Dear SkiPost,
I'm a female skier who has been trying to perfect my classic ski technique for years. I also enjoy skating.

Recently I learned all about "high hips" in classic skiing and can't believe how much easier - and effective - classic skiing has suddenly become.

My question is: Is "high hips" equally as important in skating?

This seems a little more difficult for females to pull off, given that we typically have a lower center of gravity than males.

I'd love to hear thoughts and tips.

Thanks,
New Hips

Hello New Hips,
Skate skiing and classic skiing have one thing in common, and that is body position. What works in one works well in the other, because you are really trying to accomplish the same thing - keeping your body high and strong while minimizing the effort on your muscles when standing.

Keeping your "hips up" or "high hips" is another way of saying you should have your body weight over the balls of your feet. At that point you will find balancing easier, you can set your ski down flat under you, and you can be tall and strong through your core (for the polling motion). The bottom line is that keeping your hips up will make you more stable in skate technique, and allow you to deliberately shift your body weight from side to side (rather than falling from left to right).

Two ways to learn this are:

- When you push your poles past your hips you should be simultaneously pushing your hips down the track (forward). It may appear a little rigid at first, but with practice will flow together.

- Take your poles off, and skate without them. If your hips are back you are likely not shifting your weight from side to side. This tends to keep your ski on its edge, consequently limiting glide. When you get your hips up and are setting your ski down flat, you'll know it! You'll start to glide on even the steep uphill.

If you ever come across a Subaru Factory Team athlete out skiing stop them and ask for a quick tutorial.

Hope this helps,
Tim Weston
http://www.xcacademy.com