Product Description
For the novice to intermediate cross-country skier: instruction by a former member of the PSIA National Nordic Demonstration Team

* Technique demonstrated with step-by-step photos

* Special learning activities reinforce instruction

* Sidebars for trouble-shooting common problems and matching technique to terrain and snow conditions

* Tips for helping kids fall in love with the sport

From the first time you step into your bindings to mastering the stride, the glide, and the skate: Steve Hindman has you covered. As a fully certified instructor, he's introduced hundreds of people to the sport; and also contributed to the last two instruction manuals on nordic skiing for the Professional Ski Instructors of America. Here he shares the same tips he uses on the snow to help you have more fun whether you're setting out for a city park, looking for family fun at a groomed ski area, or heading into the backcountry to set your own track.

This comprehensive guide covers equipment and accessories, waxing for grip and glide, training and conditioning, snow camping, route finding, and avalanche awareness. It will take you from how to fall (and how to get up again), through classic and skate skiing basics (including stance, poling principles, and downhill tactics), and up to more advanced variations of the sport. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

great motivator
This is an excellent, shall we say "classic" book on XC skiing.

I would recommend it to anyone, either as a learning tool, a motivator, or just a classic text for your library.

The photos are great and you can tell that the text is written by someone who not only knows his stuff but has a passion for it.

The only minor quibble is the section on telemark turning.If your interested in telemark, your probably better off buying one of the two books recommended that concentrate on telemark technique.

Excellent XC ski book
Steve Hindman's book is an outstanding introduction to Nordic skiing.He starts from scratch, describing the types of skis and bindings, and showing you how to get started for the first time. He then gradually progresses to the more advanced techniques of efficient and enjoyable cross country skiing. I have been Nordic skiing for 26 years without much instruction, and I learned a lot from the book. I highly recommend it.

An excellent comprehensive primer on enjoying the snow via skis
Aspiring skiers will love Cross-Country Skiing: Building Skills For Fun And Fitness: it joins others in Mountaineers' 'Outdoor Expert' series, providing a long-time PSIA instructor's techniques using step-by-step photos and learning activities to back instruction. Common problems receive sidebars of easily-accessed information, while technique is surveyed for different terrain and snow conditions. Cross-Cross-Country Skiing: Building Skills For Fun And Fitness: isn't just about technique, though: it includes games, health concerns, and tips on selecting skis and clothing. An excellent comprehensive primer on enjoying the snow via skis.
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Product Description
For fun and fitness on snow, there's no better sport than cross-country skiing. More effective than running, cycling, or swimming, all the fitness experts agree—it's the best exercise for a healthy heart and lungs.

Fitness Cross-Country Skiing has everything you need to get the most out of your skiing. Inside you'll find:

•Fifty-eight great workouts spanning six color-coded training zones, from low to high intensity

•Indoor and summer workouts for year-round fitness

•Tips on choosing the right equipment

•Cross-training advice for running, cycling, hiking, and in-line skating

•Three levels of training programs covering basic conditioning through high-level racing

•Guidelines for setting up a personalized training program

Written by former U.S. Ski Team coach Steve Gaskill, Fitness Cross-Country Skiing is part of the Fitness Spectrum Series—a collection of books from Human Kinetics that offers fitness enthusiasts and athletes a practical and flexible approach to training. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Cross Country Fitness
This book is easy to follow and enables the reader to make up a fitness program of one's own.I liked it better than the TAO Method of cross country skiing because it was so hard to follow.Excellent program!

Very good for beginning training
This book has the basics and more for someone beginning a training program for Cross Country Skiing.It also contains an endurance test, strength tests and stretches specific for Nordic skiing.The wide variety of levels/workout programs will fit anyones needs and desire, with some exercises and training sessions for each level.This book is skiing specific with some equipment selection and skiing technique infromation.There is also some handy tables and forms.*THINK SNOW*

Another good book on ski training
Fitness Cross-Country Skiing by Steve Gaskill is a commendable book foranyone who wants to train seriously.It covers pretty much everything butstops short of integrating technique with fitness. Other books which Ifound useful in my training were Training for cross-country ski racingbyBrian Sharkey and Tao of Skiing cd rom by xczone.

