Biomechanics of Telemark Skiing. A foundational knowledge of anatomy helps telemark skiers understand how the body moves and performs during skiing. This section outlines key bones, joints, and muscles, focusing on their function and contribution to balanced, efficient skiing. By connecting anatomical principles with skiing mechanics, instructors can improve performance, prevent injury, and provide clearer coaching. While the descriptions here are simplified for clarity, they provide a practical understanding of how the body supports dynamic telemark movement.
Muscles in Telemark Skiing
In most examples of effective telemark skiing, the legs rotate and move laterally under a stable upper body. The muscles work with the skeletal structure to produce effective telemark skiing.
Muscles are bands of soft tissue fibers that contract and relax to stabilize or move joints. The function of muscles is to produce force and cause bones to move or joints to flex, extend, rotate, or move laterally. Muscles function in pairs to produce movement. When the first muscle contracts, the second muscle relaxes to allow movement. When the second muscle contracts, the first muscle relaxes to allow movement in the opposite direction. The relationship between these muscle pairs is referred to as “antagonists.” Muscular contraction is felt as muscular tension. Within this section, the words contraction and tension are used interchangeably.
Flexion and extension, abduction and adduction, rotation, supination and pronation, and eversion and inversion are opposite movements controlled by muscle pairs.
Muscle Contraction
Concentric Contraction
A concentric contraction is a type of muscle contraction in which the muscles actively flex (the fibers shorten) while generating force. Concentric contraction causes the muscle to shorten and change the angle of the joint. For example, in telemark skiing, the hamstring muscles concentrically create tension to flex the knee in the trailing leg during a telemark stance.
Eccentric Contraction
During an eccentric contraction, the muscle elongates while under tension due to an opposing force being greater (such as gravity) than the force generated by the muscle. Rather than working to pull a joint in the direction of the muscle contraction, the muscle acts to decelerate the joint at the end of a movement or otherwise control the repositioning of a load. In telemark skiing, eccentric contractions assist in smoothing out the vertical movements during flexion and extension, particularly in the trailing leg to control descent into the telemark stance and to manage terrain variations such as moguls or variable snow.
Isometric Contraction
An isometric contraction of a muscle generates force without changing length. For example, the muscles of the hand and forearm grip the ski pole, and after the pole has been gripped, the joints of the hand do not move, but muscles generate sufficient force to prevent the pole from being dropped. In telemark skiing, isometric contraction of the core is crucial for maintaining a stable upper body while dynamically moving the legs independently. Increased forces due to turning or terrain variations can compromise spinal stability, so functional tension in the core stabilises the spine and pelvis.
Telemark skiing requires a blend of all three types of muscular contraction, often simultaneously. Forces acting on a telemark skier change constantly in both magnitude and direction. To manage and stay aligned with these changes, skiers must engage varying forms of muscular contraction and balance them with opposing muscle groups. For example, a skier resisting the force from the snow during the control phase of a turn is concentrically contracting the lateral quadriceps while eccentrically contracting the hamstrings.
Two processes by which muscles create contraction are voluntary or reflexive. When a skier completes a turn on gentle groomed terrain, leg flexion may be voluntary. However, when skiing a steep and technical off-piste run, the legs most often flex reflexively in an automatic response to absorb the terrain.
Any muscular contraction requires a stimulus. Flexing the ankles to move forward and pressure the front of the skis requires flexion of the tibialis anterior muscle on the front of the lower leg, near the shin. This happens in response to a brain signal and electrical impulse through the nervous system that causes the muscle to contract. This signal stimulates the nerves in the muscle by a process called innervation. Any type of muscular contraction or change in tension, whether voluntary or reflexive, requires innervation. Competent telemark skiers maintain a functional degree of tension at all times in order to stimulate (or innervate) the muscle groups required for managing and reacting to forces. This functional tension allows a skier to react more quickly, adapting to ever-changing speeds, terrain, and snow conditions.
Muscles of the Lower Leg
The muscles of the lower legs control foot and ankle movements. As the ankle is in direct contact with the telemark boot and the boot is the lever that transmits forces to the skis, ankle movements are important for fore/aft and lateral (edging and weight-shifting) movements. Many of the following muscles of the lower legs also work to maintain an athletic stance and aid in knee flexion, particularly in the dynamic lead-change motion unique to telemark skiing.
- Tibialis Anterior – Essential for ankle dorsiflexion, which stabilizes the leg and foot on uneven ground and is particularly active during transitions between lead changes in the telemark stance.
- Gastrocnemius and Soleus – Provide the strength needed to maintain balance over the ball of the foot in the trailing ski while engaging the lead change.
- Peroneus Longus and Brevis – Aid in ankle eversion, assisting in engaging and holding the inside edge of the outside ski.
Muscles of the Upper Legs, Pelvis & Hip Joint These muscles play important roles in rotation and edging of the skis as well as fore/aft and lateral balance and vertical movement in telemark skiing.
- Quadriceps Femoris – Extends the knee, helping to control pressure and weight distribution between the leading and trailing ski.
- Gluteus Maximus – Provides stability and power, critical for maintaining control in variable terrain.
- Hamstrings – Crucial for flexing the knee in the trailing leg and providing overall stability in the telemark stance.
- Hip Rotators – Essential for rotational movements of the femur, aiding in smooth and controlled telemark turns.
Muscles of the Torso & Core A strong core is fundamental for telemark skiing, allowing independent leg movement while maintaining upper-body stability. The following muscles contribute to this control:
- Transverse Abdominis – Provides deep core stability to maintain balance in dynamic telemark movements.
- Obliques (Internal and External) – Assist in rotational control of the torso during lead changes and turns.
- Rectus Abdominis – Helps in maintaining alignment and resisting excessive forward lean.
By understanding the muscular involvement in telemark skiing, skiers can refine technique, enhance endurance, and prevent injury by engaging the correct muscles at the right time. Whether carving precise turns on groomers or navigating challenging backcountry terrain, muscle coordination is key to effective and efficient telemark skiing.