How good is your timing?

(And why it matters more than you think)

We often talk about technique in terms of angles, positions and “do this, do that.” But technique is so much more than what we see on the surface.

It’s about frequency, rhythm, flow, activation – and above all, the timing between different parts of your body.

You can be incredibly strong in your arms, legs or core – but if the parts don’t work together, with the right timing, you’ll end up compensating.

And when you compensate, this is what many recognize:

❌ the arms do too much
❌ the heart rate spikes
❌ you lose grip
❌ you lose stability
❌ the power goes in the wrong direction
❌ injuries or overload

Timing holds everything together. And good timing requires that you can control the different parts of your body – and make them work as a team.

When the body works as a team, technique feels stable, light and efficient. When it doesn’t, the movement becomes heavy, scattered and unstable – regardless of how strong you are.

Here’s a simple football image:
If you mistime a sliding tackle, it’s either a complete miss… or a disaster.
It’s the same in skiing: if you don’t hit the right moment, everything falls apart.

Whether it’s diagonal stride, double poling, kick double poling or running uphill –
if your timing is off by just a few milliseconds, everything changes.

Two metaphors that explain timing perfectly

1. The hand – the simple timing check

I hold my hand in front of you and ask you to hit it as it moves sideways.
Slow speed → no problem.
A bit faster → guessing, stress, too early or too late.
Same task – but timing collapses as soon as the speed increases.

2. The moving nail – the honest metaphor

Remember hitting a nail with a hammer? Hard enough when it’s still.
Now imagine hitting a nail that’s moving.

Most people go straight into survival mode: quick swings, wrong direction, bad contact, chaos in the rhythm.

A perfect example of how quickly flow and activation fall apart when the tempo rises.
Not because you “can’t” – but because the body doesn’t have time to organize itself.

Two examples that show why timing is critical

1. Diagonal stride – poor timing vs good timing

Poor timing:
– the body is in the wrong position
– the pressure comes too late
❌ result: poor grip and no flow in the stride

Good timing:
– stable, tall position
– pressure in the right moment
✅ result: good grip, better rhythm, a completely different flow

2. Double poling – poor timing vs good timing

Poor timing:
– the hips start the movement
– the body collapses
– the arms must compensate
❌ result: power goes backwards, poling feels “heavy”

Good timing:
– the core initiates the movement
– the body stays stable
– your bodyweight transfers into the poles
✅ result: more power, more stability, less load on the arms

When speed increases, technique is exposed

In double poling uphill, you have time. You find the position, rhythm and can “save” the technique.

But on flat terrain or light downhill?

→ pole-to-snow contact becomes extremely short
→ you have a fraction of a second to apply pressure

If the body can’t keep up, it becomes like the moving nail:

❌ rhythm breaks
❌ pressure goes wrong
❌ technique falls apart
❌ even though you try just as hard

It’s like trying to hit a moving nail – you must be in the right position at the right moment.

That’s why so many feel:

❌ “double poling only works when it’s slow”
❌ “I can’t get pressure on the flats”
❌ “I push but nothing happens”
❌ “my arms die after a few minutes”

The problem is rarely strength. It’s the timing of the movement chain.

It’s not that you’re doing it wrong

When timing fails, the body does the only thing it can:
it compensates.

Common compensations:

❌ arms take over
❌ hips drop back → lower back pain
❌ you lose grip
❌ heart rate shoots up
❌ movement becomes scattered

It’s survival – not bad technique.

The good news? This can change.
When the movement chain fires in the right order, everything shifts:

✅ technique becomes easier
✅ pressure comes naturally
✅ the back is relieved
✅ better grip
✅ the body holds together even at higher speeds

A common problem I help people with

Lower back pain during double poling – one of the most common issues I see.
Uphill feels fine. But as soon as it gets easier → the back complains.

In analyses I almost always see the same pattern:

❌ hard to find the right position
❌ hard to activate the right muscles
❌ hard to do everything at the right time

And when speed increases:

❌ the body collapses
❌ the lower back takes the load
❌ the athlete hangs on the poles
❌ and tries to “fix it” by increasing frequency

Through analysis we work on:

✅ positioning the body correctly
✅ creating the right movement feeling
✅ enabling activation at the right time

That’s when technique holds together – even at higher speeds.

Timing is one of the most decisive parts of technique

It ties together rhythm, flow, activation and stability – and allows the body to work as a team.

When timing fails, compensation takes over: tired arms, instability, back pain, the feeling of “nothing happens.”

But this can change. When you understand why timing breaks down, and which part of the chain is lagging, technique becomes easier – and a lot more fun.

So… how good is your timing?
And do you know what’s stopping you?

Digital Technique Analysis – the fastest way to find the cause

You send a video → I analyze → you get:

✅ what is happening
✅ why it’s happening
✅ what you need to change
✅ how to train it

Small keys can create very big results.
👉 Contact me for more information about digital technique analysis here…