for the serious cross-country skier
This book is definitely for the cross-country skier who is also a racer, or wants to begin racing. This is not the book for the occasional skier who only wants to slide and glide on the golf course. Steve Gaskill, theauthor, was coach of the US Ski Team forten years. Since it was writtenby a coach, "Fitness,Cross-Country Skiing"is a very highlyorganized, step by step instructions for getting it top shape to compete inthe demanding sport of Nordic racing - everything from 5K sprints up to 50Kmarathons. Everything a competitor needs to know is here, dry landtraining, on snow training, exercises in the hills, on the flats, rollerblading, stretching, and rest days. There are heart rate charts, caloriesburned charts, and suggested levels of training for everyone from theout-of-shape weekend racer to the elite world class athlete. This isa wonderful resource of the competitor or one interested in total fitness. ... Read more

Product Description
& 100 b/w photos & 6 x 9 .Thorough guide to gear and technique& Authoritative advice from leading skiers and instructors& Detailed photographs throughoutIn only six inches of snow, in any place, and at any age, anyone can take part in cross-country skiing, one of the fastest-growing winter sports in the nation. It combines safe, low-impact activity with a complete cardiovascular workout; there is simply no healthier total body conditioner. In this illustrated guide, Jules Older examines technique, equipment, preparations, safety, and ski touring centers--all in a conversational and entertaining style that emphasizes the importance of going at your own pace and enjoying the outdoors.Jules Older, an avid skier and winter sports enthusiast, teaches writing at the University of Vermont and has been published in national and international skiing magazines. He lives in Albany, Vermont. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Retroactive
If you are someone who loves cross-country skiing for its quiet nordicstep and glide through the woods, wearing woolen knickers and munching ongranola, or if you are looking for a traditional introduction into thesport then this book is for you.

On the otherhand, if you are a skiskating racer in day glow spandex gulping power-gels and looking for thestate-of-the-art technique and training advice then keep looking.

What a kick!
One of the things I love about cross-country skiing is its diversity. Another thing is the easy-going quality-- you just go and enjoy the hell out of it, whether you're skating or track skiing or telemarking or runningaround the backcountry yodeling. The thing I DON'T like is how manypractitioners take it sooo seriously.Jules Older's book is a kick inthe pants. He has the right priorities. Whether he's talking aboutequipment, clothing, technique, skiing with your old dog, even waxing(which attracts the real fanatics!), you feel he's about to giggle. andit's contagious! There's still plenty of useful information; but thecontext - including photos - makes it fun. If you'd like to learnabout a great sport, hear some great stories, and laugh a lot in theprocess, I'd choose this over any other book! (And yeah, I used to be oneof those fanatics; turns out it's more fun to learn and laugh at the sametime.) ... Read more

Product Description
When author Michael Jeneid moved west to start the Sierra Club's Cross-Country Ski School at the Clair Tappaan Lodge he discovered that California is one of the premier ski areas in the country. Now, after years of investigation and research, he has compiled a book detailing California's major cross-country ski areas and local resort, hotel and lodge accommodations.

This combination how-to and trail guidebook covers virtually all of California's groomed cross-country ski areas. The trails were selected for their variety and the accommodations that surround them. Photos demonstrate turn techniques and show the beauty of the 22 areas covered.

Author Michael Jeneid is a fully certified P.S.I.A. cross-country instructor. He has raced in all of the major ski marathons of Europe and has twice skied Canada's 100-mile marathon, the Coureurs de Bois. He is also the author of Adventure Kayaking: Trips from the Russian River to Monterey. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Misleading Title and Disappointing Content
I have high respect for the author and I find the front matter on skiing history and ski techniques very interesting & informative.

However, for a guidebook, I was disappointed to find NO maps of ski trails for anywhere.No ski tours are described. Instead each ski area is described in general terms.The description of developed ski facilities and lodging is good, but where's the ski trails?

Furthermore, the coverage is spotty.All the areas around Tahoe and Donner are covered, but the southern and eastern Sierra and southern California ski areas are poorly represented.

