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#1
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Pole Length Recommendations
I call on the wisdom of rec.skiing.nordic! Can anyone comment on what
is the latest thinking on the length of poles for skating. I'm really looking for more than the usual "up to your mustache" rule of thumb. Is there any correlation to arm length, individual style, type of skiing (rec vs racing, hills vs flats, etc)?? Over the years, I've found that I like poles that are a bit shorter than those generally recommended for someone my height. I'm using 162.5s and I'm 6 ft 0 in. Earlier in the season, I got a new set of poles that were just a bit longer than my old ones (165) and have never really gotten comfortable with them. The two things I notice most is that I feel more powerful on hills with the shorter poles, and I like the lighter swing weight for V2. Any thoughts?? Bill K |
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#2
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Pole Length Recommendations
Hi Bill, my experience is that all the things you mentioned - arm
length, individual style, type of skiing, etc do make a difference in how long or short your poles should be. I don't think there's a whole lot of good solid guidelines on this, particularly because there's not going to be a very good way of quantifying "individual style". I think what you like is the best judge here - you clearly can tell that you don't like your pole length now, and that you would feel more powerful and be faster with shorter poles. so I would go ahead and shorten them. I've actually sometimes been surprised how a difference of just like 2 cm can make a big difference. and you're in luck, because your poles are too long. cutting a pole is easy - heat up the grip in hot water, pull it off, then just use a hacksaw to nip off 1-2 cm. then try them out for a little while and repeat if necessary. happy trails jacob On Jan 26, 10:51 am, wrote: I call on the wisdom of rec.skiing.nordic! Can anyone comment on what is the latest thinking on the length of poles for skating. I'm really looking for more than the usual "up to your mustache" rule of thumb. Is there any correlation to arm length, individual style, type of skiing (rec vs racing, hills vs flats, etc)?? Over the years, I've found that I like poles that are a bit shorter than those generally recommended for someone my height. I'm using 162.5s and I'm 6 ft 0 in. Earlier in the season, I got a new set of poles that were just a bit longer than my old ones (165) and have never really gotten comfortable with them. The two things I notice most is that I feel more powerful on hills with the shorter poles, and I like the lighter swing weight for V2. Any thoughts?? Bill K |
#3
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Pole Length Recommendations
Heck, I've been able to tell 0.5cm difference. Add shoulders to the
mix of variables. Poling has to do with arm position and so if your shoulders are straight across you'll be able to handle a longer pole than if they slope a lot (shoulder socket height). In the first race Bente Skari won, Davos I think, she cut her poles to long classical to deal with the hills. General rule is that you should feel like you can get up over them with good timing, but not so much that you feel like you're losing poling power. All things equal - i.e., good technique - if your arms are having to catch up, or you can't follow through fully, then they are likely too long. If you are having too much problem driving the hand to the hip going uphill, same deal. Forget the moustache or even bottom lip if you ski hills, unless perhaps you have strong upper body and arms. Also note that full length measurement varies with grip make because grips have different inside depths and portions above the hand. Lately I'm looking at strap exit position for comparisons. rm "Jake" wrote: Hi Bill, my experience is that all the things you mentioned - arm length, individual style, type of skiing, etc do make a difference in how long or short your poles should be. I don't think there's a whole lot of good solid guidelines on this, particularly because there's not going to be a very good way of quantifying "individual style". I think what you like is the best judge here - you clearly can tell that you don't like your pole length now, and that you would feel more powerful and be faster with shorter poles. so I would go ahead and shorten them. I've actually sometimes been surprised how a difference of just like 2 cm can make a big difference. and you're in luck, because your poles are too long. cutting a pole is easy - heat up the grip in hot water, pull it off, then just use a hacksaw to nip off 1-2 cm. then try them out for a little while and repeat if necessary. happy trails jacob On Jan 26, 10:51 am, wrote: I call on the wisdom of rec.skiing.nordic! Can anyone comment on what is the latest thinking on the length of poles for skating. I'm really looking for more than the usual "up to your mustache" rule of thumb. Is there any correlation to arm length, individual style, type of skiing (rec vs racing, hills vs flats, etc)?? Over the years, I've found that I like poles that are a bit shorter than those generally recommended for someone my height. I'm using 162.5s and I'm 6 ft 0 in. Earlier in the season, I got a new set of poles that were just a bit longer than my old ones (165) and have never really gotten comfortable with them. The two things I notice most is that I feel more powerful on hills with the shorter poles, and I like the lighter swing weight for V2. Any thoughts?? Bill K |
#5
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Pole Length Recommendations
On Jan 26, 9:51 am, wrote: I call on the wisdom of rec.skiing.nordic! Can anyone comment on what is the latest thinking on the length of poles for skating. I'm really looking for more than the usual "up to your mustache" rule of thumb. Is there any correlation to arm length, individual style, type of skiing (rec vs racing, hills vs flats, etc)?? Over the years, I've found that I like poles that are a bit shorter than those generally recommended for someone my height. I'm using 162.5s and I'm 6 ft 0 in. Earlier in the season, I got a new set of poles that were just a bit longer than my old ones (165) and have never really gotten comfortable with them. The two things I notice most is that I feel more powerful on hills with the shorter poles, and I like the lighter swing weight for V2. Any thoughts?? Bill K Just remember that there is no such thing as a pole stretcher. |
