You might recognize it as "Cross-country" skiing rather than Nordic skiing. It's the type of skiing that you do on flatter ground, and it's a great aerobic workout. There are two types of Nordic skiing: "Classic" and "Skate" To many, the first is probably more recognizable as Nordic skiing, hence the name. It's where your skis stay close together in parallel tracks in the snow, and you use your poles to push you and slide your skis to keep moving. This method isn't quite as fast as the Skate method, but is just as much of a workout - and if you just want to relax a little and view the scenery, this method is for you. The second method is much like skating, with skis on. You still use poles, but the technique is much different - and once you figure it out, you can ski pretty fast. Ski equipment is actually classified into these categories as well, with the exception of "combination" skis which can handle both methods. Any set of cross-country skis could probably be used for either method, but you'll get tired more quickly and won't go as fast if you're using the wrong method for your skis. There are different types of waxes and ways of waxing the different types of skis that create the ultimate difference between the two. There's a lot more information than we can give you here, so here's an example of one website that has some good info for beginners - http://www.xcskiworld.com