I recommend buying Marcus Libkind's "Ski Tours in the Sierra Nevada." He has 4 volumes for various parts of the Sierra and another book on Lassen.

Disclaimer: I am not a professional reviewer hired by the publisher, but a real skier.

An excellent guide to the best skiing.
Michael Jeneid's Cross-Country Skiing California provides a guide to both trails and resorts, with chapters covering all of the state's major ski regions and local accommodations as well. An excellent guide to the bestskiing. ... Read more

Product Description
*** Note: This product has now been integrated with Nordic Skiing DVD products by XCZONE.TV ***

Tao of Skiing provides a comprehensive insight into the technical aspects of modern cross-country skiing, where the secrets are in the basics and the way (Tao) is in the correct preparation and execution of the details. The information is an expos? of key information from the world of elite xc skiing which is designed to fast track the development of specific skills and fitness. Beginners and Experts will benefit from the richness of ski tips, generous use of photos and intelligent explanations. An excellent tool for coaches and instructors. The definitive multimedia reference on XC skiing (300 pages).

This product is included on the Nordic Skiing Technique DVD, and Learn To Nordic Ski DVDs sold on amazon. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Great content, but technically outdated
This would certainly have been a great product 10 years ago. Today it is simply outdated. I give it 3 stars because the content is excellent and very helpful. The text provides first-class advise on how to improve your skiing technique (both for classic and skating, but tilted towards skating). Different to many other sources the text is easy to understand and easy to follow. Even better are the video clips that are both amazing to watch and extremely helpful.

However, I was quite disappointed by the poor resolution of the video clips. They are so small that I found myself touching the screen with the nose to see anything. Also, the material is not as well organized as one would expect from a web style presentation. The reader is forced to go through it in a linear fashion like for a book or a DVD without any cross referencing. Not even a Glossary (which would have been helpful to understand the Candian terms like 1-skate for V2 etc) is provided.

Not Much Help
This CD is not much help for a beginner or anybody. The CD in not put together very well. I wouldn't have bought it if I would have known what was in it. I wouldn't have given it any stars but I had to give it at least
one for the review

Key product
The amazing thing is that... this CD cost me less than a day pass at the local ski site, and saved me years of floundering around on snow.Tao (the way) of skiing is a large web site on a CD-Rom, complete with ample advise (text, images and small movies).The movies were a lot of fun and the text was straight to the point. (The way you would want to be instructed).Personally, I thoroughly enjoyed the package and appreciated what it has done for me... and I'm not hung on an occasional Typo.

Great format and delivery - Well Done.
The CD-ROM is packed full of great advice delivered in easy to read point form (like an Aide Memoire). Each sentence or teaching point stands on its own.I could take one gem of knowledge at a time; without having to wade through pages of pretentious prose.The explanations were very precise and most meaningful to those with some skiing experience under their belt. Best read with an open mind.

What a fun way to study technique
A CD-ROM; I do not know why someone did not think of this before. It is great. I spent hours digesting hundreds of hints on everything from technique, to training and playing the fun and informative Quicktime videos. It is not often that you can look into a decade worth of training diary entries and training notes of a World Cup Gold medalist. ... Read more

Product Description
Everything you'll need to know to enjoy cross-country skiing in the Sierra Nevada.

Cross-Country Skiing in the Sierra Nevada provides detailed descriptions of 13 cross-country ski resorts in California and Nevada, including favorite trails, races and events, five reasons to go to that resort—even summer bonus items. Learn how to ski, what to wear, how to stay safe on the trail, and most importantly, how to have fun. To zero in on the best ski area for you, turn to "Best Ski Areas to..." for the best places to see beautiful views, get good grub, ski all day long, the best place to ski on a snowy day and much more. 30 black & white photos, 13 maps. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A great book for all cross-country skiers, new, old and wanna-bes.
Living in North Lake Tahoe for over 33 years cross-country skiing has become one of my great passions. In the winter months I spend four to five days a week skate skiing for fitness and pleasure. After all this time I figured I knew just about all I needed to about the ski areas in and around my home, but was I wrong. A short time into Tim's book I had already gathered new information and ideas for some exciting excursions both close to home and a day trip away. I would recommend this informative, fun book to both experienced and novice cross-country skiers. Also, if you have thought about cross-country skiing but haven't had the chance to try it, this is also the book for you. It will help you make some good decisions on where and how to start this great sport. Now, get out there and have some fun!

