How Elite Skiers Gain Speed: Force Curves, Double Poling Technique and Performance Insights

The ski season is approaching fast, bringing higher speeds, tougher intervals, and harder racing. And when intensity rises and stronger skiers start pulling away, many athletes ask the same question: is it only fitness that separates the best from the rest—or is there technical knowledge we can learn from elite skiers? A master’s student from Örebro University set out to investigate this question and uncover actionable insights for cross-country skiers at every performance level.

Study Design: 46 Skiers, High Intensity, Real Racing Conditions

The study analyzed 46 skiers performing high-intensity efforts in flat terrain, either on snow or on an indoor treadmill, using the Skisens power meter. The protocol included a 200-meter sprint with a flying start, or a 30-second peak-power interval extracted from a race or intense training session. Skiers represented nearly all Vasaloppet start groups, serving as a proxy for performance level.

Why the Force Curve May Be the Key to Skiing Technique

The Skisens power meter measures several performance metrics including poling frequency, power output (watts), and maximal force. But one metric stands out as a strong indicator of skiing technique: the force curve. This curve represents a skier’s average stroke over a specific interval and reveals how force is applied during double poling.

Two visual differences immediately emerge:

• Elite skiers reach a higher normalized peak force (N/kg)
• The peak force occurs earlier in the stroke compared to amateur skiers

Functional Data Analysis: Turning the Force Curve into Measurable Technique

Because a force curve contains time-series data (not a single number), the study used functional data analysis to identify key features within the curve. Two primary components emerged:

1. Timing of peak force — how early the peak force occurs
2. Amplitude of peak force — how high the peak force is

Key Findings: What Separates Better Skiers?

• Earlier peak force is linked to higher performance
• Higher normalized peak force correlates with stronger skiers
• Higher power output often comes with a higher poling frequency
• Shorter time to peak force is associated with higher power and higher impulse
• Better skiers (lower Vasaloppet start groups) have:
  • Higher poling frequency
  • Higher peak force
  • Higher power output
  • Shorter time to peak force

Confirmed in Regression Analysis

The study concluded that both time to peak force and maximal normalized peak force are significant predictors of skiing performance level. In simple terms: elite skiers produce shorter, sharper, more forceful double poling strokes.

What Can Skiers Learn from This?

To develop earlier and higher peak force, athletes may benefit from:

• Core and strength training to stabilize the transition phase
• Technical drills focused on the initial part of the stroke
• Hip-forward positioning to shift the center of mass

Practical Takeaway

Better technique isn’t just about fitness—it’s about how efficiently force is applied. By understanding and improving force curve characteristics, skiers can gain meaningful performance advantages, especially at high intensities.

With Skisens, every skier can measure, track, and improve the key metrics that drive skiing speed.

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Articles Referenced Above

Mende, E., Schwirtz, A. & Paternoster, F.K. (2019). The relationship between general upper-body strength and pole force measurements, and their predictive power regarding double poling sprint performance. Journal of Sports Science & Medicine, 18(4), 798–804.

Stöggl, T. & Holmberg, H.C. (2011). Force interaction and 3D pole movement in double poling. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 21(6), e393–e404.

Stöggl, T.L. & Holmberg, H.-C. (2016). Double-poling biomechanics of elite cross-country skiers: flat versus uphill terrain. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 48(8), 1580–1589. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000943