Once we have mastered the technique of the alternate step, we will begin to notice that our speed increases and we will try to make routes with more slopes and descents looking for new challenges. Now we can say that we are moving too fast for the alternate step and we have to incorporate a new technique into our classic style.
Initiation to the double cane
For the correct performance of this technique we must place the skis parallel and perform the simultaneous impulse with the poles. The strength and power in this technique comes from the trunk and the impulse of the legs. In the initiation, it is most normal for beginners to use only the arms and not work with the abdominals.
Because this technique is only pushing with the poles, many people think that the double pole technique is mainly about the use of the arms and not the entire upper body. Many studies have been done to evaluate the force used in the lower body in the double pole technique. “Contribution of the legs to double-poling performance in elite cross-country skiers.” Researchers have observed that the legs are the main energy consumers in cross-country skiing, even in the double pole technique and concluded that a more dynamic use of the legs would improve performance in the double pole technique.
No other cross-country skiing technique will fool you as much as the double pole. It seems so simple, but it is one of the most difficult techniques to master. The practice of this exercise in rollerski or on skis is very important for a correct execution.
Phases of the double baton technique
- Phase, which begins just before the skier drives his poles into the snow, and ends when the poles are removed from the snow behind him.
- Phase, is when the skier raises and projects his trunk forward seeking to launch the body (like jumping forward) and swings his poles forward.
Learning how to perform the double pole technique with greater strength with minimal effort is a challenge that scientists and athletes are studying as it is one of the techniques that has undergone the most changes in recent years.
Many skiers think that the force comes only from the arm muscles to drive the skier forward. Your arms play an important role in propulsion, but there are other, much more important muscle groups that are a source of energy to use when performing the double baton technical gesture.
The secret of the double cane
The double cane technique is not only about pushing forward with the arms, it is more complex than just that, it is the joint use of the force of the entire upper body to channel the potential energy of the arms and trunk into kinetic energy. We can create and release potential energy in each double rod cycle by lifting and dropping the weight of the body on our rods. The objective is to learn to use the force of the entire upper body to channel energy and transmit it on the poles with a minimum loss of it and to achieve this we need to use our lower part correctly.
Trying to lean forward should not be a goal but rather a consequence of the flexion of our ankles and the momentum of our legs. It is important to feel a forward momentum but it must be balanced and coordinated. It is very important that a comfortable and balanced position is maintained at all times during the double pole cycle. The forward inclination of the body can be appreciated correctly when we see expert skiers in the double pole technique and there we will be able to appreciate that the movement starts from their ankles, and not from “bending” only.
In cross-country skiing, being technically efficient guarantees us an economy of effort and certainly a success in performance. If we can simply keep our body weight on the balls of our feet when doing the double pole technique, your body will naturally be in the correct position.
References
- Contribution of the legs to double-poling performance in elite cross-country skiers, Holmberg HC1, Lindinger S, Stöggl T, Björklund G, Müller E, (2006 Oct; 38 (10): 1853-60).
