Poles / No-poles Skating experiment
Interesting (not very scientific) experiment for a skating newbie. (Skated
maybe a dozen times - came from a Rollerblade background).
I was at Okemo, VT last Sunday. On the short practice loop (around the
driving range) I was practicing going with no poles/poles. I did 4 loops,
timed as such:
1) 5 min 50 sec - no poles
2) 5 min 40 sec - no poles
3) 4 min 50 sec - no poles
4) 4 min 50 sec - with poles! - no improvement!
Of course since I knew the course better, and that helped.
How can I keep my speed up (or better yet, increase it) when I use my poles!
They seem to get in the way, make me want to use my upper body, and get more
tired, and generally detract from my (rollerblade - legs focused) skating
style!
--
Mark Frost
Bedford, NH, USA
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