Propulsive and gliding phases in four cross-country skiing techniques

The purpose of this study was to compare the relative durations of the propulsive and gliding phases between three skating techniques (1-skate, 2-skate, and offset) and the diagonal stride technique in elite cross-country skiers. Nine skiers of provincial and national level were videotaped with a Panasonic AG 170 camera. The camera speed was set at 30 frames.s-1 and the shutter speed at 1/500 s. The athletes were asked to ski at approximately 80% of their maximal skiing speed on a flat (50 m long) and on an uphill course (35 m long, 5 degrees grade). The relative propulsive phases of the skating techniques were significantly longer than those of the diagonal stride. The relative gliding phases were also longer with the skating techniques. In addition, velocities obtained while skiing with the diagonal stride were about 16% slower than those attained with the skating techniques, principally related to the longer cycle lengths observed with the skating techniques, while cycle rates were quite similar between all four techniques. The results of this study suggest that the longer relative phases of propulsion with the skating techniques may explain the greater speed attained with these techniques in comparison with the diagonal stride.