Cross-Country Skiing – The Best Aerobic Exercise Ever?

It’s normal to want to hibernate in winter, yet good health and fitness requires activity in every season. Exercise not only keeps our weight down, but it stimulates our hearts and circulation while restoring a sense of balance to our bodies and minds. It’s one of the simplest ways to relieve stress and create a greater sense of balance. And the ultimate aerobic activity – cross-country skiing – is the best cure for the winter blues or cabin fever. I rediscovered this today.

I live in Portland, OR where we’ve been hit with an unprecedented snowstorm – the biggest one in forty years, according to the local weathermen. Rather than remain inside fretting over closed roads and unbought Christmas presents, I tried something radical. I undusted my skis from the back of the garage, and went on a cross-country skiing tour throughout our neighborhood. It was a blast and an hour later, I skied home with the invigorated feeling of having completed an awesome full-body workout.

Cross-Country Skiing Uses Every Major Muscle Group For One Of The Best Aerobic Workouts You Can Get

Cross-Country Skiing Uses Every Major Muscle Group For One Of The Best Aerobic Workouts You Can Get

Like swimming and rowing, cross-country skiing uses every major muscle group. It mimics those motions of a NordicTrack with the added bonuses of uphill workouts, down hill fun, and fresh (albeit cold) fresh air. Outdoor cross-country skiing is by far the world’s greatest aerobic workout. Cross-country skiing burns lost of calories. According to Self.com’s calorie calculator, a woman weighing 130-pounds will burn almost 500 calories after skiing for just an hour at a reasonable pace.

If you’re now shaking your head and muttering how you’ve never cross-country skied before in your life – never fear. You can go to simply go to the nearest outfit that offers skiing lessons. You’ll be able to rent decent equipment, learn from a professional, and ski on groomed trails for reasonable prices.

Even if you just plan to ski off-track, lessons are nevertheless a great investment. With packed and groomed trails, you’ll learn or relearn the basic moves in a snap. You’ll also learn how to stop – a lesson I unfortunately forgot during my fun-filled skiing trek. You’ll be able to get a well-priced package of lessons, trail pass, and rentals for far less than the price of a lift ticket at a typical downhill skiing resort.

Because cross-country has a quick learning curve, low injury rate, and natural motions, it is an awesome activity for people of all fitness levels. Because you can ski almost anywhere it snows, you can match the terrain to match your level of expertise. Do not allow medical conditions or other intimidation factors to keep you from trying this activity.

You may have some difficulty in coordinating the walking-gliding motions. Plowing through snowdrifts and trudging up hills can be difficult, but makes for a fantastic workout. Once you get the hang of it, its one of the best aerobic activities for your body replacing high-impact, jarring actions with smooth, natural movements.

Last but not least, DO NOT QUIT like I almost did. My first time out was a miserable mess . . . my second time was a bit better . . . and my third time was am absolute blast. Give it at least five tries before you throw in the balaclava.

Image credit: p medved