Great guide to Sierra Nevada XC skiing
With brevity and charm, Hauserman shares his thorough knowledge about local and regional cross-country ski areas. (There are 13 between Mt. Shasta and Yosemite.) Anyone yearning to get out there on skinny skies - either as a novice or as a veteran looking beyond the everyday workout - should buy this book. For beginning skiers, Hauserman breaks down the complexities of this oft-misunderstood sport and tells where to get more help on the web or at local ski shops when you need it. For veterans, he provides ski maps, directions, resort highlights, activities and even a little natural history. The chapters and guide entries are straightforward. During his two-plus years of field research, Hauserman explored thousands of kilometers of trails and ate in every resort restaurant (for research, of course!). He checked out local lodgings and interviewed managers and local skiers. The end result is a book that clarifies details and whets appetites for the best of the Sierra Nevada's groomed resort terrain.
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Product Description
The Handbooks of Sports Medicine and Science present basic clinical and scientific information in a clear style and format as related to specific sports events drawn from the Olympic Summer and Winter Games.Each handbook is written by a small team of authorities co-ordinated by an editor who is internationally respected and recognized in the particular sport activity. Their charge is to present material for medical doctors who work with athletes, team coaches who have an academic grounding in basic science, physical therapists and other allied health personnel and knowledgeable athletes.Each volume presents up-to-date information on the basic biology of the sport, conditioning techniques, nutrition, and the medical aspects of injury prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation.

This Handbook will constitute the most complete and authoritative source of information in nutrition, biomechanics, injury prevention, treatment and care of medical problems, and conditioning for competition.

Written by experts in both science and practice

Includes the latest information in an easy to read and understand form ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Academic
I bought this book expecting great things given the FIS and IOC endorsement.What happen was that it forced me to sit down and read critically about my sport.There is alot of worthwhile information here, but there are also a lot of errors.It is very typical of reports about sports written by academics who do not ski.To say that because these scientists could not see "adominal muscules working, in xc skiing therefore they do not contribute to ski skating" shows blunt ignorance of the reality of the sport.Unfortunately, great scientific data is spoiled by wild conclusions based on observation not experience.Buy this book if you are experienced enought to know the difference. ... Read more

Product Description
A companion book to the Trailside PBS-TV series covers all aspects of cross-country skiing, from learning the basics in a nearby meadow to touring the back country, with advanced instructions for telemarking and skating.TV tie-in. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Great reading, pictures and good information
I am just taking up cross-country off-trail skiing and got a few books on it at the library.This one was my favorite by far so I purchased a copy at Amazon.It gives very detailed instructions with pictures and diagrams to make it very understandable.Besides telling you how to ski and about gear and other practical matters, it is a pleasure to read - sprinkled with humor and anecdotes - and has great pictures.It has kept me inspired to get out on my new skis even though the snow has not cooperated in the western U.S. this winter.

Cross country skiing
Great book. Beautiful color photos, great historical stories that give an enjoyable perspective on XC skiing. The technique and equipment are also reviewed.

Good basic
This book begs to be picked up.The photos are beautiful.Why 3 stars?Because there are simply too many errors in the actual ski techniques to get you past novice.

Great Looking Book
This is a great looking book on cross-country skiing.Color photos andsuperb layout.It is one of the nicest books for beginner and noviceskiers.

Better skiers are going to find it weak on technical contentwith most of the explainations taking a certain artistic licence at theexpense of accuracy. Two books advanced skiers should look into are"Tao of Sking" and "Ski Skating With Champions."

