Setdown too late?

[dan_b]

One of Mike's regular LSS drills is to skate with only one foot on the ground at a time.  Is this actually good practice, or is it an "overemphasis" thing to stop people from setting down too early?  

The reason I ask is: Barry Publow (Speed on Skates, p16) says "During the first instant of push-off, the recovery leg is set down beside and slightly ahead of the push leg" - i.e. as the pushing leg 'rolls over' from outside/centre edge to inside edge, the recovering leg lands.  He describes the effect of a late weight transfer as

[Rick]

One skate on the ground a the time is not over-emphasis. When a skate is on the ground not pushing while the other skate is in a pushing mode you are not using all your body weight as part of the push as it is going directly into the ground on the other leg. This is wasted "free" energy. Not sure that explains it particularly well. When we get Sebby's stuff back frmo everyone that went to Sardinia we can watch them as a group, hopefully with the comments and it will become quite clear.

This was a particular focus of Sardinia for many of us.

[dan_b]

[ed!]

Did you do a video for Bill to review?  What feedback did you get there in relation to your set down?

[dan_b]

I did (in fact, that's a frame from it in my avatar), but I only paid for it a week or so ago, so I doubt he's had a chance to look at it yet.  I'm already expecting him to say that my cadence is too high, though

[Mikey-two-Names]

AFAIK Eddy, Bill, and Sebby all say to spend all your time on only one skate, never on both.  They also discuss delaying your setdown as long as absolutely possible.  It's not an overemphasis drill, but an actual goal and correct technique, IMO.

Interestingly, in my copy of speed on skates, BP says: "This set-down step is a necessary precursor to the remaining chain of events: weight transfer, push, and glide."

Assuming that is the order the chain of events is supposed to occur in, I would think that there's a mistake and it's all in the wrong order.  IMO the correct order of this section of the stride should be finishing the push, then the setdown and immediate weight transfer onto the next foot, and then glide on that foot.

[ed!]

[Mikey-two-Names]

I think you do it more like this, Ed, which is also the way I think it's supposed to be done:

1st stride, on right foot:
Right foot sets down.
Weight transfers off left foot (which has just finished pushing), and onto right foot.  This happens in a very short period of time.
Glide on right skate begins, at the same time left foot is recovering in the D.
Ampersand
Fall
Push with right foot

2nd stride, on left foot:
Left foot sets down.
Weight transfers off right foot (which has just finished pushing), and onto left foot.
Glide on left foot begins, at the same time right foot is recovering in the D.
Ampersand
Fall
Push

This cycle now repeats, ad infinitum.

The double push cycle is similar, except that you can replace the glide portion with the underpush.

[lemming]

That's what sebby said about my set down - waaaaay too early.  Push as long as you can and set down at the last minute...

[ed!]

Ahhh....when told to glide more, I was gliding on the wrong foot!  :oops:

Cheers Mike!