Why Don:t Track Stars Turn to Speed Skating?

[EPelle]

It happens to the best of them: At some point it:s lights out. Career:s over. Their final result is listed as an "also ran...also competed." They long for more Olympic fame, so they hang up their spikes and turn to bobsledding.

If track athletes are willing to take the abuse of cold weather outdoors, why not take it indoors and do something they are already good at, namely sprint?

Why wouldn:t a good sprinter - with the right coaching -- make a good sprint skater?

[guru]

Re: Why Don:t Track Stars Turn to Speed Skating?

Different muscle groups. Sprinting/running is a hamstring, and to a lesser degree, calf activity. Speed skating is primarily a quadricep. It's why you see so many speed skaters become world-class cyclists when they leave the ice.

[bhall]

Re: Why Don:t Track Stars Turn to Speed Skating?

Speed skating on ice is an extremely technical sport. The people who have had success crossing over from speed skating to cycing and vice versa were doing both for a long time (Eric Heiden and Christine Witty are two of the most successful). Even crossing over from inline speed to ice speed is very difficult and takes a long transition.

Speed skating is also all about the lateral adductors and abductors. Where sprinting is primarily about forward movement. Some of the same muscles are key (hip flexors) but the movement is very different.

[decafan]

Re: Why Don:t Track Stars Turn to Speed Skating?

epelle,
I have wondered the same thing. I agree with some of Ben's statements, but not all. I think track athletes are great athletes and actually could make the speedskating switch if they wanted to. They would have to train their muscles differently and learn the concept of extended ground contact, but I think many would adapt successfully. And I believe some inline skaters make a very quick transition to speedskating (Derrek Parra being one of them).
I think there may be a more practical reason track athletes haven't made the jump to speedskating; it's too hard. By "too hard" I mean the shortest event is the 500m (I assume we're talking long track here, as short track is made for petite athletes). The fastest men skate the 500m distance in 34-35 seconds, equating the event to a 300m+ track and field distance. Obviously the preparation for a discipline of that time frame will take a lot of serious training and commitment. Compare that to bobsledding, where the athletes push for approximately five seconds. And while bobsledders (the top men) are terrific athletes, the training is easier than speedskating. They train like short sprinters with a heavy emphasis on wieght training and explosive power. Compare that to elite 400m training. And all speedskaters do more than one distance. They live on the ice. Their training is really amazing to watch. Bobsledding is crazy, injuries are common, and crashes are common, dangerous and terrifying. But in the twilight of an athletic career, which sport would YOU have the energy for?

[EPelle]

Re: Why Don:t Track Stars Turn to Speed Skating?

Thanks for those responses.

What about cross country-types going the longer route and taking on Nordic skiing -- or just the opposite?

The person below "earned 12 letters in cross country, track and field and nordic skiing... went undefeated his senior season in cross country and track ... only beaten once from November 1996 to late June 1998 in either cross country or track ... won the Minnesota state cross country championships his senior year ...cross country honorable mention All-American as a senior ... track All-American in the 4x800-meter relay and the 2,000-meter steeplechase ... has four course records in cross country ... holds state record in three relays and the steeplechase ... also has his school’s record in the 1,600 meters ...cross country and track teams won three state titles each ... six-time all-state selection from his sophomore through senior years in all three sports ... nordic ski team was state champion in 1996 and second place in 1997-98."

Any more Luke Watson-types (http://und.collegesports.com/sports/c-x ... uke00.html) out there who can possibly excel at either one, the other, or both sports?

[al morris]

Re: Why Don:t Track Stars Turn to Speed Skating?

guru, not so-- same m. groups... those of the lower extremity (L.E.). We published an article on this in the European Journal of Sports Medicine and Fitness when Eric H. won those Olympic golds. All sprinters on land or ice use same muscles-- those of L.E.

[az2004]

Re: Why Don:t Track Stars Turn to Speed Skating?

speed-skating and cycling go hand in hand...

it should be noted in the mid-1980's during the days of greg lemond, heiden won the USA PRO championships, and got to wear the star and stripe jersey....

[Jon]

Re: Why Don:t Track Stars Turn to Speed Skating?

Apparently Irina Privalova used to be a speed skater before turning to sprinting...

[az2004]

Re: Why Don:t Track Stars Turn to Speed Skating?

wouldn't growing up as a kid in a speed-skating culture be a precondition towards speed-skating, or at least IN-LINE skating too, given the emergence of it....

so I guess it's either wisconsin for the real stuff, or the yuppie world of in-line....

I do wonder the intersection between those two, and the realm of sprinting....

from my observations sprinters seem to be turning to bobsled...

still waiting for the emergence of a great kenysan xc....of the nordic variety :;

[bhall]

Re: Why Don:t Track Stars Turn to Speed Skating?

It took Parra 3+ years to make the transition from inline to ice. Chad Hedrick has made the fastest transition in ~1.5 years. I'm defining the end of transition as making an impact on ice similar to their inline impact, not just being able to race on ice.

[player]

Re: Why Don:t Track Stars Turn to Speed Skating?

>>What about cross country-types going the longer route and taking on Nordic skiing -- or just the opposite?>>

Huge amount of technique involved in Nordic skiing. Like downhill, you have to learn it at a young age to have a prayer of being elite. Aerobic ability alone means very little.

[az2004]

Re: Why Don:t Track Stars Turn to Speed Skating?

yeah, I agree, just adding the nordic xc into the mix...

it's like saying a great nfl nose tackle would thrive throwing the hammer....

[Per Andersen]

Re: Why Don:t Track Stars Turn to Speed Skating?

The 500 in Speed Skating is extremely turn-over related and fast starting abilities are absulutely a must. But it also requires skating abilities more than in the longer races. On modern surfaces where the top sprinters are in the 34s in the 500 it takes an extremely advanced skater to be effective through the last turn especially if the skater is in the inside lane.
These days the sprinters only skates the 500 & 1000.
They are specialized.

[Track fan]

Re: Why Don:t Track Stars Turn to Speed Skating?

It's much easier to go the skater to runner route then the other way around. As for the bio mechanics you need strong quad development for endurance speed skating. Infact many cyclists and endurance speed skaters have competed in both sports. As for sprinters a top 500 metre skater probably could be a decent highschool or college sprinter but I have never seen one yet that looked like they had the genetic capability to run a flat ten or less....

[steve]

Re: Why Don:t Track Stars Turn to Speed Skating?

>I have never seen one yet that looked like
>they had the genetic capability to run a flat ten or less....

Didn't know you could determine someone's genetic capability by looking at him/her :>) That said, It seems like speed skating does emphasize power-endurance over quick leg turnover.