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one double-pole-push for each full stroke-cycle of both
leg-pushes -- with no distinct "glide" phase on the poling-side ski
before the pole-push starts. Often used in high-resistance lower-speed
situations.
The main difference between Open Field Skate (OFS) and
V1 skate is that in OFS the pole-push starts after some gliding on the
poling-side (distinctly after that ski was set down), and finishes roughly as that (same) poling-side ski
lifts off the ground. In V1 the pole-push starts roughly as the recovery-side
ski is finishing its skate-push (before any significant gliding on the
poling-side ski), and finishes somewhat before the (other)
poling-side ski finishes its skate-push. [
not sure which
you're doing: V1 or Open Field skate ? ]
This timing difference implies that (a) OFS cannot be used
effectively in high-resistance situations (e.g. up a steep hill or in very slow snow)
because the poling-side ski might come to a stop during its gliding phase before the
starting the next pole-push; (b) the pole-tips must be planted wider apart for
V1 (because both skis are on or close to the ground roughly at the time of the
pole-plant), which typically results in the "offset" configuration of the two
arms + poles; (c) the pole-tips can be planted closer together for OFS (because
the start + finish of the pole-push occur while the same ski is on the ground),
which makes it easier to have a simple parallel configuration of the two arms +
poles.
An explanation for the
American name is that the "V"
is the shape of the tracks made by a full cycle of both-sides leg
strokes, and there is "1" double-pole-push for each full
"V" cycle.
alternate names
The Canadian term "offset" refers to
the different positions of the two poling hands: one up high, but the
other much lower so its pole tip can be planted out to the side so it
doesn't hit the previous ski. Another term occasionally used is
"paddle-dance", because the poling motion looks like paddling
a canoe. Why isn't the term "V1"
used also for Open Field Skate, since that also has one
double-pole-push per complete stroke cycle? I guess it's because V1 is the way
that elite
racers usually do one double-pole-push per cycle -- people who
often choose to comfortably do two double-pole-pushes.
(Seems
to me like it would be simpler to use some term like "natural
V1" or "relaxed V1" for Open Field Skate -- or perhaps
more precisely "even-hands V1" or just "V1 even" to
distinguish its simple configuration of the two hands in the
pole-push. Then we could use some term like "rushed V1"
for V1 -- or perhaps more precisely "offset-hands V1" or just
"offset V1" to refer to the un-natural configuration of the
two hands at the start of the pole-push.)
[ under construction ]
V1 ("offset") is typically used for higher-force-requirement situations:
climbing up a hill, or handling slow snow conditions or a head-wind.
But it also works in low force situations.
V1 could also be useful for a skier who lacks solid balance
gliding on one ski.
If you're having trouble handling the balance of the
"glide" phase on the pole-push side of Open Field Skate, just rush
into the pole-plant and call it "V1". Having trouble handling the pole-recovery ski in
Open Field skate? Just fall back onto the poles and the other
ski and call it "V1" :-)
Disadvantages:
(a) doesn't exploit the great effectiveness of the
double-pole push to its fullest in non-higher-resistance situations.
(that's what V2 +
OFS are for)
(b) has trouble handling very high resistance
situations. (that's what single-poling skate
is for.)
There are several styles of V1:
-
skating focus: compromise poling in order to
maximize the effectiveness of the skating leg-pushes.
-
poling focus: compromise the skating leg-pushes in
order to maximize the effectiveness of the double-pole push.
-
jump skate: maximize the downward force of body weight
onto the pole-push by having both feet up in the air at the moment the
poles are planted. (There is also a "jump" version of
OFS).
theme: Compromise poling in order to maximize the
effectiveness of the skating leg-pushes.
Poling is limited mainly to the arms + shoulders +
abdominal "crunch" muscles (and back-extension muscles in the pole-recovery
move) -- while the big leg-extension muscles focus on pushing diagonally
outward sideways and backward to power the skate-push (which also gets power
from the "sweep-out sideways" muscles, e.g. hip-abductor).
