Notes for Monday ATG, Nordic ski class #3, #langrenn

We covered a lot of technique last night in class.

Double poling:

Hands hip/shoulder width apart depending on what is wider

Always gravity, core, butt drop which is a collapse at the knee, and maybe muscle at the end. 

Do not grab the poles, but loosely control the pole and pull down on a proper adjusted pole strap

Hands go down and back but not down to calf muscle. 

We do not bend so much at the back any more but stay in a more crouch position (like being in a tube)

Hands come up close to the face like answering the phone, elbows are bent outward like chicken wings but this will depend on your shoulder strength. 

Elbows should certainly be wider then the hands

The wider the elbows the more you use a strong core and there is a need for higher tempo.

When your hands recover at the highest position try to relax for a second as your center of gravity starts to fall forward.

Single kick double poling:

Timing is kick glide, pole glide

Do not just window dress the kick but try to plant that wax. Sneak the kicking foot ahead just few inches before your kick.

When your hands recover at the highest position try to relax for a second as your gravity starts to fall forward even if you are over just one balanced leg.

Herringbone:

Use your wax not an edge in loose snow if possible

Keep the hands hip/shoulder width apart

Do not let your feet go any wider then necessary and try to recover your legs under your hips somewhere.

Hands stay low around hip height on a steep hill with the power coming with elbows bent. Bent elbows forward  bent elbows back. Try not to use the triceps.

Keep the head looking up the hill

Try not to walk but keep up the run

If you can use the running muscles up, and not the adductor muscles of the leg it will be faster.

Step turns:

Outside ski with an inside edge as you are turning, un-weight the inside ski picking it up and placing it in the new direction before you weight the outside ski again. 

Keep the the hands low around hip height in the ready position unless your are double poling.

Try to take many quick small turns accelerating as you go. If you make it less steps sometimes the ski and or pole may disappear in softer snow.

Always be sure to brake to a speed that feels right for you before going into a series of step turns around the corner

Running Diagonal Side Step:
As demonstrated to you this move needs the tips to be pointed into the middle of the track and to the uphill side. You edge both skis into the hill as needed otherwise diagonal right on up the hill. You use this technique when there are people in the tracks and more people blocking up the herringbone area going up. You can skinny right on past. This movement also gives relief to the upper body and if your wax is a bit unsure the double edging allows you to not re-wax.

A controlled fall is always better then a wipe-out!

Try to get at least a 3 hour ski if doing the 31km, and a 5 hour ski if doing the 55km.