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Reprints From The Professional Skier

Winter 1998 - "Hone Poling For Power " by Dan Clausen

This article is reprinted from The Professional Skier. All copyrights apply. Please see our copyright and disclaimer notice page.

When instructing and coaching classic nordic skiers--regardless of their level of proficiency--a good place to start is poling, or more precisely, poling for power. Many Nordic skiers rely too heavily on their legs to get them where they are going, thereby missing the propulsion that results from purposeful poling.

Nordic skiing is like swimming. If we just kick our legs but do not use our arms properly, the stroke lacks up to half the required propulsion and rhythm. Therefore, to achieve the fluid efficiency of movement desired in classic Nordic skiing, it's crucial to work toward a good blend of the muscle groups in the upper and lower body.

Because many skiers do not realize how much propulsion they can gain through the proper use of their upper-body muscle groups, they do not realize the importance of their ski poles, nor do they recognize the value of using the right poles. Pole length is very important, because it can affect the skier's form and relaxation. Using poles that are too long will force the skier to arch his or her back too much and project the body up instead of up and over the trail. Using poles that are too short will cause the skier to sit back, thus limiting his or her ability to achieve a good, forward lean and appropriate body position. For classic cross-country skiing, a properly sized pole will extend from the ground to an area somewhere between the armpit and the rounding of the shoulder.

Some skiers cut corners and purchase inexpensive flexible poles. As a result, much of the positive energy generated by poling action is lost to the pole. A stiff-shaft pole will allow more effective transfer of power and more propulsion. If your ski school or Nordic center has "loaner" poles, be sure to properly equip those students who may show up with inappropriate poles. If extra poles are scarce, you may wish to encourage those students to pick up better poles at a nearby rental shop. You'll also want to make sure the pole straps are properly adjusted. Since the classic stride calls for the skier to push against the strap rather than the pole itself, the pole strap should be tight enough to hold the pole close to the crook of the thumb and forefinger, but loose enough to allow the student to open his or her hand and follow through with the poling motion.

Once outfitted with the proper poles, your students will be in a prime position to improve their skiing efficiency and power. A good message to pass along to them is this: The best way to increase glide is to increase the intensity and effectiveness of poling motions. Here are some useful poling tips for the various levels of skiers.

Beginner Classic Skiers

An effective way to help your students achieve powerful and efficient poling is to begin the session with the ski poles minus the intimidating skis. A friendly way to introduce proper pole usage as well as the importance of body position and relaxation is to have your students imitate classic Nordic skiing by "ski walking" up a slight grade. Once their pole straps are adjusted, the students should start with low hands and proper pole angles, i.e., the hands should be near the skier's hips, ahead of the pole baskets. During the classic skiing motion, the angle of the pole is determined by the speed of the skier. Emphasize strap push and pole release with relaxed, opened hands. The students will begin to feel that their poles are for propulsion and not balance.

When their classic ski walking is effective and powerful (when it looks like classic skiing) your students may graduate to skis. This way, when the students put on their skis, they should be less intimidated and more relaxed. They will have a better understanding of what the poles are for and, with luck, they will want to put them to good use rather than merely spear and stab the snow .... I with them. You will know that your students are getting the hang of it when their hands pass by their body with a fluid pendulum arm swing and they open their hands to press on the pole straps with a long push of the poles to the rear. You can then discuss rhythm and gliding, saving much valuable time in your session for additional skills. By increasing the intensity of motion and practicing on a steeper hill, you may use ski imitation for more proficient classic skiers--even the most advanced skiers can benefit from this exercise.

Intermediate To Advanced Skiers

More skilled Nordic skiers will be able to get powerful propulsion from a double-poling strategy. However, double-poling technique is more than just standing on your skis and moving your arms. Many skiers are just too static in their technique and do not use their whole body to pole for more power. Body positioning should be addressed first. Students should keep their knees slightly bent, round their back and shoulders, flex their ankles with a forward lean, and push their upper body slightly ahead of their feet so that they lean and "fall forward" on their poles. Hip movement fore and aft should be a major focus. The hips should whip flexed elbows and relaxed arms forward, which will also get the students' rhythm going. (Remind your students not to arch their backs.)

Using the big muscles first is another major focus. Your students should use their abdominal, back, and shoulder muscles before the small muscle groups of the arms, hands, and fingers. Encourage them to "punch" their hands toward the snow as their hips move back behind their feet. They should finish with low shoulders for more power. If they allow their shoulders to rise and pull their arms back with too much follow-through, they will waste motion and disrupt tempo. The most powerful part of the stroke is at the beginning of the motion, not the end.

Less Air, Better Pacing

Because the power of efficient poling can be lost to a motion that is too slow, drills that emphasize tempo and speed can enhance a student's poling movements. Thus, your students' double-poling abilities will benefit from a deliberate attempt to reduce their air time, that is, the time it takes their body and arms to travel forward between strokes. Many skiers move quickly back and slowly forward, causing the skis to move fast then slow, fast then slow. Encourage students to "plane off" like a boat on the water. Ask them to see how consistently the skis can move, not how fast. To achieve this, they will have to move forward more quickly and achieve more pole plants or strokes per minute.

The important things for students to practice at this point are keeping their tempo up-maybe shortening their movements-and moving more quickly forward than backward. Once students feel consistently gliding skis, they will work less and use their poling power more effectively.

The increase in tempo will help make the classic stride more smooth and fluid. It will also fix many weaknesses in skating, because Nordic skiers double pole with all of the skating techniques. Incidentally, alpine skiers who want a little extra power when poling on the flats, in a traverse, or on a race course can also benefit from a little extra emphasis on tempo. While alpine skiers won't relax and glide as much as Nordic striders, they can still improve their poling efficiency by reducing air time.

In Summary

As helpful as these poling tips are, your students will find that practice is their most valuable ally. It takes time to make all the levers in the body work in unison. After students get a feel for the appropriate motion and try to reduce their air time in class, encourage them to practice their poling motions on their own. Suggest that they aim for 45 to 50 strokes per minute and have good rhythm. Beginners should also try to keep the tempo up with quick-moving skis. Soon your students, regardless of their level of proficiency, will be giving their legs a break and poling with more power.

Dan Clausen is the ski school director at Wisconsin's Minocqua Winter Park and a Nordic instructor and coach at Lake Mountain Ski School in Victoria, Australia. He is also a member of the PSIA Nordic Team.