Thursday, December 11, 2014

The jaw-dropping benefits of cross-country skiing by Alex Hutchinson

Rating: ****

This article discusses the stats of cross-country skiing and how it is good for the health of everyone.
Cross-country skiing is a great way to stay healthy. At Ball State University, in the USA, they did a test, taking one group of men who cross-country skied four to six times a week, and another group, who didn't do any other exercise what they do on a day to day basis. After intense workouts, it was proven that the men who cross-country skied were 40 percent fitter than the other group of men. The author also reveals that cross-country skiing uses a lot of upper body strength. Researchers took 16 elite Norwegian skiers, half male, half female, and tested how the men's upper body strength helped them when using the four methods of propulsion; double-poling, G-3 skating, classic skiing and running. The men were about 15 percent faster due to their upper body strength. There are also sprints in cross-country skiing. To get up hills, skiers have to sprint all the way up to the top, otherwise they will slid down to the bottom again. This raises their heart rates, which makes a workout more time-efficient and effective workout. The benefits of cross-country skiing are numerous and will keep skiers healthy and happy.

This article has opened my eyes to the world of cross-country skiing. I never really thought about cross-country skiing as a hard workout kind of sport. For me, it was a sport you did if you wanted to be outside and active in winter. After reading this article, I know see how good of a workout it could be and how challenging it would be. This article has made me think about all the other sports that I think are not challenging, for example curling, and how wrong I have been in my judgements. I have learned how all sports are challenging and good for your health, if you play those sports well. This article has inspired me to go to more of the cross-country skiing practices, to try to go to the meets, but also just for the workout. It will make me more healthy and keep me in good shape. This makes me more determined to make myself better, as a skier, so that I can get better at the sport and so I can become healthier than I am now.

Hutchinson, Alex. 'The Jaw-Dropping Benefits Of Cross-Country Skiing'. The Globe and Mail. N.p., 2013. Web. 11 Dec. 2014.

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