Video up and running at http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomp/ Expand the image and freeze the image by putting the cursor over the slide.
Thirty Four bounders muttered under their breaths tonight about Coach Whataweinie giving them grief about pole control, what difference does it make you ask?
The answer is about one wave at the Birkie or some dude saying you make it look easy as opposed to saying how cashed you look.
(Improved) Technique is for most of us the only realistic way we will improve at skiing. Physically time has a lot of us beat but I GUARANTEE that no one over fifty thinks that they were smarter when in their twenties. Good technique takes smarts, smarts that sometimes only comes with experience, oh yea, that’s we train so hard. Note the recovery time on Steve's HRM Strip, chalk that up to "educational processing".
Tonight was certainly the hardest effort yet. I doubt we will go much harder but I think we have room to move technically and I would expect our speed to improve even if the effort does not increase. I would go to the video and look for a few things. http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomp/ Note there is two weeks worth with some individual stuff we shot tonight before the group. Be sure and expand the image and hold your mouse on the slide to freeze frame the image. Here are the easy things I see.
1. Lots of droopy heads. A/ When your head is down your Center of Gravity (CG) changes. B/ You decrease the amount of air you can take in AND out. C/ You can’t respond to the dork who just face planted in front of you.
2. Still seeing some running out there. S-L-I-D-E the foot. Keeping the foot in CONTACT with the ground/snow longer gives you a longer stride. Longer stride = more distance per stroke = moving up a wave at the Birkie.
3. Pole angle and control coming into its own. Good thing!
4. Make a note about tempo. Next week we will add “POP” or Push Off Power to our list of dorky Ernst acronyms. As hard as it feels it does not “look” that hard. That’s the beauty of cameras, they never lie.
Lastly some terminology review. In skate skiing there are seven basic strokes. Some are more important than others and most are speed/terrain/conditioning sensitive. Check these out.
· V1 (one step in other parts of the world) Use for slower speeds like uphill’s or harder conditions. Can work everywhere. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyuYflyZta4
· V2 Alternate (open Field Skate for us old farts) Use at faster speeds. Very fast and efficient. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmR5WXd_F8I
· V2: Use at higher speeds and is becoming common for faster racers. High balance demand but smooth and fast. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HksXxzH55pw
The other strokes, Diagonal Skate, Jump skate, Free skate and our crossover stroke, the Double Pole are less used but good to know. http://www.xcskiworld.com/training/Technique/skating.htm#diagonal_v
I appreciate the strong output tonight, it’s really hard sometimes but that is why we do it as a group. This is a tough night that you can center your week on. If it was easy everyone would do it (even me). We will see you next week at 5:28pm.
Lastly…………..
Butch Reimer passed away tonight. Butch is the ski coach at UWGB, a great guy and my friend. It is not fair and it's not right but it happened. Think of Butch as you go about your own life and then live your life… to the fullest. http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/butchreimer
The answer is about one wave at the Birkie or some dude saying you make it look easy as opposed to saying how cashed you look.
(Improved) Technique is for most of us the only realistic way we will improve at skiing. Physically time has a lot of us beat but I GUARANTEE that no one over fifty thinks that they were smarter when in their twenties. Good technique takes smarts, smarts that sometimes only comes with experience, oh yea, that’s we train so hard. Note the recovery time on Steve's HRM Strip, chalk that up to "educational processing".
Tonight was certainly the hardest effort yet. I doubt we will go much harder but I think we have room to move technically and I would expect our speed to improve even if the effort does not increase. I would go to the video and look for a few things. http://www.flickr.com/photos/incomp/ Note there is two weeks worth with some individual stuff we shot tonight before the group. Be sure and expand the image and hold your mouse on the slide to freeze frame the image. Here are the easy things I see.
1. Lots of droopy heads. A/ When your head is down your Center of Gravity (CG) changes. B/ You decrease the amount of air you can take in AND out. C/ You can’t respond to the dork who just face planted in front of you.
2. Still seeing some running out there. S-L-I-D-E the foot. Keeping the foot in CONTACT with the ground/snow longer gives you a longer stride. Longer stride = more distance per stroke = moving up a wave at the Birkie.
3. Pole angle and control coming into its own. Good thing!
4. Make a note about tempo. Next week we will add “POP” or Push Off Power to our list of dorky Ernst acronyms. As hard as it feels it does not “look” that hard. That’s the beauty of cameras, they never lie.
Lastly some terminology review. In skate skiing there are seven basic strokes. Some are more important than others and most are speed/terrain/conditioning sensitive. Check these out.
· V1 (one step in other parts of the world) Use for slower speeds like uphill’s or harder conditions. Can work everywhere. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyuYflyZta4
· V2 Alternate (open Field Skate for us old farts) Use at faster speeds. Very fast and efficient. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmR5WXd_F8I
· V2: Use at higher speeds and is becoming common for faster racers. High balance demand but smooth and fast. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HksXxzH55pw
The other strokes, Diagonal Skate, Jump skate, Free skate and our crossover stroke, the Double Pole are less used but good to know. http://www.xcskiworld.com/training/Technique/skating.htm#diagonal_v
I appreciate the strong output tonight, it’s really hard sometimes but that is why we do it as a group. This is a tough night that you can center your week on. If it was easy everyone would do it (even me). We will see you next week at 5:28pm.
Lastly…………..
Butch Reimer passed away tonight. Butch is the ski coach at UWGB, a great guy and my friend. It is not fair and it's not right but it happened. Think of Butch as you go about your own life and then live your life… to the fullest. http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/butchreimer
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