Our last NORD-nique was a dive into the importance of the forward hip position. Specifically, our center of mass (hips) being in front of our ankle joints. This is maintained throughout the majority of our skiing. But, what about lifting and extending - how do we best utilize body position to create propulsion and power.
With that, let's get to it.
the high hips
What do we mean by HIGH HIPS?
Simon Zink of the BSF Pro Nordic team walked us through a few drills - and thoughts - around the importance of finding a HIGH HIP when skating. Before we get to their drills, let's quickly define what Simon means when he talks about a HIGH HIP position: > HIPS = This is your center of mass, meaty middle, pelvic bones, belly button, etc. > HIGH = This means you have un-flexed your ankles so your body lifts and extends. Virtually the definition of standing up. HIPS = center of mass, HIGH = elevated position. 📢 IMPORTANT: When you lift/extend/un-flex your ankles you are NOT sliding your hips/back or heavily weighting your heels. HIGH HIP position still means that you are FORWARD, with more weight on the balls of your feet. Ideally, hips are both HIGH AND FORWARD.
the high hips
The Wave.
Here are some images to help clarify the positional differences between flexion and extension under active skiing. FLEXED + LOW: > On the left we can see hips at the lowest position, bottom of the wave. > This is the triple flex phase - where the three joints - ankle, knee and hip are all flexed and under tension, ready for extension and the application of power. EXTENDED + HIGH > In the middle image, the hips are at their highest position, top of the wave. > This stacked and "high" position, where the ankle, knee, and hip are extended is your glide phase and is critical for setting up the next push-off. Think of it like the coiling/un-coiling of a spring.
the high hips Simon Says.
Let's ski with Simon Zink and the BSF Pro Nordic Team as they work on their HIGH HIP positioning.
Some key points from Simon: 🧠 "Implementing a technique/activation drill sequence before distance training and speed workouts is something that we do often on the BSF PRO Team. I believe it is a great way to prime and direct the focus of your muscles, energy systems, and brain towards functioning in a specific manner optimal to moving faster and efficiently on skis, ultimately making the workout after the sequence more productive." 💪"High hip position, is important for optimal energy transfer from your core through your glutes, legs, and to the ski, while also putting your center of mass in a position to receive the energy from your push off, propelling it forward down the trail and into the next stroke of the technique. This produces a fluid and efficient movement, essentially using the energy from the previous stroke to actuate the next."
the high hips The Drills.
Focus on these drills from Simon to find an extended and stacked skate position: 1️⃣ Start with 10 minutes of no-pole skiing, thinking about keeping the torso, hip, and knee stacked forward above the ski, and play with different no-pole skiing variations. Move through ghost poling, V1, V2 and V2A. 2️⃣ Find a high hip position by moving the arms, with a pole, overhead and come forward and over the gliding ski. This was done three times down a 300 m stretch of pavement. 3️⃣ Finish with a higher power and speed centric drill, alternating between 6 no pole pushes as fast and powerful as possible and then 10 long smooth pushes emphasizing glide and getting to this high hip position; the rationale being that as we perform the 10 long and powerful pushes our brain is reminded of this high hip position, helping maintain it, despite our frequency and velocity of movement changing as we transition to the 6 all out pushes. ✅ Note how Simon, during drill #2 can recognize the need to prolong his glide phase.
the high hips The Extra Things We Like To Say.
Even in the digital world, coaches can't stop talking: 👉 The most important takeaway from this email? "HIGH HIPS" IS a movement cue, BUT it is initiated with the ankle joint opening/closing or flexing/extending. There is no way for the hips to get HIGH, per se - it is simply referencing the position of the hip/pelvic bone at the TOP of the wave. 👉 Please don't worry TOO much about this extension if you haven't nailed the fundamental position of shoulders in front of hips, hips in front of ankles (SHANK - that's a thing now), AND maintaining that position while moving. 👉 When we start extending in a flexed + forward position ON ONE LEG, balance will become an issue and is a skill that may need developing with specific attention. ✅ Simon's comments around focusing up before a ski are GOLD. It is so, so important to spend a few moments thinking about what you want to work on, being mindful, and executing a specific drill geared towards your goal. We call it PP = Purposeful Practice.
the closer What We're Thinking About.
Skiing and snow and teaching. We might have the chance to ski with a few college athletes in the coming weeks and it'll be fun to see what sort of shenanigans we can create with eager skiers. If you enjoyed watching Simon Zink rollerski and talk about all things, visit the BSF Pro Nordic Team to follow along with their Newsvlogget blog, or to provide financial support. These young athletes are the future of cross-country skiing and rely upon community donations to reach their full athletic potential. Takk! Jenn & Kevin
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