HawkNordic: Classic Fundamentals

What follows is a summation of a variety of classic technique elements. I beleive these are general principles that will serve all skiers well. It is important to undersatnd that there is a progression to these skils and one should know where they are in that progression.

Major Elements of Classic Skiing

1. Basic Stance: Athletic position
• Head-up, looking down the track
• Shoulders are slightly rolled, “schlunched”
• Slight bend at the knees
• Slight bend at the ankles

2. Timing:
• Opposite arm / opposite leg
• Pole push
- Pole plant and opposite leg weighting are in sync

3. Weight Transfer:
• Center of mass must be completely shifted to glide ski before the
application of the kick.

• Ski is not weighted until the foot is under the chest.

• Knee, shoulder and head are over the ski. This is not compete, but
nose over the big toe as a guide.

• Angle of the back and the shin should be the same.

• A slapping noise is a caused by a lack of weight shift to each ski.

4. Momentum, Momentum, Momentum…

• All energy is going forward!
• Ski is always accelerating!

Hips:
A. Should stay “high and forward”

* Perhaps a better way to think about it: the center of mass should
never fall behind the supporting foot”
** Necessity of a strong core!!!!

B: Slight rotation of the hips, subtle and natural

- Leg coming through is slightly angled out (Advanced)

Other notations:

• “Powerful arm swing with a very slight un-weighting on the
front ski, creates a planning effect” (very difficult)

• Keep the skis flat. No edging.

5. What is kick?

Kick is the action of the ski being weighted such that our “kick wax’ can come in contact with the snow. It is a quick and powerful transfer of weight and force.

The importance of weight shift

a. Skier is always in our athletic position, knee and ankle being slightly pre-loaded. Ankle flex comes in large part from the forward position of the knee. Think, “drop the knee” and ankle will flex.

Advanced: consciously use a slight drop of the knee when applying kick.

b. If the front knee is bent too much it can create a plowing effect, which slows the ski. The fix: More arm swing and higher arm swing which should lift the body weight of the skier.

Comments on “Kick” and its application:

John Caldwell: If you swing the leg through forcefully and with appropriate weight shift the “kick” will take care of itself.

Dorcas Wonsavage: Transfer your weight onto the gliding ski when you feel as though you can land on your heel in front of the opposite foot.

Trond Nystad: Just before the kick the foot is brought forward in a snappy movement to maximize the force. Lower leg straightens slightly.

Manuela Bender: Weight the foot as they pass each other.

Advanced: Cushion the compression of your body weight in a smooth, efficient and skillful manner. Only compress as much as you have to…

6. Poling

Diagonal Basic Positions:
•Planting poles are always angled backwards.
•Contact with snow is made near the foot
•Palms are facing one another
•Hands never cross the centerline, think sweep the pant leg.
•Poling is initiated at the shoulder with a nice swinging motion,
not at the elbows. Think swinging forward not lifting up.
*Water cup
• Forward hand position approaches eye level **(M.B)

• Body type changes in the position:
• Skier with long arms may have more elbow bend
• Skier with short arms may have less elbow bend

Major Points:
• Apply power immediately upon planting!!!
• Keep poling as compact as possible
• drive hands to the hip then begin again
• Tempo of legs is determined by tempo of the arm

Double Poling:
• Same concepts as above but both poles are planted together and
the goal is to get ones body weight in an optimal position to
compress.
•Elbow should be in line with the forearm or slightly out.

• Speed will dictate how compact the stroke:
-high speeds will create a longer stroke
-low speed will be shorter (starting line)

• This is a series of stomach crunches not sit-ups!

Kick Double Pole
Think of this as an open close maneuver. Upon the kick the legs become open and when we close the legs and poling all come together.
• Visualize a pair of scissors. Poling occurs at the closing of the scissors.
• Technique should be used as speed intensifies. Practice kicking on both sides.

7. Skiing up hill

Although basic body position is the same some modifications take place.

• Hands stay in front of the body as poling action gets shorter and
quicker.
• Angle of the body to the snow intensifies.
• Stride length gets shorter.
• Skier must continue to drive the knee forward under the center of mass
before the weight is shifted. This is most critical…
• Maintain momentum.

* Don’t get too far forward as the skis are now grinding into the snow like a plow.
* Don’t let the skis hang out back.

Herringbone:

A technique that used when the hill is just too steep to diagonal or the wax fails.

• Basic timing is the same as diagonal, opposite arm & leg
• Skis get edged slightly.
• Angle of the ski is determined by steepness of the hill.
- If the hill is short and not to steep than a narrow angle
- The longer and steeper the hill the wider the angle.
• For optimal speed this is very much like running on our skis

• Position of the hands should move back as the hill gets steeper.
• Rely on your legs not your poles

** There is no gliding allowed in a classic herringbone.

8. Practice Starting:

Some skiers do well with a series of short quick double poles other with a series of shuffles with diagonal poling then switch to double poling.
• See what works best for you in different conditions!

9. Learn to Draft whenever possible:

This is especially true when you need a rest or there are windy conditions. Draft, Recover, Attack!!!

10. Wrapping Up:

Good Classic Skiing must include

a. Correct timing
b. Complete weight shift
c. Maintaining Momentum

All motions are done:

a. Fluidly
b. No bobbing of the body or head
c. No excessive twisting of the shoulders or head

How do I improve? Practice, Practice, Practice….

a. Lots of no pole skiing
b. Lots of simple, drill work for a short period every
time out.

c. Ski with a purpose !

It can be helpful to do a self-ananlysis or work with a partner to assess each others form!

    Area of Focus    sub-components                                Developing    Basic    Advanced
               
Basic position   

    1. Head position: chin tucked           
    2. Shouders slouched           
    3. Hips up: hold the dollar           
    4. Knees slighlty pressed forward           
    5. Ankles flexed           
               
Poling   

    1. Swing from shoulder           
    2. Poles angled slightly           
    3. Extends hands to eye height           
    4. Pole plant near front of foot           
    5. " Wheel is always turning"           
               
Weight shift:    

    1. Ski delivered under the chest           
       "forward motion"   

    2. Weight shifts completely: riding           
        on each ski on your "bones"           
    3. Driving from the hip           
               
No Pole skiing   

    1. Comfortable on skis           
    2. Arm swing is relaxed           
    3. Hands stay parallel           
    4. No slapping           
               
Overall   

    1. General body position           
    2. Symmetry of movement:            
        "everything works in unison"