Secrets to Being a Faster Skier #4: Watch the pros

YouTube some World Cup or World Champs or Olympic footage of sprints. I’ve embedded some links below as I discuss particular sprints. 

We’ll focus on sprints here because it shows agility, power, and tactics well in keeping with the theme of this blog series. Specifically note the following when watching the skiers:

• Their stability. They usually have their body weight directly over their skis. They rarely bobble. They rarely sway side to side. This is due to that side ab strength.

Watch skate skiing. Note where they free skate. This is often done when coming off downhills onto flats. If you don’t see any free skating, the course probably isn’t conducive to this technique and consider watching a different race.
 

Next watch the agility and the “playing” on their skis.

• For skate sprint starts, watch how they tuck their feet behind them for the starting double pole.

• For classic sprint starts, notice how most athletes take a few quick running strides off the line.

• See how some skiers utilize the jump skate.

• Watch how they run up steep hills on their classic skis.

In the next post, I’m going to talk about skiing downhills. Specifically when watching the athletes note the following about downhills:
 

• What they do before starting down the hill or as they crest the hill before the downhill. Usually they put in some extra power and even continue poling into the downhill.

• Tuck position is very aerodynamic.

• Watch their downhill cornering: step turns or skid turns. Pay attention to their arms. Note that they usually have their hands low.

• Note the occasional snowplows, standing up to decrease speed, and how Kleabo will step-turn around the burm where everyone else skids (particularly during the World Cup race in Les Rousses France in 2023. I was unable to find any video of this on YouTube though).

And for the next-next post:

• Pay attention to their cornering technique on flat terrain.

• See how often and fluidly they change tracks.

• Note when they decide to use the different techniques (double pole, kick double pole, striding for classic and free skate, V-2, V-2 alternate, and V-1 with skating); see how this changes on different courses.