this looks mostly straight, up and down. Obviously all of our bodies have some types of curves to them, but essentially you want your joints to be stacked so that you're not relying on awkward muscular contractions to keep you upright. Your hips and shoulders should be parallel to the ground when standing on one leg (i.e. no leaning over) through this transfer. There is hip rotation occurring as you drive the trailing leg forward into the glide phase, but that's another subtle/advanced detail that I wouldn't focus on right now. And, your hips will remain parallel to the ground no matter what.
To ensure that your hips and shoulders are parallel while balancing on the one leg, you'll have to move your hips slightly to the outside (like I said, a few inches). Do some practice in front of a mirror to find your balance/alignment point. First, just stand on one leg and lean your upper body to the outside and notice how, technically, you're balanced on one leg, but the posture looks awkward. Often in this position your body will have all kinds of odd angles to it (in relation to the horizontal ground). Your knees might be collapsed inward, your hips will probably be angled down toward the "missing" leg, and your shoulders are most likely angled down toward the outside. Or, you'll have some variation of that zig-zaggy type configuration. From that awkward position, visualize a string pulling your hip outward just a few inches so that the center line of your torso is basically directly over that foot (on which your standing). As you draw that hip outward, notice how you begin to stand a little taller (everything is stacked now) and all of those angles (knees, hips, shoulders) look, more or less, parallel to the ground. I practice this all time (not necessarily the bad posture part or while standing in a mirror). But, often while I'm waiting in line at the grocery store, or whatever, I'll work on balancing on one leg by shifting my hips from side to side to see where I begin to come out of alignment.
To put this alignment in motion is challenging, though, because it's such a subtle shift from side to side. But once you start to get a feel for your balance point, it'll come pretty naturally.
Anyway, that's probably enough for now! haha. Let me know if you have other questions :)
Have you thought about giving a group lesson. I have at least 6 people that want to try this. We live by cave rock.
Hey Mike!
Great to hear from you :) Hope you're having a great holiday season. Yeah, why don't we keep in touch and schedule something after the new year. I have some oddball work days in the next week and a half (due to the holidays), so I don't want to plan anything quite yet. And, if you don't mind, send me an email with your contact info via my website (tahoetrailguide.com/tahoe-trail-guide-support-services/) so that I can get in touch with you directly.
Thanks!
I'm just starting out at this at 59 years old...I'm finding your insights very valuable. As my balance isn't what it used to be... the idea of being "light" on your feet has helped considerably. However...as I get going down the track I find myself slapping my skis down quite hard as I try to increase my stride. Do you have any tips to minimize or eliminate this?
Hey Peter,
It's definitely never to late to start xc skiing. And I appreciate that you're finding value in my videos. Thanks for the kind words :)
As far as your skis "slapping" goes, that's often a result of landing your trailing ski too early. This is kind of challenging for me to express in words, but...
Try to land your foot of the new glide ski (the ski that was trailing behind) in front of the other foot (which was the push-off foot). So when you've just pushed-off, you're going to be transferring your weight onto the other ski. It's this other ski that needs to land (your foot actually) in front of the push-off foot. But rather than focusing on where your foot is going to land for that new glide ski, think of driving your knee forward (i.e. bend your knee slightly).
The problem with trying to focus on the placement of your foot/ski is that the ski is at the end of the line (i.e. attached at the end of your leg). People tend to get target fixated on that ski and forget to bend their leg enough (because they're so focused on the ski). So their leg is often too straight to land their foot in front of the other (especially on an uphill trail). The slapping occurs because the ski lands too early (i.e. slightly behind the other foot).
Again, this is tough to describe so I'm hoping I'm not confusing you more :)
If anything, try to visualize walking with absolutely straight legs (like Frankenstein's monster). If you didn't bend your knee, you'd always be landing your feet right next to each other or maybe even slightly behind. So, walking normally is a matter of bending our knees slightly so that the trailing leg (and attached foot) can land in front of the other one.
Let me know if that's helpful or not (and I'll try to explain more clearly). But this is a pretty common problem, and I still occasionally do this myself. Mostly I find myself doing this on an uphill and I become lazy or forget to bend my legs enough to land my foot in front of the other.
Thanks again for tuning in :)
@@JaredManninen Thank you for this explanation! I’m in week one of learning xc and am trying to reduce how often I “shuffle” and instead really bring my trailing leg forward correctly. The way you described it above was very helpful.