This variation is typically favored by skiers who:
-
enjoy the (magical?) feeling of a "pure"
skate-push, and don't want to compromise on that, even if it's not the
more effective way to handle non-high-speed situations.
-
believe that since V1 is a skating technique,
its focus ought to be on the skate-push (while double-poling ought to be a
focus only for "classic" technique).
-
never considered poling
focus V1 as an option -- or who did consider it seriously and then concluded
that "skating focus" V1 was more effective for them in many of their skiing
situations.
-
didn't know that the big leg muscles could
be used to power double-poling -- thought that double-poling was mainly an upper
body motion.
-
don't yet have the feel and balance for using the
big leg-extension muscles to power double-poling.
-
have not trained their arm + shoulder muscles and
tendons to transmit the large forces of body-weight into the poles, or
-
have lots of experience with speedskating on ice
or inline skates.
[I think it likely that a substantial majority of
cross-country ski skaters are doing this "skating focus" style of V1 in most of
their skiing situations.]
key observation points:
-
little vertical motion of the hips throughout the stroke
cycle -- instead the vertical motion is mostly in the shoulders.
-
tends to be higher turnover frequency (than the
poling focus style) in climbing up steeper hills.
?? [ more to be added ]
theme: Compromise the skating leg-pushes in order to maximize
the effectiveness of the double-pole push.
jump V1 is a more radical
variation of this style.
Pole-push is powered by the big leg-extension muscles lifting
the weight of the upper body (so it can then be dropped down onto the
pole-push), in addition to the getting power from the arms + shoulders +
abdominal "crunch" muscles (and back-extension muscles in the pole-recovery
move).
This style is typically favored by skiers who:
-
already have good feel and balance and
well-trained muscles for using the big leg-extension muscles to power
double-poling -- often from lots of experience using leg-powered
double-poling as a non-skating "pure classic" technique.
-
lack the feel or balance for the full power (and
magic) of the skate-push.
-
tried comparing this style with the
skating focus style and concluded that poling
focus V1 was more effective for many of their skiing situations.
Elite racers have excellent feel and muscle-training for using
the big leg muscles in pure classic double-poling. The goal of racing forces
comparison of styles. Analysis of videos of elite racers show them using the
"poling focus" style of V1 skate (also the "jump" variation) in many
race-competition situations.
key observation points:
-
The key sign of the "poling focus" style is substantial
vertical motion of the hips: upward during the first half of the
recovery-side leg-stroke, downward during the second half of the
recovery-side leg-stroke.
-
hips start to rise already during the poling-side skate-push,
even before set-down on the recovery-side. That way the weight of the upper body
already has some upward momentum when the recovery-side foot is set-down, so the
recovery-side leg is not required to do an unassisted "single-leg press"
strength move.
secondary points:
-
poles are often planted a little before the
poling-side foot is set down, so the large initial impact of body weight
onto the poles comes before the gliding on poling-side ski begins. That way
the ski experiences less gliding friction, and the main Extension phase of
the skate-push can get started earlier.
-
less side-to-side motion of the upper body, especially toward
the recovery-side, because the upper-body motions are focused more on maximizing
the pole-push.
-
skis often overlap a little in their time on the ground, which
helps them work together to raise the weight of the upper body, instead of one
single leg being required to exert that high force on its own.
?? [ more to be added ]
theme: Maximize the downward force of body weight onto the
pole-push by having both feet up in the air at the moment the poles are planted.
Basically a more radical variation of the
poling focus style. Typically used by very strong
skaters in uphill sprint situations.
There is also a "jump" version of
OFS, typically used by very strong skaters in
sprints at higher speeds on gentler terrain.
The "jump" is from the recovery-side skate-push onto the
pole-push. It's a one-way jump. There's no jump the other way from the
poling-side toward the recovery-side.
?? [ more to be added ]
[ to be added ]
see also
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