FasterSkier Forums » Coaching

1. tradesmith45
   Member

   Hi.

   I've heard some teams use a couple different pole lengths for high school classic racing - longer pole for easier courses or stronger skiers - shorter poles for harder course or weaker skier.

   What do you do with your team? Do you use the traditional pole length (under the armpit), the new standard (top of shoulder joint) or just use the skate pole (chin to lower lip)? Why did you make whatever choice you've made?

   The base elevations we race are 4,500' - 6,300. Our 5k courses have 200-300' of gain.

   Thanks!

   Posted 1 year ago #

2. coach
   Member

   85% of height for classic
   90% of height for skate
   Is good place to start

   Posted 1 year ago #

3. James Kyes
   Member

   Classic for beginners mid shoulder. Helps keep the athletes on top of there skis with a rounded back for good technique. If they ever get to the point they have strong technique then I have them go to top of shoulder. I always prefer pushing correct technique to being fast right away, and just feel the shorter pole helps with that.

   Skate chin to lower lip...

   Posted 1 year ago #

4. sailguy
   Member

   Until a skier has really solid technique, I would suggest staying with one pole length, anywhere between mid-shoulder and shoulder-top.

   Some elite racers do change pole lengths to match course profiles. For myself, racing on very flat loppet courses that minimize diagonal stride time, I use poles just above the top of the shoulder. I don't recommend my length choice to beginner or intermediate skiers, though.

   I would say that poles shorter than mid-shoulder (ie, halfway between pit and shoulder top) tend to interfere with good technique. Too short poles become balance aids instead of speed generation tools.

   A person with 'typical' body proportions will likely find that 85% of height is also mid-shoulder.

   Posted 1 year ago #

5. highstream
   Member

   Those percentage measurements, as with most published tables, are for people with "straight" shoulders. Poles need to be fitted for the individual's dimensions. That means someone with more inclined shoulders will use shorter poles relative to height than those with more horizontal shoulders.

   Marty Hall wrote a long time ago that classical poles - the top of the grip - should not go higher than that bone on the outside of the shoulder. I've found that good advice. While it's better to start at the long end and work down, the key to getting the right length is the skier's ability to feel "on top" of the poles when striding up a typical grade. Another clue to too long is if the striding skier with adequate technique is feeling a lag in getting the poles back up in time for the next pole plant.

   It doesn't help a high schooler to go short (or long), and most high school races are not long enough for it to really make a major difference. More important for them is to learn correct technique - and build abs, lats and triceps to support it.

   Posted 1 year ago #

RSS feed for this topic

Reply

You must log in to post.