Effects of skating and diagonal skiing techniques on results and some physiological variables

In this study, the effects of skating and diagonal techniques on skiing load at various speeds were compared. When skiing at the same speed, subjects' heart rates were significantly lower when using the skating technique than when using the diagonal technique (p less than 0.05). At maximal speed, skating technique gave a significantly higher speed at the same heart rate (p less than 0.001) than diagonal technique. Above the anaerobic threshold (4 mmol.L-1) blood lactic acid levels remained significantly lower (p less than 0.005) when using the skating technique than when using the diagonal technique. The results suggest that at the same speed, skating technique loads aerobic and anaerobic energy production less than diagonal technique, and that the same maximal energy production gives a significantly higher skiing speed when using the skating technique than when the diagonal technique (p less than 0.001).