Northug and Hellner's Technique in Relay

After the first viewing of the WC relay this weekend it was very
apparent that Northug and Hellner were bouncing during their V2 burst
to the finish. They would do a soft bounce and than turn the foot and
ski slightly out and power through it. This was mentioned on RSN
before sometime ago, but this was the first time it looked so
apparent. If you don't already know go to www.nrk.no, than to sports
at the top, and than to langrenn on the left. Start picking videos and
you'll find it.

It was mentioned on fasterskier by coach Wadsworth Northug uses a
cuffless Alpina skate boot. Talk about balance!

On Nov 24, 7:31*am, ADK Skier wrote:
apparent that Northug and Hellner were bouncing during their V2 burst
to the finish.

When the US Ski team was in Lake Placid this year, they gave the Level
100 Technique clinic to about 70 people. Justin Wadsworth was one of
the coaches helping with this. We did several dry land drills and
then got on rollerskis where Garrot Kuzzy and several members of the
Green Mtn Valley School demonstrated this "hop-skate". It is nothing
more than putting together all of the dry land elements he had just
shown us. It was amazing to watch a line of kids (including a few 10
yr olds) doing this up a perfectly flat driveway, generating an
unbelievable amount of power and control.

Of course when I tried it, I was a complete klutz but did not fall.

If you don't already know go towww.nrk.no,

I would suggest using www.universalsports.com They have the same
races, commentary is in English and site is ez to navigate.

- Bob

If the skier creates enough force from the poles down while trying to
move forward quickly, thus coming up vigorously for the next poling, the
skis will naturally come off the snow, in effect a jump skate, unless of
course the skier curtails it. It's really no different than doing the
same double poling. Skiing with abandon. As you imply, confidence
has a lot to do with it, as most any decent skier can learn the way to
do it with a bit of practice.

Gene

highpeaksnordic wrote:

On Nov 24, 7:31*am, ADK Skier wrote:
apparent that Northug and Hellner were bouncing during their V2 burst
to the finish.

When the US Ski team was in Lake Placid this year, they gave the Level
100 Technique clinic to about 70 people. Justin Wadsworth was one of
the coaches helping with this. We did several dry land drills and
then got on rollerskis where Garrot Kuzzy and several members of the
Green Mtn Valley School demonstrated this "hop-skate". It is nothing
more than putting together all of the dry land elements he had just
shown us. It was amazing to watch a line of kids (including a few 10
yr olds) doing this up a perfectly flat driveway, generating an
unbelievable amount of power and control.

Of course when I tried it, I was a complete klutz but did not fall.

If you don't already know go towww.nrk.no,

I would suggest using www.universalsports.com They have the same
races, commentary is in English and site is ez to navigate.

- Bob

On Nov 24, 1:03*pm, wrote:
If the skier creates enough force from the poles down while trying to
move forward quickly, thus coming up vigorously for the next poling,

Gene -

I think you have the concept here, but force from poling is not what
the jump-skate is all about. It is the rapid and explosive movement
off the glide leg COMBINED with a rapid and explosive movement forward
with the arms and hips. Check out the video clip (especially the
"Starts" & "Drop In portion) on the rollerski loop at the Jump Complex
in Lake Placid -

http://teamtoday.ning.com/video/1941690:Video:2087

These athletes are exploding off that leg, so much so that they only
begin their glide when they touch down! Check out the head-on shot of
the woman at 1:30 into the video - her poles are off the ground, being
thrown forward as she brings her hips forward & up along with her arms
- so cool to see in person!

- Bob

highpeaksnordic wrote:
On Nov 24, 1:03 pm, wrote:
If the skier creates enough force from the poles down while trying to
move forward quickly, thus coming up vigorously for the next poling,

Gene -

I think you have the concept here, but force from poling is not what
the jump-skate is all about. It is the rapid and explosive movement
off the glide leg COMBINED with a rapid and explosive movement forward
with the arms and hips. Check out the video clip (especially the
"Starts" & "Drop In portion) on the rollerski loop at the Jump Complex
in Lake Placid -

http://teamtoday.ning.com/video/1941690:Video:2087

These athletes are exploding off that leg, so much so that they only
begin their glide when they touch down! Check out the head-on shot of
the woman at 1:30 into the video - her poles are off the ground, being
thrown forward as she brings her hips forward & up along with her arms
- so cool to see in person!

To me the coolest thing about it is the staccato sound the
roller skis make on the pavement.

Bob Schwartz

I couldn't get the videos on that page to run in IE or Opera. Good
question about the role of poling, since my sense is that it sets up the
leg position and momentum for the jump, at least in V2. I'll look at
it later this week on snow.

Gene

highpeaksnordic wrote:

On Nov 24, 1:03*pm, wrote:
If the skier creates enough force from the poles down while trying to
move forward quickly, thus coming up vigorously for the next poling,

Gene -

I think you have the concept here, but force from poling is not what
the jump-skate is all about. It is the rapid and explosive movement
off the glide leg COMBINED with a rapid and explosive movement forward
with the arms and hips. Check out the video clip (especially the
"Starts" & "Drop In portion) on the rollerski loop at the Jump Complex
in Lake Placid -

http://teamtoday.ning.com/video/1941690:Video:2087

These athletes are exploding off that leg, so much so that they only
begin their glide when they touch down! Check out the head-on shot of
the woman at 1:30 into the video - her poles are off the ground, being
thrown forward as she brings her hips forward & up along with her arms
- so cool to see in person!

- Bob

On Nov 24, 3:49*pm, wrote:
I couldn't get the videos on that page to run in IE or Opera. *

Try this also - http://blogs.fasterskier.com/andynewell/

Scroll down 2/3 of the way to the Lake Placid video for good, head-on
shots of several versions of the hop-skate.

Yes, that's better. All those are with vigorous poling. I'd like to
see the hop w/o it. Strictly speaking, poling per se is not necessary,
but is if you want to get more than a hop or two or three (even then a
just-poled position is very helpful to start from). Vigorous poling
sets up the position and momentum, and in the video those skiers are
using both.

Gene

highpeaksnordic wrote:

On Nov 24, 3:49*pm, wrote:
I couldn't get the videos on that page to run in IE or Opera. *

Try this also - http://blogs.fasterskier.com/andynewell/

Scroll down 2/3 of the way to the Lake Placid video for good, head-on
shots of several versions of the hop-skate.