Just try it: cross country skiing

It is my mission in life is to encourage everybody to exercise. This is because I know people will hurt less when they move more. Yet I hear all kinds of excuses. They say it is too costly, too high impact, too inconvenient, etc. Regardless, I believe there is an exercise out there for everybody. That's where this new blog series comes in. I will be attempting as many different exercises as possible. Taking you from trendy to old-school, from beginners to advanced, and from the common to the unconventional. I will try them all, and report back to you. I hope you enjoy.

Cross Country Skiing

If you are looking for something to keep you outside in the winter yet less dangerous than downhill skiing, try cross country skiing. The health benefits are truly impressive. And it's low-impact!

“New Records in Aerobic Power Among Octogenarian Lifelong Endurance Athletes,” a Ball State research project conducted in collaboration with several Swedish researchers, found that the long-time athletes in the study are enjoying vibrant and healthy lives. The study was published in the Journal of Applied Physiology. “In this case, 80 is the new 40,” said the study’s lead author Scott Trappe, director of Ball State’s Human Performance Laboratory. “These athletes are not who we think of when we consider 80-year-olds because they are in fantastic shape. They are simply incredible, happy people who enjoy life and are living it to the fullest. They are still actively engaged in competitive events.”

“To our knowledge, the VO2 max of the lifelong endurance athletes was the highest recorded in humans in this age group, and comparable to nonendurance-trained men 40 years younger,” Trappe said. “We also analyzed the aerobic capacity of their muscles by examining biopsies taken from thigh muscles, and found it was about double that of typical men. In fact, the oldest gentleman was 91 years old, but his aerobic capacity resembles that of a man 50 years younger. It was absolutely astounding.”

The benefits are no doubt related to the usage of the arms for propulsion via the ski poles. This differs from running and bicycling, which are primarily leg driven. Swimming has great benefits to, but cross country skiing is also a "weight bearing exercise" so it helps retain bone mass as we age. Swimming does not. Classic cross country skiing (see pic to the left) would also be a smart addition to any tri-athletes workout, as it reinforces the cross-crawl mechanism. This mechanism connects the upper body muscles on one side of the body, with the lower body muscles of the opposite side. Stimulating these connections can help prevent injuries, and improve performance in running and swimming, which also rely heavily on this pattern of muscle synchronization. The "skating" technique (not pictured) uses both arms simultaneously, and thus gives an even more impressive cardiovascular challenge. This requires a much wider and flatter snow surface, which may be harder to find.

On the right, you can see a photo of my first time out. Some coordination is required, but falling to the snow on a flat trail is certainly less painful than wiping out on the slopes. On my first time out, I fell twice, with only my pride being injured. The cost of equipment is minimal, and there are plenty of free trails around west Michigan. Some urban parks also show evidence of other cross country skiing enthusiasts. I skied Manhattan Park here is East Grand Rapids, because it is close to my house, and because I saw some trails when I took my daughter sledding there. Equipment includes skis, boots, and poles. A new set starts at about $250. If you want to try it first , rental may be the way to go. Second hand stores like Play It Again Sports will often have older models for purchase under $100. (I bought a set from a guy on Facebook Marketplace for $65.) Good or bad, this sport is weather dependent. t's a strictly limited-time option. Considering how much snow we get here in the Grand Rapids area, there is usually ample opportunity, so ski while you can.