Are you a beginner or an experienced skier but keen to try roller skiing? Here, ski coach Kalle Gräfnings gives you valuable tips before and during your first roller skiing sessions.

Earlier this week, ProXCskiing.com published our Roller Ski Guide 2025 – YOU CAN FIND IT HERE

But what should you think about before starting your first roller skiing sessions? Here at ProXCskiing.com, Kalle Gräfnings, a former elite skier at the World Cup level who now coaches skiers at levels ranging from beginners to several national team skiers in the Dala Sports Academy, gives you some tips on what to think about before you embark on your first roller skiing sessions.

“The ski boot is a very important piece of equipment. I recommend a boot with a buckle around the ankle, i.e., a skate or a combi boot. It makes a huge difference in stability compared to a pair of low classic boots. By choosing a more stable ski boot, you feel much more confident faster in your roller skiing and can thus develop faster,” says Gräfnings.

Read More: Back on wheels: When to restart roller ski training after the ski season

The equipment is essential for roller skiing:

“When it comes to poles, you can think of the same length as in winter, but it is also important to have sharpened pole tips there. Because if they are not sharp enough, they can slip, and it’s incredibly annoying when you can’t get a grip,” says Gräfnings and adds:

“Then, of course, the roller ski is very important. My tip is to spend a few extra dollars on good equipment; getting the technique in your skiing will be much easier, and then you will develop faster. If you choose to ski on used gear, make sure that all screws are properly tightened, and check that the wheels are not worn.”

A helmet and goggles are a must pieces of gear for anyone who roller skis, but Gräfnings also advises two additional protections, especially for those who are new to roller skiing:

“In my beginner courses, I have had several participants who had knee and elbow pads for maybe the first five times. If you fall, it’s often your knees and elbows that you hit, and if you have protection, so you know you won’t hurt yourself if you fall, you can feel safer earlier and thus develop faster,” says Gräfnings.

What should you think about in the actual session?

“Number one is to plan your sessions. This means you shouldn’t have to ski downhill slopes you don’t know you can handle. And it’s hard to teach yourself, so I suggest taking a private lesson or a course. Perhaps the most important part is learning how to plow and then gradually being able to ‘handle more and more speed’ because that is one of the main differences between roller skiing and skiing in winter. Once you have learned to ski downhill, you can start practicing with different gears and other technical elements.”

Are there any general technique tips?

“The technique is a little easier in winter, when you have a track to follow. It’s a little easier to get it right. The most common mistake I think many people make is that they are in too much of a hurry, so a tip on roller skis is to ski with less effort than in the winter,” says Gräfnings.

Say I have four sessions a week to train. How many of these should be on roller skis?

“Then I would say that you could do two roller skiing sessions, an alternative session that could be cycling or running, for example, and then a strength session. If you have the opportunity, the strength session could be followed by another cardio session after the strength is completed. But strength training is very important so as not to put too much strain on the elbows, which are the ones that are most worn during roller skiing,” says Gräfnings.

*Updated May 7, 2025. A version of this article was published in April 2024.

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