Lower-Limb Strength in Alpine Skiing: Are Maximal, Explosive or Endurance Capacities More Important for Performance?

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Biomechanics
• Exercise Physiology

Background:

• Maximal force production is vital for skiing, but the distinct roles of maximal, explosive, and endurance strength remain unclear.
• Skiing involves dynamic movements and fatigue, necessitating an understanding of different strength capacities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the specific association between lower-limb isometric maximal voluntary contraction (Fmax), maximal rate of force development (RFDmax), and critical force (CF) and event-specific skiing performance.
• To compare these force production capacities between national (NAT) and regional (REG) level skiers.

Main Methods:

• Fifty-nine skiers (24 NAT, 35 REG) underwent isometric Fmax, RFDmax, and CF assessments using a leg press ergometer.
• NAT performance was measured by FIS points in Slalom, Giant-Slalom, Super-G, and Downhill; REG performance was assessed by giant-slalom race time.
• Stepwise linear regression models analyzed the contribution of each force capacity to skiing performance.

Main Results:

• National skiers demonstrated significantly higher Fmax, RFDmax, and CF compared to regional skiers.
• For NAT skiers, RFDmax predicted Slalom performance, while CF was the sole predictor for Giant-Slalom, Super-G, and Downhill.
• Critical force substantially explained variance in race time for REG skiers.

Conclusions:

• Force production capacities show an event-specific relationship with skiing performance.
• Isometric critical force is a notable predictor of performance across multiple skiing disciplines and levels.
• Understanding these specific strength contributions can inform targeted training for skiers.