Help us test this NEW ski technique!
 

On Jan 4, 3:12*am, Terje Mathisen "terje.mathisen at tmsw.no" wrote:
Jeff Potter wrote:
It's the first new ski technique in decades. Fun!

When was the last time we got a new ski technique? Jump-skate? The
last time classic got a new technique was...skating!

It's a new gear for classic and it's also a way to "skate" with
classic skis in set-tracks.

It's the Cat1 and its relative the Cat1A or Striding Doublepole.

Jeff, I believe this will require somewhat better grip than regular
classic stride going uphill. i.e. you can use your poles to be able to
stride up hills with very marginal grip, where you would slip on every
second step when trying to DP on alternate steps.

Yeah. It might like a softer ski, too. Mostly, it likes soft
conditions. It's neither fish nor fowl so it likes conditions that
neither fish nor fowl like. It's for a steeper hill than KDP. Also,
it's just variety and fun.

OTOH, it is possible that all the DP training people have been doing
over the last 20-30 years have made this technique relatively faster?

Speed is relative indeed. The jury is out on who this is actually
faster for. But there are times it's fun.

BTW, I have done what you call Cat1A as a variation at least since the
seventies, when skiing with a pack. This is probably also why your
military is teaching it, i.e. it can be easier on your shoulders when
loaded down.

Yes, it's very steady. No bobbing. It's a DP move with the shoulder
steadiness of diagonal -- or maybe moreso?

And, sure, it's actually an old move -- just like V1A was. Application
and promotion is the key. A main thing is that it's not taught, at
least not over here. Do you know of any online Scandi how-to ski info
that includes alternative pole timings? Cat1 seems pretty unique -- a
bit like V1 was so strange to even those who had been playing with
skating since the 70's (or whenever pre-skating) as well. V1 was such
relief in the skating game: finally, a way to go up hill easily.

As an aside, how about a resource that is thorough with info on
alternative skate timings? I've heard of many variations on V1 but
forget where to find them. They seem scattered. Are they taught
anywhere? There used to be Morgren Skate, for one.

--JP


Terje

--
- Terje.Mathisen at tmsw.no
"almost all programming can be viewed as an exercise in caching"