Stöten Magazine

Practise your stacking technique

Whether you're aiming to be the first to Mora or just want to get better on the trail, it's important to know how to stack. In this article, we'll give you some tips on how you can improve your poling technique!

Staking techniques - our top 3 tips

Poling is one of many skiing techniques that a skier must master to be truly effective on the piste. It's about using the poles, the muscles of the body and the body movement in the most optimal way. Below we list our top tips to succeed in pole climbing

  • The right poles - To be as effective as possible on the track, you need to get a pair of poles that are the right length. Generally, if you take your body length and reduce it by 30cm, you'll end up with a pole length that usually matches your needs. Try it out and talk to an expert if you are unsure!
  • Strike with your stomach - The stroke should start from your stomach, not your arms. As a beginner, your arms may have to do most of the work in the stack, but then you get tired very quickly. Instead, utilise the large abdominal muscles and follow the power in your shoulders, arms and out into the bars.
  • The movement - When you get the dynamics of the stacking movement right, you will increase the body's power transmission. This means a higher speed and longer endurance. The arms should be at 90 degrees, the weight should be far forward on the foot and the body should be kept stable in a forward leaning line, without becoming sedentary. The movement should feel relaxed and come naturally.

Building muscle

We have previously suggested that you can use rubber bands to get a head start on the ski slopes. But to be an effective and enduring skier, all the muscles in your body need to be in good shape. A good skier can always develop and improve their fitness, strength and endurance. In other words, all parts of the body need to be strong for the stroke to be as explosive as possible.

However, during a stroke, some muscles are activated a little more, namely the abdomen, back and chest, and the back of the upper arm. In addition, strength is required in the legs to cope with several powerful strokes. A tip can therefore be to build endurance muscles in these areas.

In addition, to succeed in powerful, explosive, and enduring stacks, you need to teach your body to use all the muscles together and in synchronisation. A good tip to train your stacking technique is to move in a way that is similar to stacking.

At the gym, for example, you can choose to use the stretching machine to access the right muscles. Don't just focus on building muscle, but also think about the technique you use. If the weather is favourable for outdoor training, it is a good opportunity to take the poles outside and "dry run" the pole on a hill, for example, to get the right movements. If you also have the opportunity to train on a pair of roller skis during the summer, it's a perfect complement that really mimics skiing!

There you have it - our tips on how to improve your pole-skiing! Hopefully, you've picked up some useful tips to help you develop your stacking technique. We look forward to seeing you in ski track in Stöten.

Good luck with your stacking!