Nick/Andrew, 1 corner
Here is a series of images from the talented Teri Willingham, this is the first corner of a 500m race this past weekend, in blue is National sprint team member Nick Pearson, in red, yours truly.
There was a time when I could give Nick a good race in a 500m, but that was some years ago. He was moving quite a bit faster than I was here; it made for some great pictures, but we tangled up in the crossover about 5 seconds after these images were taken.
I thought this was a fascinating series because Nick is a world class sprinter, and I am at the bottom somewhere at US Nationals during the sprint races.
So what is happening to create this difference between him & me? Dissescting our technique gives some clues.
1. When I am skating well, I’m a right leg dominant skater. What I mean by that is I get a better physical & technical push from my right leg. Nick has said to me when he is going well, he feels like he favors his left.
2. Ideally, one would be equally rockstar with both, and the absolute best in the world are. But in these photos it’s clear Nick is much more balanced than I am. You can see me in a slightly more dynamic right leg push in image 3, and Nick in a VASTLY better left leg position in 2 & 4. Look how high my hips pop during a left leg push. If you could “graph” our pressure into the ice, I’d bet he would be consistent; I’d be surge-release-surge-release.
3. This is why the really good skaters look stable & have “flow” in the turns. What you are seeing is consistent pressure from both legs.
4. Nick has a much better “Cat back”, my back is flat like I am still grabbing the handlebars of a bike. A “cat back” puts more pressure through the heel of your push, making more speed, it’s also more relaxed. You are more like a “spring”.
5. Nick’s shoulders are square in every image, my shoulders are rocking slightly. They are where they should be on my right leg, on the left leg they dip.
6. Check out the very subtle difference in the direction our blades are pointing. Mine are not 100% down the track, Nick’s are. This is clearly visible in image 4. That small difference makes more pressure.
Of course, not pictured in this is all the time I spend at work or changing diapers when he is training! But yaknow, the ice does not care about that, & the few times I’ve been in the gym when Nick was there, we lift about the same amount of weight & can snap similar amounts up in an explosive lift.
Technique, technique, technique. That is why Nick is an Olympian, and so many others are not.
Ok, my lunch hour ruminations are over, back to work! Good luck Nick & the rest of team USA in the next rounds of the World Cup!
Filed under: from home
I think more important for corner pressure than blade direction is ankle bend. In picture two, right when he has just put his left leg down, his knee is already far ahead of his toes, allowing a more direct push to the side, whereas you can see in picture 5 that your left leg has no ankle bend, so when you push under with your left leg you need to bring your knee over your toes first, which means you build less pressure during your left leg push. For me, that is something that I have been working on for four months now, with limited results, but the few times that I’ve gotten it, the acceleration improvement was incredible. Good luck with the baby and skating!
[…] Same Corner Posted on January 20, 2009 by Peter Doucet Andrew Love’s latest entry, Nick/Andrew, 1 corner, breaks features the technical analysis of a pictures featuring two skaters- and Andrew Love- in […]
Its hard to believe that such a little adjustment makes such a big difference…
PS thanks for the burrito idea…never woulda thought of that!
. Andrew, your attention to detail in dilligent analysis is remarkable! However, it struck me that you spend a lot of time comparing yourself to other skaters, right down to how equal your weight lifting capabilities are! This seems to happen naturally when one is in a slump of sorts and looks to everyone else to see how they are “doing it better.” But no two skaters are exactly alike mechanically. To emulate a great skater can really give technique a boost and even improve times. I have sucessfully visualized myself as Monique Garbrecht, Jenny R, and Martina Sablikova and gotten personal bests while doing so! Of course, picking the appropriate skater for the appropriate races helps, as well as sticking to someone with a similar body type; I could never be a Shimizu
If emulation doesn’t work, trying to remember the form that originally got you that speedy also helps, and sometimes you’ve got to dig really deep for that old feeling. And as someone who used to be a “sprinter” but will never have that distinction again, starting from scratch may be my only hope for a PB in the 500m again. Either way, give yourself some time, and the old Andrew could easily resurface! And while it’s interesting to compare your workouts to other athletes, like you said, the ice doesn’t care: I can lift heavier weights for longer periods of time than anyone in my family, but two things seem contrary to this- I have the skinniest legs by far, and the slowest start and 500m. It’s the way you use them muscles that counts! I guess the last encouragement I have is that if I remember from my sprinting days properly, a well-executed turn feels like you are pedaling a bike, like sprinting on a track bike. Also one of my old visualization techniques…it’s not very “technical” advice, but more of a “feeling” to shoot for. I hope if none of this long-winded spiel helps, at least you can smile at my novice attempt to, I like to try to help others succeed! 
Mel,
thanks for the detailed feedback–
The reason I am so harsh on my own technique is that in this public site, I don’t want to pick on others (feelings can be hurt online) but am totally fine with picking on myself. So when I see an opportunity like this, to make my technical shortcomings into a post, I take it….
Your “long winded spiel” made me smile, especially the part about “the old Andrew re-surfacing”. Yeah, I miss him too..
But I learned long ago, WHO you are has nothing to do with the time or placing on the scoreboard after a race.
However, PB’s are a wonderful feeling.. …
ON Pic 5, look at both your skates. They are both on the ice, not a bad push to the side, but you are two footing the last part of the push. Now, look at nick’s blade (barely visible)… Still on the air.
Now, it is hard to make a 100% accurate observation, but you might want to take a look at the video and look to see if he has more of a 1 legged push than you do. This might be another little difference to consider when looking at these things.