Quote Originally Posted by beccaB View Post
We just started cross country skiing, been out maybe 6 times. Is there a good source for learning stuff about it? There's quite a learning curve, and we just have cheap skis and even cheaper poles and sometimes my hands hurt. Maybe it's that death grip thing. I would like to know if I'm even using the right ski for the conditions. Not something I learned from growing up in Florida, that's for sure!
Do you have a cross country ski area (or a downhill area with XC trails) around you? If you do, I'd recommend taking a lesson. I've always found lessons so much more helpful than videos or books. There's a lot of technique to even simple striding. The better your technique the more you'll enjoy the whole thing. You can also try out better equipment to see if that makes a difference for you.