What is cross-country skiing?
Originating in Norway and historically considered the best way to travel across snow, cross-country skiing is a sport that involves using skis and poles to move across flat or hilly snow-covered terrain.
What are the characteristics of classic style?
Practised since the late 19th century, the classic technique is definitely the one we recommend starting with: it's perfect for beginners and people without snow experience.
What you'll need are, of course, a pair of skis and a set of poles. The main arm and leg movements should be as natural as possible: by alternating your right arm with your left leg and vice versa, you create a movement that propels you forward.
Another characteristic of the classic technique is that your skis move within pre-set tracks, which resemble a sort of railway and make the first approaches to this activity easier.
So what exactly is skating style?
Unlike classic style, this type of cross-country skiing requires some experience. The name comes from the fact that the movements are very similar to those made by ice or roller skaters.
Your legs push forward and outward: that's why skating is practised on groomed pistes - not in pre-set tracks - to allow complete freedom of movement.
You need good balance, rhythm and familiarity with poles: otherwise, as often happens, beginners risk catching one pole in the ski on the same side, a phenomenon known as straddling.
As this style damages the piste tracks, you need to ensure it's permitted at the ski resort where you're skiing. It's definitely the more strenuous of the two styles and requires greater energy expenditure.
Now that you have all the information to distinguish between the two styles, all that's left is to choose one and try it! You can take a lesson or multiple lessons at Sestriere, with the Sestriere Ski School, or head to Grosseto and meet the super team at Booking Amiata. If you prefer islands, trust the experience of instructors from Big Alpine Guide in beautiful Sardinia!
Whichever centre you choose, you're guaranteed a day full of fun!
