Debunking the World's Most Popular Double Pole Myth

[rognvalduringthorsson]

Hi Kim. Having competed at the 1992 and 1994 olympics and then seen the dramatical change in the technique of double poling and its increased importance in the sport, I think you are spot on. The modern technique looks as if it is a question of hammering down at the beginning, but it really isn't. The really good skiers do place the poles quite sternly at the 'catch' but they wait with the main push until the poles are pointing more backwards. We were very much aware in the 90-ies of the biomechanical importance of getting as much force into the poles only once they were pushing backwards (not downwards) to propel you forwards (graph at 2:56 shows the importance of this clearly). But what we didn't think about then, is that with a more upright body posture, you can more easily increase the frequency of the poling and at the same time reduce the stress on your spine caused by the more deep forward lunge that was popular at the time. I think we also underestimated the strenght and stamina of the stomach muscles. It wasn't really until the Swede Staffan Larsson poled the entire Vasaloppet in 1994 and almost won, after being unable to use his legs for a whole year due to a knee injury, that people started to think that proficiency in double poling really is a game changer.

[Matt-hwtt]

A very well presented point. The area under that graph really drives it home. That sharp peak of energy lost in the joints.
I hadn't even considered the angle of the force. At pole impact, you're lifting yourself off the snow rather than pushing forward. Reminds me of paddling; where overextending your stroke only ends up lifting the water and pulling you downwards.

[martariddell]

Hi Kim - Thanks for this video - While I am not a competitive nordic skier, I do hope to do a marathon soon. With arthritis in the wrists, thumbs, and feet, I have adjusted my skiing to accommodate pain in these areas, so slamming down my poles while double-poling isn't for me, as I hold the poles in a really weird way due to carpal tunnel syndrome. Sounds bad, but NO ! - The pleasure of being in the woods and moving trumps the pain every time and my doc says "just keep doing it". Thanks for all the videos which help me understand what I can do to make skiing even more fun, while ensuring I keep from harming myself while doing it. You might be surprised by how many seniors benefit from your videos. Thanks !

[cdt]

I’m a newb to xcski but have experience in other athletic sports. My intuition here wants to say that the “hammer the poles in” is a cue popular among people with under-developed upper body strength, who are relying on the momentum of their arms to generate a lot of that area under the curve, as they don’t have the strength to carry through a “full stroke” at high intensity.

Then the converse of this, those with more developed upper bodies, likely begin developing power as they push the pulls into the snow, but are just beginning to produce power, aiming to be developing max power well into the stroke at a point where they have greater leverage for going faster.

[detrimentaldoge]

As a beginning skier, this is a very nice explanation and has helped me understand double poling.

[skigripsweden]

Great video! This really shows why strength training is getting more important for XC-skiers.

[marywheatley]

Best explanation of body movement I've ever seen...and I am 80...

[dougreid]

I wonder if the very force of pounding the poles into the snow is what is creating a deflection of some kind that inhibits gaining the full force of power throughout the poling phase. Or something like that :)

[SkiDooSummit]

I roller ski all off-season, mainly because it is my favorite form of exercise, and I try not to hit to hard, because it is hard on the hands and wrists. But you have to dig in or the pole does not bite, and pole slips and does nothing. When skiing in snow, the impact does not need to be nearly as hard. I hope roller skiing doesn't train me to hit to hard! So I imagine the optimal pole force may be different for roller skiing and real skiing.

[leonid]

As I find it, just enough hammering is needed as a preparation for furter force application to avoid pole slip-off in icey conditions and especially in roller skiing on aspalt... One needs to ensure it is securely planted in. // This year we were skiing barely 1cm above the asphalt and that was noticeable... just HAD TO hammer it down. :).

[SpikeBoarding]

This was great. All this study needs to be done in SpikeBoarding as well.

[random__name]

One day I was very surprised when I noticed that my skis were covered with snow, and much more than that of other skiers. And then I noticed how fountains of snow fly up from under my ski poles. ... And immediately remembered this video.

[michaelames]

It would be really interesting if you could somehow combine the pole force with the angle of the pole to create a new chart showing the force *pushing the skier forward* over time. That would really emphasize that the bulk of the work is done later in the cycle.

[JamieSmith-fzmz]

“If you made it this far, you must be pretty keen on XC skiing.”
Me, staring at the screen 5 minutes later wishing they’d keep talking.

[misterkel]

seems obvious - the vector force is primarily downward initially, not backward which is where it pushes you.

[trrapinsttion]

Who knew there was double pole mythology! And I had no idea that this was the worlds most popular one. How do they measure popularity of double poling myths anyway?

[douglasshaffer]

I like this video, good explanation of double poling.

[realalbertan]

Would love to see some of the best butterfly and freestyle swimmers tested at double polling

[damianolivecchi]

Ottimo video soddisfatto delle spiegazioni visive. Ciao grazie

[sod]

Love it!. This makes a lot of sense to me!