Sportmaster PRO expert Sergei Sklizkov, in a conversation with socialbites.ca, told how to choose the right skis, poles and boots for sports at the amateur level if a person decides to master skating techniques.
The skating kick is similar to the movements of a speed skater on ice: the skis do not move parallel to each other, the athlete pushes with one foot and at the same time transfers his weight to the sliding leg. In a classic move, the skis move in parallel and when the movement stops, the athlete steps off the track.
“Skate skis differ from classic skis: they are harder and shorter,” said expert Sklizkov. — When buying, it is important to pay attention to the following: It will not work to use the same equipment for different styles.
The length of skate skis is a person’s height plus 10-15 cm. The poles should be approximately earlobe long – it depends on personal preferences, but you should not overdo it with the length. The longer the poles, the higher the load on the shoulders and arms – this will prevent an unprepared athlete from developing technique.
Boots are an important element in ice skating. This is all due to the peculiarities of movement and technique: skating is not anatomical and increases the load on the joints and muscles. And the right shoes protect your feet from injuries. Therefore, they need to be longer and have a harder sole to protect the ankle.
Of course, these need to be the exact size, so it’s best to try your boots on with the socks you’ll wear while skating. The larger size will make it harder for you to control your skis on the track and your feet will get tired more. The basic set will cost more than classic skiing: skis about 4 thousand rubles, bindings – 2.5 thousand, poles – 2 thousand, boots – 6 thousand.”
It was previously known why a ski set can be expensive more than 30 thousand rubles.