Former Norwegian national team coach Steinar Mundal shares his best advice for mastering skate skiing, aka free technique.

Skate skiing is increasingly popular. Whether aiming for the World Cup podium or the local trail, these are some pointers from former Norwegian national team coach Steinar Mundal on improving your skate skiing technique. 

Steinar Mundal has been coaching cross-country skiing for over a lifetime. He is currently in his fourth season with the Norwegian elite development program Team Telemark, where he is responsible for World Cup-level racers such as the sprint specialist Even Northug, Petter Northug’s younger brother. Prior to joining Team Telemark, Mundal has over two decades as national team coaching with Norwegian, Canadian and several foreign national teams on his resume. 

This is skate skiing/free technique
Skate skiing consists of three distinct sub techniques: V1 for steep uphill terrain, V2 for flat, rolling and gentle uphill terrain, and V2 alternate for slight downhill and easy terrain. 

This is Mundal’s advice, sub technique by sub technique. 

The short version: Keep it simple, and take your time. 

“Focus on improving your technique step by step, and try to slow down your turnover. In other words, don’t get too frazzled and avoid jumping up and down too much. Turnover and speed will come as your technique improves,” Mundal says. 

V2
This is the most universal of all the sub techniques. V2 is easily adapted to different types of terrain from easy flats to gentle uphills, depending on turnover rate and how much energy you put into each push-off and pole plant. 

• Leg work: push “down and out” in one, fluid movement
• Imagine “burning yourself” when you reach the lower / rear position with your arms: Return of arms quickly to get in position for the next cycle early, accordingly imagine “burning yourself”.
• The arms control frequency.
• “See your hands” in front of your eyes.
• The elbows should always be pointing forward, use your forearms to “shift gears”.
• Point your skis as much as possible in the direction of travel and as narrow as possible, a little more angle / opening on uphill terrain.
• Look up and ahead.

V2 Alternate
V2 Alternate is where you make one pole plant for every other push-off. This is the preferred sub technique for easy terrain and high speeds, and is often the first sub technique skiers get the hang of. 

• “Throw” your arms/ poles behind you, then return them in a relaxed move to the hand passes the body and reaches shoulder level, then fast and high up with the arms/hands to start the next cycle.
• “Out to bump” on the free side.
• Move diagonally forward, focus on keeping your hip high and look ahead.
• Both poles come up at the same time.
• Point your skis as much as possible in the direction of travel and as narrow as possible.

V1 (“Paddling”)
V1 is the sub technique for steep uphill terrain. 

• Powerful pole plants. That is, the forearm on the pulling side should point slightly in towards the body and the hang arm slightly out.
• Sharp angle at the knee, and match the angle with your upper body.
• Avoid lifting the skis too high when you have finished the glide, but maneuver the skis forward and into place just above the ground. That means early edging and early pushing. Place the hang side ski slightly further forward than free ski.
• Do not stand up too tall on your free ski leg. Avoid this by not stepping too far forward with your free skileg, and by being skiing wide.

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