Fitness and Fun: Roller skiing is a wonderful way to achieve the cardiovascular benefits of Nordic skiing without snow. Roller skiing precisely simulates snow skiing and you can roller ski almost anywhere. Roller skiing, like cross country skiing, uses all major muscle groups and burns calories faster than any other activity except Water Polo. In addition to making you more fit, roller skiing helps you develop balance, rhythm and athletic skills.

Become a Better Skier: Whether you are a back country skier, or ski in prepared tracks, roller skiing will make you a better skier. It's difficult to improve, or maintain, skiing skills if you are only able to ski a few times a year. With roller skis you can ski year round in the sun belt and in ski country any time the ground is bare. You generally don't have to travel long distances to roller ski. With the capacity on V2 Aero to ski on both paved and non paved surfaces many ski right from their house. Both dirt and paved bike paths are perfect for roller skiing. Many who are no longer able to run or bike due to knee or hip problems are often able to roller ski without pain and many have switched to roller skiing for their fitness program.

This is what Doug Garfield, Ph.D. Exercise Physiologist, said about roller skiing: "From the body's perspective, roller skiing is skiing. Your skeletal muscles, heart, balance sensors, and motor cortex can't tell the difference between skiing on snow or roller skiing because they are responding to exactly the same demands. Better yet, you feel like a skier, which is a wonderful thing in June and in January when the ground is bare. Roller skiing is the perfect specificity for your body and your brain."

Same Metabolic Demand: A study in Sweden compared V2 roller skiing to skiing on snow. The test subjects consisted of six skiers, five boys and one girl. The snow and roller ski course was the same. Near the end of the ski season the subjects did one test at slower distance speed and one test at race pace. All skiers had pulse monitors with memory. Lactate levels, pulse readings and the time of each skier was recorded. When the snow had disappeared, the tests were repeated on the same course using V2 roller skis. The time over the course, the pulse rates and lactate levels were statistically identical to skiing on snow. The study summary stated that V2 roller skis were considered an excellent ski specific training device. ( The study was done by Anders Ek and supervised by Dr. Karin Piehl Aulin )

Improved Technique: A number of years ago, Jan Olof Naes, National Team Coach in Finland, used V2 roller skis to improve the skiing skills of Juniors. The skiers were evaluated for technique at the end of the ski season and during the roller ski season emphasis was placed on technique drills. When the snow season started the skiers were again evaluated for technique. It was the coaches opinion that the skiers had better technique at the beginning of the new ski season than at the end of the previous season.

How to Get Started: If you are out of condition and overweight we suggest the following before you try roller skiing: Get a pair of ski poles and start power walking with the poles. This will increase the amount of calories burned and get you in shape more quickly than just walking. What we have learned is that the foundation for good technique is based on core strength, balance, stability and correct body position. To learn to ski with confidence you must be patient and practice simple ski maneuvers, balance and stability exercises until they are drilled into your proprioceptors. Skiing on just two wheels requires better balance and ankle strength than skiing on snow. Being a good snow skier helps, but sometimes non skiers make progress as fast as skiers because they spend more time on the basic fundamental drills. We suggest that you first view the video, Becoming a Better Skier. Next you want to test your balance to see if you are ready to begin your first roller ski session. ( See page 2 in Doug Garfield’s article Rolling in Balance which is on this home page below in pdf format. ) Balancing on your dominant leg, swing your other leg and arms as shown in Doug’s article. Next try the same exercise balancing on your weakest leg. You should be able to do this on both legs for 30 seconds without wobbling. If you can’t, you are probably not ready to roller ski and should be practicing balance and stability exercises before using your skis. Get Doug’s book, The New Steady Ski and begin your balance exercises.

When you are able to perform the balance exercises, get a pair of roller skis that are appropriate for your present skill level. The most important piece of equipment for roller skiing is a good pair of boots. Do not attempt to roller ski in inexpensive “touring” boots. Get a pair of good Skate, or Pursuit, racing boots. For the first roller ski sessions just practice the roller ski drills shown in the video, Becoming a Better Skier, and continue to practice the balance, stability and strength exercises shown in Doug Garfield’s book. In the beginning we recommend that each session be no longer than 1 hour. If you get too tired and rush the process, you are much more likely to have an accident or develop bad technique. The most important lesson for learning to ski with confidence is not to exceed your ability.

Even the best need to have their Balance Receptors get accustomed to new equipment. One day in the mid 80’s I was skating on a pair of European roller skis that were very hard to master. A former National champion dropped by and wanted to try them. I warned him that it took me about ten roller ski sessions to be stable on the skis and I suggested that he start slowly and get a feel for the skis. (We did not have very supportive boots in the mid 80’s) He took off like a rocket and only skied about thirty seconds when he crashed. His balance receptors did not have time to adjust to the different ski characteristics.

Classic or Skate: The firs step in selecting roller skis is to decide whether you want roller skis for traditional classic skiing or for skating. If you want to practice both techniques it's best to purchase two pair, one for classic and one for skating. Classic and skate skis have different wheel geometry, classic shafts are longer and the binding is mounted in a different position than for skating. V2 Jenex manufactures two skis that can be used for both techniques. The V2 dual technique ski for paved surfaces is called 940C and the Aero models is the SC.

Skiing Skill: Next determine your skill. Some roller ski require better balance than others, see specification chart in the Catalog.

Terrain: You also need to determine the surface and terrain. If the pavement where you will be skiing is rough, or if you want to ski on dirt trails, your choice should be on of the Aero models. If the surface is smooth you can select one of the standard skis or the Aero skis. If you are skiing in hilly terrain, select a model with good speed reducing ability or purchase the skis with the V2 Brake. ( The specification chart in the catalog show speed reducing ability. The Aero are the best. )

Safety: Make sure that you practice in an area that is safe, away from traffic, and that you wear appropriate safety equipment such as a helmet, knee pads, gloves. etc. Use common sense when roller skiing.