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Specific characteristics of speed skating: implications for summer training
R W de Boer1, G J Ettema, B G Faessen
1University of Calgary, Faculty of Physical Education, Laboratory of Human Performance Studies, Alberta, Canada.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise
|October 1, 1987
Summary
Neither low walking nor dry skating are specific training activities for speed skaters. These exercises show significant biomechanical differences and do not replicate the physiological demands of ice speed skating.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Exercise Physiology
- Biomechanics
Background:
- Dry land training is commonly used by speed skaters during off-season periods.
- The principle of training specificity suggests that training should mimic the demands of the sport.
- The effectiveness of 'low walking' and 'dry skating' as specific speed skating training methods is debated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the physiological and biomechanical variables of ice speed skating with two common dry land training methods: low walking and dry skating.
- To evaluate the training specificity of low walking and dry skating for speed skating.
Main Methods:
- Fourteen well-trained speed skaters performed maximal exercise tests.
- Tests included ice speed skating, low walking, and dry skating.
- Physiological (maximal oxygen uptake) and biomechanical variables were measured.
Main Results:
- Maximal oxygen uptake was similar for ice speed skating and low walking but significantly lower for dry skating.
- Substantial biomechanical differences were observed between ice speed skating and both dry land methods.
- Low walking involved forward push-offs and dynamic hip/knee movements, while dry skating had a more convulsive pattern due to a fixed position.
Conclusions:
- Neither low walking nor dry skating replicate the specific biomechanical and physiological demands of ice speed skating.
- These dry land exercises may not be considered specific training activities for optimizing speed skating performance.