#6
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vasaloppets sno
There is snow, well, some, in Mora now and the lake seems to be frozen over. that takes care of the finish area but there is still that matter of covering vasagatten [vasa street] with a meter of snow. http://www.vasaloparen.se/race_article.jsp?d_id=2901 you find here a column on will there be snow in Vasaloppet's tracks? written by Kjell Johansson, tracks bross for Vasaloppet. maybe with a translation program you can read all; without you can still get the conclusion theya re prepared and preparing. ....35,000 cubic meters of snow is a lot. think of a very large dump truck hauling 5 cu yards of sand and what a big pile it makes. 7,000 truckloads of snow. but to make a path a meter deep, 5 meters wide at least, and 90,000 meters long is a lot of snow. hopefully mother nature will help again. two years ago, they spent more than a $1M USD hauling snow. But even that is economically justified to the economic health of Darlana. To cancel vasaloppet is a real hit to the area. see you in Mora! Finns det snö i Vasaloppsspåret? Kjell Johansson är spårchef för Vasaloppet. Just nu arbetar han för fullt med att se till att vi får bra spår hela vägen från Sälen till Mora. Följ hans arbete här på sidan. Vi uppdaterar sidan flera gånger i veckan. Fredag 2007-01-26 Det närmar sig Vasaloppsveckan. Hur ser det ut hos dig? Vi har 12 grader kallt vid TjejVasastarten och klart och fint väder. Det har inte hänt så mycket mer sedan sist än att vi fortsätter idag att lägga ut Prästholmen mot Hemus. Vi blir förmodligen klara upp till Hemus idag. Sedan packar vi den bit som är kvar mellan Everertsberg och Risberg och då lägger vi spår så att det finns åkbara spår från Risberg till Mora. Så har vi packat väster mellan Risberg och starten i Sälen. Där är det nerpackat så att det är en slät raka så att skejtåkarna kan träna där. Sjöarna är bra Vi har 3 dm kärnis idag. Vi har uppskattningsvis 35 000 kubikmeter kanonsnö tillverkat dessutom finns det mycket natursnö. Det är faktiskt så att det finns snö så att det täcker hela sträckan. Skulle vi ha kört Vasaloppet idag så hade vi klarat det. Lite sämre kvalitet på spåren - men fullt dugligt. |
#7
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skate vs classic
Just had a friend use "skating" poles to double pole a "classic" race with
no kick wax. The logic seems good - longer poles = more power, but what about physics and physiology of it? If you are planning on double poling ONLY, should you still stick with classic length poles? JKal. |
#8
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skate vs classic
32 degrees wrote:
Just had a friend use "skating" poles to double pole a "classic" race with no kick wax. The logic seems good - longer poles = more power, but what about physics and physiology of it? I see your statement, but no logic backing it. Your body provides the power. Where does the extra power come from? If you are planning on double poling ONLY, should you still stick with classic length poles? JKal. My classic poles feel a bit short for me after I cut them down experimentally a centimenter or two a few years ago (and didn't save the cut pieces to put back into the handle to extend it back), but my skate poles feel too long... I can't get my weight over them. Probably classic... But this, like most technique questions can easily be tested. Ski with someone closely matched in ability and go really hard so you can judge how little adjustments will have you skiing easier behind your friend or have you dropped. Is it easier to keep up with one pole length than the other? Well there you go. |
#9
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Do a search.. tons of stuff on this.
I opened a thread on this a couple years back after discovering skating with my classic poles as a sort of 'wake up' call to my overall technique. While definitely too short, it pointed out to me nonetheless that going by "the charts" for skate pole lenght was definitley not doing it for me. Perhaps its the hilly terrain of the area I ski in, or my personal characteristics (short legs, long body), but by chopping my pole down a few centimeteres its done wonders for my overall being able to get on top of my poles. My V2 feels much more fluid and powerful, not waiting for my arms to catch up, no hitch in my stride. Less falling behind on V1 as well. I think I realized I was on the right track when I'd notice how sore my stomach muscles/core would be after a good ski, instead of just the triceps/lats. Anyways, as has been noted, careful with those poles! Even a cm can make a HUGE difference. Mine are currently about .87 of my height, where .9 is the standard height I've heard thrown around. I did work it down to that gradually with testing. good luck. Steve |
#10
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skate vs classic
Due to some shoulder impingements and my belief that I get quicker
return and can make better use of my upper body strength with slightly shorter poles, I run a little shorter on my skate poles - about 159cm, which comes just slightly above the bottom of my chin. My "A" classic poles are 151cm, putting the strap attach at the ball of my shoulder, and my "short" poles are 149cm. I might be tempted to use my skate poles on a lake race - if it's short. I know from experience that I can't sustain the leverage I need to DP a 30K or so event on my skate poles. But 10K or so, maybe. For a hilly race where I expect to do a lot of single stick, I will generally opt for my shorter poles. They're slightly heavier, but the swing weight is still good, and I don't have to lift them quite as high to get a good forward plant and drive. I do give up a little bit in leverage on DP, but I've been working on my DP technique, and I getting more from it in any case. Of course, your mileage may vary... Marsh 32 degrees wrote: Just had a friend use "skating" poles to double pole a "classic" race with no kick wax. The logic seems good - longer poles = more power, but what about physics and physiology of it? If you are planning on double poling ONLY, should you still stick with classic length poles? JKal. |
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