|
|
RACE SEASON
NANCY FIDDLER
Contributing Editor for The Master Skier
Nancy is a two-time Olympian and 14 time National Champion. Besides running masters programs at Tamarack X-C in Mammoth Lakes, CA, She coaches kids in her Gliders program, teaches ski P.E., coaches high school skiing and works with the Far West Juniors.
|
 |
Part two of a two part series.
Another fun way to get the hips up over the kicking foot is to do the exercise I have just described, but with a new challenge. While gliding down a very gradual slope, flex at the ankle and reach with the opposite hand toward the glide ski. Without squatting, try and touch the ski with your hand. This again requires trust and lots of ankle flexion. Try it out of the tracks!
Now you are ready to change up the rhythm of your stride. I like to play with different speeds when practicing ski technique. It’s too easy to always ski slowly for technique training.
Sometimes, I find that a student, just by changing his/her tempo during a specific drill, makes a big change in body position or timing. Skiing without poles, change-up tempo from quick to slow, maintaining good position and timing.
Try Step-Step-Glide on the flat and in a gradual downhill. The two quick steps usually put the hips over the foot so that on the glide, the hips remain forward. This also works in uphill terrain.
Now for the test! My classes fear this drill, but they know that it’s good for them. If you can perfect this exercise, you can say good-bye to the late kickers club forever. Even then, you will want to come back to it every season because it really keeps you over your feet.
The task is very simple: ski uphill without poles. Start with gradual terrain, and then look for more challenging slopes.
I cannot do this drill unless I really flex my ankles and get low. I liken it to sneaking or creeping up the hill. The instant I lean forward, I miss my kick and wind up flat on my belly. It’s very undignified, which is one of the better motivators I know of. This is the perfect way to cure the straight leg syndrome.
- Before reaching for softer wax, pay attention to your position. Without poles, this exercise doesn’t allow for much glide. Try the Step-Step-Glide rhythm on the uphill and see if you can achieve a little glide.
While gliding, a skier’s weight is right over the foot, specifically the area toward the back of the arch. During the kick, the skier must push straight down on the kick pocket of the ski. The entire foot must quickly compress the ski to make this happen. The better and quicker the loading of body weight over the whole foot, the better the kick.
The ball of the foot is the last thing the skier feels before leaving the ski. It is easy to mistake this last bit for the kick itself. If we were to load the ball of the foot for the kick, our weight would be too far forward to get the benefit of a well waxed ski. It is also easy to leave the whole foot in contact with the ski for too long, causing a late kick.
That said, how about a way to practice an early kick? Try kick double poling without poles for a start. Begin on a gradual downhill and work toward being able to do this on the flat or even gentle uphill.
Here, both arms and legs are together at the point of the kick. This is harder than it sounds, so work on a good, swift downward movement over the kicking foot.
Think about keeping the hands low during the kick, as that will help with loading. Flex the ankles and knees without bending at the waist. If you can do this successfully, you have the correct timing and a good kick
I like to isolate the pendulum motion of the arms and legs in the diagonal stride to help the kick sometimes. If you accelerate the swinging arm and leg forward, it creates a better kick, mainly because it causes the kick to be quicker.
Practice swinging the arm forward with some speed and it causes the leg to react the same way. Again keep the hands low, especially when they pass the legs, and keep the follow-through efficient.
It is possible to speed up this part of your stride even while skiing slowly without paying in higher heart rates. It gives you a snappier kick and a resulting better glide.
In general, any skiing you do without poles makes your technique better, but these exercises give you something to focus on.
Poling is another whole story, and it took me years to get that right.
Challenge yourself on different terrain, and if you are getting really good at that, get away from the tracks for a while. Go classic skiing on some snowmobile tracks for a change, or ski in the skate lane. This can push your balance and refine your kick, especially without poles.
Go out there and have some fun learning how to be a better classic skier. Every winter I come up with a new approach to working on the diagonal stride, but it always comes back to the same things: good balance and body position
|
For more articles like this one, subscribe today to The Master Skier. |
|
