Abstract
In this study, we reviewed the literature on the gliding technique for diagonal-stride cross-country skiing from the perspectives of biomechanical and functional analysis; both of these assess cross-country skiing “externally”. By comparing the results of these analyses, we identified the main focus areas of the gliding technique evaluation using motion analysis.
1) The temporal order of the movement processes between the phases was different for the early deceleration phase of biomechanical analysis and the primary functional and preparatory secondary phases of functional analysis.
2) The temporal order of the functional phase movement processes was the same in the late deceleration phase of biomechanical analysis and the transitional secondary phases of functional analysis; however, the movement tasks were different.
3) The challenges identified in the actions associated with achieving the movement tasks were different in each of the phases. Biomechanical analysis was most important in the analysis of singular movements. On the other hand, functional analysis was more important in the analysis of multiple simultaneous movements.
In this study, both biomechanical analysis and function analysis were found to have merits and demerits, however results that compared both analyses were found to be most beneficial. Functional analysis grasped the functional unit of movement, considering movement task as an important step in the movement process. Functional analysis provides important findings on movement affinity for the mastery of the movement.
Therefore, functional analysis can be an important finding, as athletes and coaches are concerned with the practicalities of movement. Functional analysis is better than biomechanical analysis, as it can help in the practical aspects of coaching.
These findings will make it easier to perform the technicalities of coaching cross-country skiing diagonal strides for both coaches and athletes.