Great book for beginners
I recently started Cross country skiing and I purchased this book.I found it very helpful and informative.Anyone just starting cross country skiing should buy it.It has many great pictures and diagrams that help inlearning different techniques. ... Read more

Product Description
Introduces an increasingly popular winter activity that was practiced in Scandinavia more than 4,000 years ago. ... Read more

Product Description
Written by someone whose credentials include falling into a Norwegian crevasse and having to be helicoptered out of the White Mountains through sheer clumsiness, this short but punchy book will be a delight to beginner and expert alike, to say nothing of armchair athletes. It makes a perfect gift for many occasions. The author, James B. Kobak, Jr., a New York author and attorney, has published humor and satire in national and regional publications including the New York Times, Washington Post, Christian Science Monitor, Travel & Leisure, Harvard Magazine, American Way, TWA, Pace, Adirondack and the New York Law Journal, among others. He is a graduate of Harvard College and the University of Virginia Law School and an Adirondack 46er. He has combined his trenchant wit with years of failure as a cross-county skier to provide a uniquely droll and readable perspective on this increasingly popular form of sport and exercise—or, as Mr. Kobak prefers to think of it, torture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Laughter is the best medicine.
The author effectively demonstrates that laughter is the best medicine, as he does for cross-country skiing what cross-country skiing evidently has done for him.Hits the nail on the spot. ... Read more

Product Description
For a generation the Basic Essentials series has been as much a part of the outdoors experience as backpacks and hiking boots. Information-packed tools for the novice or handy references for the veteran, these volumes distill years of knowledge into affordable and portable books. Whether you're planning a trip or thumbing for facts in the field, Basic Essentials books tell you what you need to know. Discover how to select or rent the right starter gear, master the basic stride and glide gracefully over the snow, perform classic techniques; the diagonal stride, herringbone, and kick turn, pick up the pace with skating techniques and perform basic Nordic downhill maneuvers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Starting out
Basic Essentials Cross-Country Skiing appears to be geared towards thebeginner skier and someone with a limited understanding of the sport.Ifthis is the goal, the book succeeds quite well. This is not 'basicessentials for advanced cross-country skiing.' Accomplished skiers may findthe technique more inexact than basic.

This book is ideal for theaverage beginner to stuff in their back-pack on a weekend ski outing. ... Read more

Product Description
Have fun and be safe while cross country skiing like a pro.

High-tech laser printing on hard vinyl sheets make this pocket-sized "how to" guide virtually indestructible and completely portable. Waterproof. Dirtproof. You can even mark up pages with a grease pencil then wipe clean. Spiral binding allows you to fully open the book anywhere and lay it flat. Fully illustrated with easy-to-follow instructions. Index-tabbed pages allow you to quickly access the information you need. "What you really need to know, when you really need it!"

Tabbed sections include: Check List, Trip Planner, Clothing, Boots and Socks, Food and Liquids, Warmth, Wax, Skiing Techniques (Wrist Straps, Stopping: Full Wedge, Stopping: Half Wedge, Glissade, Side Slipping, Diagonal Stride, Double Pole, Falling, Half Wedge Turn, Wedge Turn, Step Turn, Skating, Climbing, Telemark), Avalanche, Safety Reminders and Emergency Shelters.

Pocket Guides are jam-packed with critical information from field experts. World renowned Pocket Guides have had an international almost cult-like following for over ten years.

Virtually indestructible and completely indispensable, Pocket Guides are perfect for enthusiasts and gift giving. Join the experts and carry Pocket Guides. Select from 28 Sports/Hobbies, Fishing and Emergency Assistance titles.

POCKET GUIDES: The Biggest Little Books You'll Ever Need. Finally, you can take it with you!

Review

This terrific, little handy reference has step-by-step, illustrated instructions for fun and safe cross country skiing. It easily fits in a shirt or coat pocket for quick accessibility. Sturdy, waterproof construction--including a spiral binding and plastic pages--makes this a perfect guide when you need it most: in the snow! The diagrams are easy to follow and tabbed pages allow for quick indexing. Very professional. A+. Appropriate for novices, intermediate and advanced skiers.Amazon.com Review
This handy reference has simple, step-by-step instructions for most aspects of cross-country skiing, including technique and safety. Sturdy, water-resistant construction--including a spiral binding and plastic pages--makes this a perfect guide when you're where you need it most: in the snow! The diagrams are easy to follow, and tabbed pages allow for quick indexing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Quite Basic
The book is very basic indeed... for simpler times. ... Read more