Power is essential to Nordic skiing, particularly in the double pole and V1 styles, and these styles require upper body strength, endurance, and proper technique to execute effectively. Below we discuss power in cross-country skiing, particularly in the double pole and V1, and its importance in enhancing your skiing.
To help parse out the information. we recruited our friend, ex-collegiate racer, M.S, and current coach with Team Summit - Duncan Koehn - to help explain the current research around poling for skate V1 and classic DP. The data is interesting, as is the percentages at play when poling under force.
With that, let's get to it.
double-pole + classic skiing
Time To Hulk Out, People.
The DP technique is used primarily on flat to downhill terrain and involves using the arms to propel the skier forward. This technique requires significant upper body strength and endurance, as the skier must use their arms to generate power for extended periods.
According to Stöggl and Müller (2009), "Maximal upper body power is a crucial performance determinant in double poling and contributes significantly to overall race performance." This highlights the importance of power in the DP technique, as skiers who generate more power can ski faster and more efficiently.
According to a study published in the Journal of Sports Sciences, optimizing the potential of the DP technique in cross-country skiing requires the following:
💪🏻 A high level of upper body strength which contributes up to 70% of the propulsive force in the forward direction.
🦵🏻 The lower body contributes up to 30% of the force, mainly through the extension of the hips and knees during the poling motion. (Konttinen et al., 2010)
skate skiing + V1 poling
Hang Pole Is NOT A Verb.
V1 is a demanding technique in terms of upper body power generation, particularly in uphill terrain where the skier must work against gravity. Poling CAN contribute more than half of the propulsive force in uphill skating. A study published in the Journal of Sports Sciences found that:
💪🏻 The upper body contributes approximately 50% of the force
🦵🏻 The lower body contributes approximately 40% of the force
• The arm swing motion generates the remaining 10% of the force. (Zoppirolli et al., 2019) This force can be quite sizable. In V1, each pole can generate about 10% of body weight, while each ski only develops about 6%. (Smith 1989)
The terms “power side, weak side, or hang pole,” (and many others) are used when talking about V1 poling. These terms do not imply that the forces are unequal but differentiate between the two. In fact, the timing of the pole plant as well as the force put into each pole should be nearly identical.
improve poling for BOTH techniques
Three Tips.
Uh, newsflash. DP, KDP, V1, V2 & V2A use the same poling movement. Changing it from style to style is inefficient, leading to other technique issues. With proper technique, 70-90% of the force applied to the pole is transferred into the snow to push the skier forward!
1️⃣ Arms should start with an L-shaped bend (90 degrees) at the elbow and straighten throughout the pole stroke to maximize power transfer and minimize injury risk.
2️⃣ Pole plant range is near/in front of the toes at 90 degrees (or less) depending upon sub-technique, terrain and speed to maintain a proper angle with the snow. NEVER behind the heels.
3️⃣ The pushing force of poling increases as the pole angle moves away from 90 degrees (vertical pole plant) while the purchase of the pole on the snow decreases towards the finish. A 45-degree angle is best to maximize leverage and efficiency.
power + poling
The Extra Things.
💪 Relax to avoid unnecessary tension and fatigue. Shoulders stay low (not pinched to ears or "turtling") during the entire movement.
💪 Engage the core, keep upper body stable, and use the larger, stronger muscles (lats, delts) FIRST to generate power before engaging smaller, weaker muscles (triceps).
💪 Use a quick and forceful push-off DOWN and thru your poles to generate power more efficiently.
💪 All muscle groups from the neck to the knees should be used to generate power.
>Classic: Poles should be approximately shoulder height. A longer pole will be more efficient with experience and refinement of timing and technique. High-level races limit classic pole length to 83% of skier height.
>Skate: Poles should reach between the lips and the bridge of the nose. Longer poles do not offer a measurable benefit to skate ski propulsion.
⚠️ Use it! DP motions are VITAL to advancing your cross-country skiing journey. Use the DP when classic skiing as much as possible to find greater depth across ALL techniques
Duncan's references:
Holmberg, H. C., & Lindinger, S. J. (2011). Biomechanical analysis of cross-country skiing techniques. In K. H. Kjendlie, R. Stallman, & J. Cabri (Eds.), Biomechanics and medicine in swimming XI (pp.
Smith, G.A., Nelson, R.C., Feldman, A. & Rankinen, J.L. (1989) Analysis of V1 skating technique of Olympic cross country skiers. International Journal of Sport Biomechanics 5, 185–207.
the closer What We're Thinking About
That when the season ends you should have some shirts that don't fit because you all swole and shi. Seriously, the amount of upper body strength that is required to successfully pole should be of ZERO surprise to committed recreational skiers or lovers of the technique. If you're ready to move your skiing journey into more "performance" minded terrain you can make real gains by watching your poling technique - and spend some extra days in the gym.
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