Enjoying herringbone...

I've never really enjoyed doing herringbone, but lately I've changed
my mind. Maybe it's just a new challenge. But I've really been liking
it. I've always greatly enjoyed uphills, so this new practice is
letting me enjoy even steeper ones.

I used to consider h-bone as the bail-out, waddling phase. Two things
changed my view. The first was years ago, in 1987 at the Nationals
when the leaders (Simmy and Dooner) went whipping past me on a steep h-
bone climb. They looked smooth, easy and fast. It was inspiring!

After that I went back and forth on my opinion of h-bone for years and
with my skills.

Then a few years ago along came the 2-tape Norwegian Ski tapes (skate
and classic---narrated by Torbjorn.) How many years now? This was a
couple years into the New Skate phase. Those tapes were wonderful.
Their basic thrust included the ideas that posture was very similar
for skating and classic. In the classic tape they analyze the
technique usin footage of a WC h-bone uphill. But they never mention
the h-bone. It was all skiing to them. The technique was the same as
any other uphill skiing, I presume.

So now when I do h-bone I try to use the same posture and technique as
my other uphill skiing. I just point the tips out farther as the hill
gets steeper. And so it has become rewarding and fun all over again. I
try to stay smooth, light and keep my HR down. It's good fun.

....Of course my main problem is that there aren't any hills around
here!

....I've just been doing it at the kiddy sledding hill when I go out
with my kids. I do a few ski laps then pop off the skis and join the
kids for a few slides. The dozens of locals---kids and adults---on the
hill always get a kick out of the skiing. My bro and I have also
developed an improved snow sled---we screw a set of skis to the bottom
of a long plastic tub sled (then glue foam to the inside bottom). This
seems to make by far the best sled---fastest, smoothest. It goes
straight but that's fine.

Here's to everyone learning to enjoy their h-bone more!

--JP

Jeff P wrote:
***snip***
I've never really enjoyed doing herringbone, but lately I've changed
my mind. Maybe it's just a new challenge. But I've really been liking
it. I've always greatly enjoyed uphills, so this new practice is
letting me enjoy even steeper ones.
***snip***

I've never really enjoyed herringboning that much, though lately I have
felt 'better' at it for some reason...
My big problem was after skating came about, when in a classic race I
found it SO HARD to h-bone and not let that stupid ski slide.... arrgh!
Happy H-boning!!!
Randy

On Jan 7, 4:47 pm, "RWintski" wrote:
[ ]
I've never really enjoyed herringboning that much, though lately I have
felt 'better' at it for some reason...
My big problem was after skating came about, when in a classic race I
found it SO HARD to h-bone and not let that stupid ski slide.... arrgh!
Happy H-boning!!!
Randy

I wonder about that, too. But, offhand, these seem like 2 different
techniques that START out differently. Or maybe not? The Norgies on
those tapes talk about all techniques being similar for skate/classic/
etc. so maybe they can indeed shift into each other easily. If my
techniques were better---and more similar one to the other---maybe I'd
get more confused. I do try to make my h-bone like my regular classic.
But when I diagonal skate, offhand, it seems like my weight is a bit
further back and more stable in the middle and that my poling is
somehow a bit longer---pushes back farther. But I probably don't do
diag-skate very well! I tend to feel bogged down when I do it. Maybe
the thing is that if you're PLANTING a ski it won't then start to
glide. But maybe it's tempting to glide a ski rather than plant it. To
me, I have to think so hard about h-bone, just so I don't trip that it
doesn't have much chance to change into skating. Are 210's always a
problem for h-bone? Some folks make it so easy but darn I have to
focus! ...I always like mulling over the subtle differences/
similarities in techniques. --JP

Jeff, I think your description is right on. The lower body motion and
hip and hand positions of diagonal skate and striding HB are markedly
different. They have to be, because in striding you're aiming to plant
and drive forward entirely off edges, while in skating you're trying to
get glide by starting with some flat ski time, thus lots of repeated
deeper ankle/leg flexing is necessary. To do that, hips are naturally
back a little in skating vs. striding HB. Also, in diagonal skating
hands have to come more than halfway across the body in order to engage
the abs fully, but halfway or less suffices for a striding HB. I recall
a debate here a few years ago about a photo of a contestant in a
classical race, the question being was he diagonal skating the hill. A
lot of opinions were that it's just one still shot so you can't tell
anything, but the difference in body position was instantly detectable.

rm

"Jeff Potter (of OutYourBackdoor.com)" wrote:

I wonder about that, too. But, offhand, these seem like 2 different
techniques that START out differently. Or maybe not? The Norgies on
those tapes talk about all techniques being similar for skate/classic/
etc. so maybe they can indeed shift into each other easily. If my
techniques were better---and more similar one to the other---maybe I'd
get more confused. I do try to make my h-bone like my regular classic.
But when I diagonal skate, offhand, it seems like my weight is a bit
further back and more stable in the middle and that my poling is
somehow a bit longer---pushes back farther. But I probably don't do
diag-skate very well! I tend to feel bogged down when I do it. Maybe
the thing is that if you're PLANTING a ski it won't then start to
glide. But maybe it's tempting to glide a ski rather than plant it. To
me, I have to think so hard about h-bone, just so I don't trip that it
doesn't have much chance to change into skating. Are 210's always a
problem for h-bone? Some folks make it so easy but darn I have to
focus! ...I always like mulling over the subtle differences/
similarities in techniques. --JP