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what is it 

The idea is to sort of run up a steep hill with long steps or "bounds".  

Sometimes both skis can be in the air simultaneously.  Each long step is helped by single pole-push with one arm.  

Key ways that hill bound is different from classic stride are: 

  • there is no attempt to get any glide; 
     
  • the pole-push is always pretty nearly simultaneous with the opposite leg-push 
      
  • both skis can go into the air simultaneously, if the need for extra down-force is large enough. 

See the Climbing up steep hills is different "secret". 
 

what for 

Mostly for serious racers. 

For short steep hills. 

Advantages:  

(a) The fastest way to go up a steep hill -- if you've got the leg power and you've trained to handle that intensity.  

(b) By eliminating the glide phase, the hill-bound gets the double benefit in grip improvement from the double energy cost of applying extra down-force beyond committed body weight.  (In classic stride, the second "landing" down-force falls mostly outside in leg-push phase, so much of it is wasted). 

(c) The magnitude of the extra down-force and thus extra grip friction can be made very large if desired, because it is OK if the skier is launched into the air. 

Disadvantage 

 It is strenuous. 
 

hints

For lots of ideas and explanations, see the climbing up steep hills "secret". 

see more on the Learning program page.

usage zone 

  • If you're not feeling athletic, forget you ever heard of it.  Just think herringbone for hills. 
     
  • Athletic non-racers can try using it to go up short steep hills.  But unless the hill is shorter than 12 seconds and followed by a long gentle section you can use to recover, you're just asking to be in leg-burn pain for the next hour.  So when in doubt, herringbone. 
     

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