Classic vs Skate Skiing: What's right for you?

Super helpful! Thank you!

Thank you for the comparison. I started with classic skis 50 years ago and have progressed to skate skiing which I’ve mainly do now. If it’s very cold I find classic ski to be better. I found that skate skiing uses all my muscles, is more demanding on energy level, is smother and easier on your joints and keeps my balance sharp in my older age, it keep me young and I hope I can continue to skate ski for many years to come.

Great video, very helpful not only for beginners! Greetings from the Italian Alps

Wowzers, very well instructed!

Very nice video. I'd like to add a comment for beginners that while classic technique is easier to begin with, as at its most basic level, it is like walking, it is more difficult to master at an advanced level than skate techniques are. Once the skating timing and weight transfer begin to 'click', most people can progress to advanced skiing fairly quickly, where as it may take years and possibly coaching to develop expert classic technique.

Thank you this was very helpful and informative. I love how you broke down all the different factors in both.

Thank you for all the information.

This is really well presented. Does anyone know what software was used to pause and draw over the video here?

You did a great job!

Wow, thank you. Masterclass, Greetings from Spain

Thank you for this clear and exhaustive description, and giving technical, fitness and "motivational" advice. Now I can choose with a peaceful mind.

Really well done!!

This was very interesting as a downhill skiier who has to use a skate method to get around on flats, due to my heel being attached to the ski as well. I want to try it with cross country, which i have never tried before.

Hey Nordic Ski Lab! I do Classic because I am affraid of skate style is harder to my multiple time operated knees. Can you tell me which one is better for knee and hip joints?

I never had Skis on my feet before. Went skiing for the first time yesterday and it turned out to be a cross country course. I must've annoyed a lot of people. Fell atleast 20 times hahaha, This video helped me a lot, really excited to try it again this week.

Great resource! 👍

This was an excellent and very informative video, thank you so much!

simply enjoy both styles... 👍🏻😊❄️☃️

Skate skiing is a lot of fun. I've been a downhill skier for most of my life and was used to skate skiing with downhill skies, which really relies on the blades digging in to the snow. I found out very quickly that this is not the case with cross country. You REALLY need to focus on consistent technique in order to be successful. That said, I had it figured out after a couple hours and was able to zoom around the nordic areas at a good clip. I really enjoyed it and look forward to trying it again.

Diagonal gate not stride. In a lope.

This is a very interesting video. I am extremely duck-footed and have zero balance with my feet in parallel. I've almost fallen on my ass by just standing in one place. I think skate skiing would be super fun.

I notice that competitive XC skiers use much longer poles than recreational skiers.

I wonder about going straight to skate. I'm an old lady, but I skate with my downhill skis to get through flats, or just to speed up through a snoozy stretch. My downhill skis are fat and wide, and rolling to the inside edge has just about no risk of snagging the tip into the snow. Also, in downhill, my heel is fixed, and my foot is just about molded into the boot. This gives me a lot of direct control of the ski. So, perhaps the two techniques are comparing apples and oranges. Perhaps Nordic Ski Lab can comment on the relation of the two methods of skating

thank you for this video!

your videos are excellent. I particularly like that you clarify/explain things like how the 'kick' is not really a kick, it makes the sport more accessible.

wow, great video. Love the parallell videos going back and forward going through the movement! thanks

Nice description...but what about the ski difference? Is there a different binding for each?

Great video! Thanks!

I am very sorry but this was not helpful to me at all. 12 minutes of commentation over the same repeating 2 second clip isn't providing me with enough visual to analyze.

Красивая техника👍🏻

Thank you! Where was this filmed?

Brilliant video with not a single superfluous image or word and every salient detail included.
Some years back I threw myself in the deep end on the strength of 30 seasons prior mostly back-country xc ski-touring/ telemarking experience by renting a pair of skating skis and entering a birkebeiner 21km event which happened to have a no break 5km uphill section. I am certain this presentation will contribute to a better result next time.
Been a fan of NSL for a few years now.
Thank you for your consistent quality.

What an excellent video! I tried Classic Cross Country skiing when I was 13 years old, no tracks, no training. I was in the best shape of my life then, and couldn't go but 1 city block.
Fast forward several decades, with an enthusiast to help do some light coaching, and tracks, and I did cross country skiing in Royal Gorge, North America's largest cross country ski areas for HOURS right off the bat. What a feeling of freedom, and exhilaration! I highly recommend trying both - for me skate skiing will be next - get out, and enjoy the outdoors, and feel like you can do anything at any point in life. Thank you for sharing the magic of wintertime! ❤

Question: I live 15 miles outside of NYC. Where can I get training in NY, NJ, CT, VT, or NH when I travel? Does your Lab have a "find the nearest coach" option?

which of the two types of skiing is it easier to get comfortable in the shortest time window?

I like classic but I don't want to look like a dork.

Q. If I’m an avid downhill skier will skate skiing be easier for me? I kinda do that motion anyway when I’m on the flats. I’m I correct in this assumption? I’ve not yet tried either style of Nordic. I’m an avid cyclist so strong leg muscles. Good balance because I learned to ice skate as a 5 year old.

What do you look for in terms of terrain with classic vs skate? Will the ski areas specify which one it's groomed for? I'm assuming skate ski trails must be smoother and harder packed? In that sense, is classic skiing a more versatile choice for both trail types? FYI, I live near the Catskill mountains.

I naturally toe out bc of my hips and high arches...would it be best start with skate skiing?

Fantastic description! Thank you.

Great video and well done..... I have been down hill skier for years, but now cross country in my older age...had motorcycle accident and therefore not able to downhill, but i can cross country and given my balance issues..cross country is perfect in stabalizing my balance and get the outdoor exercise i need as well. Thanks again for the tips

Well, you’ll also need to check whether your area offers classic and/or skate tracks. Here in my area in Scandinavia, classic tracks are easily accessbile everywhere during winter as they require less space. For skating, there are much fewer prepared tracks available, as normal hiking paths are not wide enough to fit both classic and skating during winter. Then you typcially only get classic tracks.

Awesome instructional video. Beautiful area too

Excellent video. I started nearly 16 years ago with classic and have always wondered about skate skiing, because I am a figure skater and I have been wondering if there's any crossover skill. If the movements are similar to ice skating. It kinda looks like they're similar, and I would mainly need to figure out what to do with the poles.

I find the opportunities I have to skate ski is very rare, even though I own a pair for both styles and I try to get some workouts with my skate skis every season ... there are always some stretches were skate skiing is difficult and I end up using the classic skis almost every trip for that reason ... If you like to go round in circles on a stadium I suppose you could have a go at skate skiing, else just stick to a pair of good allround skis that you actually can skate a little with as well just to switch it up in your training. My classic skis have metal edges all the way through the ski, though, so skating with them works pretty well.

Nothing beats classic with solid tracks set. But, that may be a rare treat without right weather and groomer. Skate is more reliable.

Skate skiing requires like 160 HR or Zone 3 effort just to go. Until you're highly conditioned. But: if you put that same effort into classic, you can place near the top in races.

I love coming across videos that are shot in my town 😊

Thank you for such a complete coverage of the differences between the classic versus skate skiing technic! When I first started skate skiing I was using my classic ski equipment with no waxes under my ski. I would carry some grip wax with me just in case I could not make it back to the car skating, thank god I did that, the grip wax saved me so many time. If I had to do it again I would rent a skate ski equipment and take a x-country ski lesson, this would have speed up my learning time of the skating technic and more over reduce the time required to correct the so many faults I had in my skating movement which made that skating technic so hard for me to do. The ski skating technic is very tricking and not that obvious to me. Have a nice day.