Hips forward - why?
Here at NTS we always like to as why. Why are we training a certain way? Why are we striving for a certain body position or technique.
Asking these questions is productive because it can help guide our training in the off season.
We know what a proper body position looks like... see below.
Why do we consider this the ideal body position?
The answer is not "because my coach says so" , the real answer lies in muscle recruitment and forward momentum. We strive for the body positions shows above because they allow a skier to recruit powerful pushing and poling muscle groups. This translates into more efficient and more powerful skiing.
You might remember from previous posts that the phrase 'get your hips forward' is a controversial technique cue for us. Yes, we want our hips to be forward, but it can be a confusing and awkward technique cue for many if they don't fully grasp the reason why forward hips are helping them ski more effectively. 
This video is from Per-Øyvind Torvik and it does a really nice job showing why forward hips are so important in classic skiing. Per-Øyvind is a coach an physiologist in Norway who has worked with the Norwegian national team in previous years and coached many World class skiers out of the Meraker club while leading research in biomechanics with the Nord University. Welcome Per-Øyvind to the NTS family!