SPEED SKATING with POSE METHOD

It's winter and it only makes sense to bring up the subject of winter sports and the techniques for such sports. We did skiing last week, let's move on to speed skating. While there is obviously room to discuss plenty more in skiing, we decided to focus on the fundamental part - technique. We'll do the same here. As mention in the Pose Skiing article, skiing has a lot in common with speed skating. Hence the choice of the topic for this week.

Pose Speed Skating is obviously based on the general principles of the Pose Method® and is similar to the rest of the Pose Techniques. We give priority to gravity as the leading force in movement, speed skating movement in this case, and of course a specific body position to use the almighty gravitational force.

Traditional speed skating, just like traditional running, includes strong emphasis on push off. But, interestingly, there is also an acknowledgment of the importance of proper body positioning, without, however, any explanation as to why, other than to minimize the air friction.

From the Pose Method® of view, proper body position is of the utmost importance in order to utilize gravity and only then to minimize air friction. As you probably guessed, there is no push off even more so then in running, since ice does not allow much room for error compare to non slippery surfaces normally used for running.

In Pose Speed Skating, just like in running we again have a formula of Pose - Fall - Pull. The Pose, the initial stance, is a condensed version of the running Pose. The trunk of the body is virtually completely horizontal, hips are set low, knees are obviously bent, but the angle is very acute to create something of a sitting position with the body weight on the balls of the feet. (Don't make a mistake of squatting, however)

In traditional speed skating, the center of mass is thought to align through the ankle, which inevitably leads to incorrect body weight placement, which leads to not the most optimal body positioning, which unavoidably leads to slower speed and more muscle work. Where as if you place the body weight on the balls of your feet to provide for better fall - gravity will gladly take over and off will you go speeding without moving a muscle, so to say.

In Pose Speed Skating the only two actions you do, granted you're in a correct body pose, are a quick pull of the foot in a direction straight under your hip and transfer of body weight from side to side. The pull is rather subtle, just to break contact with ice and to allow for body weight transfer to the other leg. That's it. Enjoy!

Article by Dr. Nicholas Romanov
Composed by L. Romanov