CROSS COUNTRY
GRANT NAKAMURA Author Emily Lovett uses arm-swing movement to create forward momentum and prepare for the next powerful pole plant
GET YOUR ARMS IN THE SWING OF THINGS FOR EFFICIENT CROSS COUNTRY SKIING
By Emily Lovett E
fficient and powerful cross country skiing relies on the whole body working together to move forward, and proper arm movement plays a key role. Swinging the arms from a relaxed shoulder socket is a fundamental movement to
master – whether the arms swing together as in the double-pole technique (used in classic and skate skiing) or in an alternating motion as in the classical diagonal stride.
WHAT IS EFFECTIVE ARM SWING MOVEMENT?
In cross country skiing, “forward arm swing” is the movement of the whole arm swinging forward from a relaxed shoulder joint. During the swing, the arms remain shoulder-width apart and they swing forward in the direction of travel. To feel this arm swing motion, try this:
Stand in an athletic position, with your shoulders and back relaxed. Swing the arms forward and back. Close your eyes and let both arms swing together like pendulums. Now put 5-pound dumbbells in the
VIEW VIDEO
hands, swing the arms forward and back. Now, hold a 5-pound dumbbell (or similarly weighted object) in each hand and swing the arms forward and back – first swinging the arms together and then alternating by swinging one arm forward while the other swings backward. Can you feel the momentum of the weight pulling the whole body forward when the arm swings in front of the body?
WHY IS THE ARM-SWING MOVEMENT IMPORTANT?
A forward arm swing is a fundamental movement in cross country skiing because it puts the arms in a good, high start position for poling. Te high position is when one arm (in classic diagonal stride technique) or both arms (in double-pole technique) are at the most forward or highest position, with the hands around head height). Swinging the arm (or arms) up to this
tiny.cc/smyp4x
This video from the PSIA Cross Country Technical Manual illustrates the arm swing motion in the V2-Alternate technique. Notice that the movement has a large range of motion. This is due to the longer glide associated with terrain and technique.
98 | 32 DEGREES • FALL 2016
forward and high position creates the opportunity to plant the poles in front of the body. When the poles are planted in front of the body, the skier’s body weight can come onto the poles and abdominal muscles can initiate the pole plant.
CREATING FORWARD MOMENTUM AND WEIGHT SHIFT
Positive arm swing creates forward momentum for the whole body by pulling
the hips and torso over the feet. To feel this, swing both arms forward. When they are in the highest position (with your hands around head height), allow your hips and torso to come into full extension. As your arms swing forward, more
weight shifts toward the ball of the foot. When body weight is at the ball of the foot, the hips are in a forward position, creating a weight shift that carries momentum over the gliding ski.
A KEY TO CONTINUOUS MOVEMENT AND RHYTHM SKIING
Te rhythmic skiing that results from proper arm swing is efficient; it allows us to carry momentum from one phase of the skiing cycle to the next. In faster terrain (in which the skier would likely V2-alternate and double pole on a slight downhill), a larger arc in the arm swing allows for a longer glide. In slower terrain (in which the skier likely opts for V1, V2, or diagonal stride uphill), the arm swing has a smaller arc and initiates a faster tempo. Continuous motion in all cross country ski techniques is rhythmic and creates efficiency by sustaining forward movement.
2 DRILLS TO SHARE WITH STUDENTS
To help student refine their approach to poling, lead them in the following exercises. Q Standing broad jump –With no
skis and no poles, try two versions of jumping forward. For the first type of jump, have students keep their hands by their side (no arm movement) and jump forward on both feet. Next, have students prepare to jump forward again,
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124