Poles / No-poles Skating experiment
My take on this is you aren't necessarily poling wrong, but
what everyone learns if they skate well is that it is 80% legs anyway.
So the key is to apply the legs just as effectively with or without
poles.
I recently timed myself at a local park with plently of long gradual
hills, a few long enough to bust a lung on (for me). I covered it
in 65 minutes without poles, 55 minutes with poles. Skiing without
poles is a blast because you feel less constrained, can tuck
more easily, and dance up the hills without any strain
on the back. I felt like it took less energy. So for me, it seems
like I need to transfer more of that no-pole feel and efficiency over to
fully-armed skiing, primarily by relying on my legs more.
-Bob
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