Preloading of the thrust phase in cross-country skiing.

Based on the assumption that the stretch-shortening cycle is a natural way of muscle function, the occurrence of such a cycle was investigated in a diagonal technique of cross-country skiing. Cinematographic, special force platform, and telemetered EMG techniques were employed. The four subjects studied were all elite international level cross-country skiers, and the measurements were taken either under world championship conditions (cinematography) or during special test situations outdoors (EMG, force platform, and cinematography). The skiing was performed on the fixed uphill course (competition) and on the variable uphill tracks (2.5 degrees-11 degrees). The latter condition allowed mounting of a special long force platform system under the track. The results indicated that the leg kick phase is preceded by a typical unweighting phase, which is followed by braking and propulsion phases. Angular velocity curves of the hip, knee, and ankle joints revealed indirectly the segmental occurrence of the stretch-shortening cycle. Similar phenomena could be identified for the elbow joint during the pole plant and thrust phases. On a steep uphill track, the muscle activation pattern and the ground reaction forces resembled in many instances those of slow level running. Based on the results, a model was suggested to describe how the preloading of the leg thrust phase takes place as a sequential flow from one joint to another.