Stop Skipping the Fundamentals
– Your Physical Capacity Determines Your Ski Technique
We often talk about ski technique as if it’s all about angles, equipment, or copying someone who “looks good” on snow. But without the right physical foundations, it doesn’t matter how much technique you practice — your body can’t perform the movement efficiently.
This post explains why the fundamentals matter, what they actually consist of, and how they are deeply connected to your technique.
Our lifestyle is erasing our natural movement patterns
A long time ago, our daily lives naturally kept us mobile: less sitting, more walking, lifting, climbing, twisting, reaching, jumping.
Today we sit more than ever — at work, in the car, on the couch.
And it affects the body far more than we often realise.
Many skiers have lost:
mobility in the hips, thoracic spine, and shoulders
basic strength around the hips and core
elasticity and the ability to “bounce” in movement
coordination, control, and timing between body segments
When these capacities are missing, we often try to train “like elite skiers” — with intervals, volume, and hard sessions.
The result?
compensations
inefficient movement
a higher risk of pain and overload
It’s not your motivation that’s lacking.
It’s the foundations beneath your technique.
Balance in the body – front/back, inside/outside
A crucial part of your physical foundation is balance in the body:
balance between front and back
balance between inside and outside
balance between mobility and strength
If one side “pulls harder” than the other — or if you are strong but stiff (or mobile but weak) — the body will still try to solve the task.
It never gives up. It simply finds workarounds.
That’s when compensations show up: movement patterns that feel “normal” in the moment, but gradually make your technique unstable and your body more vulnerable.
A familiar example – getting “stuck sitting” in your skiing
Many skiers recognise this:
You feel like you’re “sitting down” in your skiing.
You struggle to get up into a strong, active position.
It feels heavy, slow, and like you’re holding yourself back — even though you’re trying.
I see this all the time.
Most people try to fix it by:
lifting the chest
straightening the upper body
“standing taller”
But here’s the problem:
👉 If the front of the hip is stiff, you cannot extend the hip properly.
The body will then take that extension from somewhere else — usually the lower back.
Without noticing it, you end up:
more arched in the lower back
more unstable
and still “sitting”, just in a different way
You feel like you’re doing the right thing, but the result doesn’t change.
It’s not about isolated parts – the body must work as a team
Another common trap is trying to fix skiing by targeting one part at a time:
a little mobility work
a little strength work
some core exercises
an ankle drill
But if the body can’t connect the parts, the technique still won’t improve.
Cross-country skiing is teamwork: arms, legs, hips, feet, core — everything must work together, in the right order, with the right timing.
You can have “good parts”, but still not have a functional whole.
This is why many people feel like “I’ve tried everything”, yet the technique refuses to click.
This is where I come in – from problem to solution
Here’s my strength as a physiotherapist and coach:
I quickly see what is missing in your technique and your physical prerequisites
I understand how your body compensates — and what problems that leads to
Most importantly: I know exactly what you can do to fix it
It’s not enough to point out what looks off.
Many instructors can see something “strange”, but don’t know how to correct it.
My job is to:
identify what’s missing
connect it directly to your technique
give you exercises, focus points, and adjustments that actually work
This applies to beginners, experienced skiers — and even coaches who want to understand technique at a deeper level.
Lectures, workshops, and soon digital courses
If you feel that:
you train a lot but don’t get the technique payoff you want
you often get tired in your lower back, shoulders, or neck
you want to understand why things happen in your body, not just get more “tips”
…then this is for you.
Right now I offer:
Lecture this Wednesday, November 26
A deep dive into the foundations behind sustainable ski technique:
– how lifestyle affects your physical prerequisites
– which fundamental movements must function
– common compensations (e.g., sitting position, lumbar arching, shoulder lifting)
– how to train smarter, not harder
Group lectures and workshops
Book me for:
– ski clubs and teams
– companies preparing for Vasaloppet
– groups of friends wanting to level up their technique
I offer sessions both on-site and digitally — so you can work with me from anywhere.
Upcoming digital courses
I’m currently filming and developing material that will become online courses.
You’ll be able to:
– watch the lecture whenever it suits you
– get concrete examples and demonstrations
– work step by step with your physical foundations and technique
These will be released on my website — stay tuned if you want to have me “in your living room”.
Want your training to give more back?
If you’re tired of:
pushing through without knowing why it doesn’t work
getting pain from training “the way you’re supposed to”
guessing your way through technique
…then the next step is to start where it matters: with your foundations.
📩 Here’s how to move forward:
– Book your spot for Wednesday’s lecture
– Book a digital technique analysis — the fastest way to identify the cause and your path forward
– Contact me to book a group lecture or workshop
– Or sign up for updates on the digital courses
Your foundations are not a “beginner level” to rush past.
They’re the engine behind your technique, your feeling on snow — and your long-term health.
And yes — it’s genuinely cool to take them seriously. 💪✨