Thank you for the kind words, Liv! And glad I could be of service 🤗
Another aspect about reducing that slapping sound (aka landing your trailing leg too early) is that when you push off to the next ski it should be pretty assertive so that you're nearly bounding. It shouldn't be excessive, but rather just committed to shifting your weight to the next ski which has you then being "tall" which creates some necessary space for your trailing leg to swing through.
Anyway, it's a very subtle thing and challenging to consistently perform when you're starting out. So hopefully i haven't caused any confusion 😏
@@thetinycathouse Just an FYI ... here's a video where I describe in a little more detail about that ski slapping issue th-cam.com/video/2HEiuzjOwLA/w-d-xo.html
I realize this is nearly a year later, but I did produce a video this past week regarding that ski slapping issue (if you're still interested). th-cam.com/video/2HEiuzjOwLA/w-d-xo.html
Great tutorial and explanations. However too many ad interruptions. I understand it's an income from advertisement but every 5 minutes or less having to watch 2 ads is really too much.
Hey Nuno,
Thanks so much for tuning in!
I've been sorting through this whole monetization/ads thing all winter (as I'm new to it), so I appreciate the specific feedback. Mostly I've just been using the "auto" feature from TH-cam for ad placement, but it appears that based on how I edit videos (i.e. some have more transitions and pauses in audio than others) that causes TH-cam to either include more or less ads. So, some of my videos have lots of ads while others have none. Clearly, I need to spend some time sorting through my videos to correct that (i.e. delete the excessive ads). So, again, I appreciate you taking the time to bring that to my attention.
And, of course, I'm glad you liked the actual video :)
od gg
sorry, keyboard not working..
No worries :)
Too many ads...
Perhaps you could take comfort in knowing that by suffering through a couple of TH-cam ads, you're supporting small publishers like myself who produce content on our own time and dime for everyone to watch for free.
@@JaredManninen yeah but, too many.
@@graywolfcarpentry564 Honestly, before about two hours ago I didn't even know that I had the ability to manipulate how many ads were presented on each video. The thing about Google and TH-cam is they actual prefer to automate everything for us small publishers based on their algorithms. It increases their revenue. And it generally makes things easier for us creators because we don't have to manually do everything ourselves. But automation is usually less than desirable as evidenced by your viewing experience.
I just finished a two-month battle with Google (last week) due to what Google perceived as "invalid" traffic on my website (Tahoe Trail Guide). You know what the problem ended up being? It was the Auto Ads function that I had enabled based on Google's recommendation. But Google doesn't actually tell you what the problem is so I wasted a ton of hours trying to figure it out. Basically, the auto ads feature put ads everywhere on my site and this is contrary to Google's own policy. So my ads were limited for the two months and caused me to lose a bunch of ad revenue. I've since disabled the auto ad feature and have been placing ads manually on the 100+ articles that I've published for the site.
The bottom line is that, like most people, I have a job, other life commitments, and a finite amount of time to create new content. So as much as I welcome feedback, feedback without a solution, recommended path to reconcile the situation, or specifics isn't helpful. Fortunately the person who complained about the ads today mentioned they were showing up every couple of minutes (which sounded odd to me as that's too frequent), so I investigated and learned how to modify them. But of the 3,000+ views of the video, you two were the only ones who said anything about the volume of ads. So, prior to that I had no reason to go looking into the issue.
Anyway, this whole topic is now moot because I've since reconciled it.
@@JaredManninen thank you. It is better when being taught something you want to learn is not constantly interrupted. Also I would bet if I never clicked skip ads that the ads themselves would be longer than your entire video.(if not double the time).
@@graywolfcarpentry564 No prob. Yeah, some of those ads are super long! I believe I disabled all of the non-skippable ads on my videos, as well as tweaking the volume that they appear during the videos. I can't believe how many details and customizable options there are to address for every video! Thanks again for watching.
I also hate that word "kick". That one word sets up beginners for bad form. Deprogramming beginners from that donkey kick is hard.
Most definitely a challenge to overcome bad habits based on the longtime use of unclear language :) I think in some contexts it's fine to include the word (kick double pole comes to mind), but to do so sparingly and to be clear about the intended use. It's just to easy to misinterpret.
Thanks for the comment as always, Newt :)