Correct use of trekking poles in different scenarios

Steep slope: front and rear stick division of labor and cooperation
When climbing steep slopes with steep slopes, you have to lift your body and backpack with both legs upward, which is often the most tiring and is not conducive to body stability. At this time, you need to use trekking poles: push your body upwards to relieve the pressure on your legs and maintain your center of gravity.
The front pole maintains the center of gravity and pushes the back pole - when going up steep slopes, the trekking poles should be divided into front and rear: when stepping, the trekking poles land on both sides of the body one after the other, and the front trekking poles are used to maintain the center of gravity (the handle is up), At the same time push the back trekking pole (grip forward), adding upward reaction force to the body. On steep ascents, the back and forth of the trekking poles should be relaxed a bit...it's best to walk twice per swing so that you don't feel particularly tired when going up the mountain.
In addition, the steeper the slope, the shorter the length of the trekking poles should be, so as not to get tired by lifting the shoulders too high.
It is more laborious to use both sticks all the time. When going up steep slopes, mountain friends will also put both sticks in front of them first, and then step up. This requires the shoulders on both sides to be raised all the time, and the movement of the trekking pole to push the body forward is lacking, and it is easy to get tired after continuous use.

After going up the steep slope, when going down the gentle slope, you should change the posture of using the trekking pole again.
Downhill: Front Cane Support
A downhill with a gentle slope may seem easy, but it is not: the impact of the landing increases, the leg muscles gradually tire, and the pressure on the knee joint increases. At this time, trekking poles are needed to support the body and protect the knees.
Front pole support - when going down a gentle slope, the mountaineers naturally step, the trekking poles are still one after the other, and the front trekking poles are supported at the same time, and the back trekking poles can tap the ground.
This ensures speed and transfers some of the impact of the landing to the arm, slowing the impact on the knee joint.

When going downhill gently, keep your upper body upright, and the length of the trekking pole is the same as that of the flat road and the gentle uphill, or moderately lengthened.
No trekking poles, tired legs and injured knees - many mountain friends are easily "blinded" by the slow downhill. The legs are subjected to the "hammering" of the impact of the landing for a long time, the legs are soft and trembling, and the knees are more likely to be damaged. Unlike going down a gentle slope, when going down a steep slope, trekking poles are another use.
Steep slope: both sticks out
The steep downhill is the most dangerous terrain for mountaineering. In addition to bearing the impact of the landing, the legs also need to control the speed to "brake", and the body can easily lose the center of gravity. Using trekking poles correctly at this time can help you stabilize your body and go down the mountain safely.
Two sticks out together - when going down a steep slope, mountain friends can put all the two trekking sticks on the ground in front of them, and then move the center of gravity after they are supported.
In this way, two stable fulcrums are added to the body to ensure that it always touches the ground at three points when going downhill, which is more conducive to stabilizing the body.

The steeper the downhill slope, the longer the length of the trekking pole, try to keep the upper body upright, which is conducive to maintaining the body's center of gravity.
A single stick is unstable - if you stick out the stick one after the other when going down a steep slope, you cannot guarantee that you will always touch the ground at three points, and it is easy to lose your center of gravity and cause a fall.

Whether going uphill or downhill, the length of the two trekking poles should be adjusted the same, but the crosscut is different.
Crosscut: short at high, long at low
When climbing, some routes should be straight along the horizontal direction of the mountainside. The terrain is high on one side and the bottom on the other. The force on both feet is uneven, and if you are not stable, you will slide down the hillside. At this point you need trekking poles to support your body and pass safely.
Short at high places, long at low places - before cross-cutting, the double-sided trekking poles should be adjusted to one long and one short, using short poles on high terrain and long poles on low terrain. When you step, you mainly use long trekking poles to support your body.

If the length is reversed, the person will be pushed off the slope. If the length of the poles is reversed during the cross-cut, the trekking pole at the high place will be longer. A little force will push the center of gravity of the body away from the broken surface, and the person will easily fall down the slope. .

Another type of terrain when climbing is the wet slate road, and various accessories come in handy.
Wet talc: with tip cover
The artificially built slate road section is slippery when it rains, and the tip of the trekking pole is easy to slip away, and it makes a harsh sound. At this time, you can use a rubber cover with a soft front end and strong grip to deal with it.
With rubber tip cover, non-slip and sound-absorbing - the tip cover is mainly used to cover the tip of the stick to avoid poking and hurting people, but the tip cover with soft rubber material and textured design can provide a good grip. Eliminates the noise of the wand tip hitting hard ground.

Without the tip cover, it is slippery and unpleasant - the tip of the stick is mostly made of tungsten or steel alloy with high hardness, and there is no isolation between the tip cover. Slippery and annoying.

All of the above are on the slopes. When crossing a creek at the bottom of a valley, trekking poles should be used in this way.
Crossing creeks and shallow waters: first out with two sticks to stabilize
When crossing a shallow beach or a stream, the force point such as rocks or wood above the water surface may not be stable, and you will get wet when you step on it unsteadily. At this time, trekking poles can help you maintain balance.
Stability with two sticks first – when crossing shallow water beaches or streams, stick your sticks at the bottom of the water first to ensure stability, and then step on rocks or logs that are higher than the water surface. This is the safest way.

At this time, the trekking pole is adjusted longer, so that people will not bend over and lose their balance, which is more conducive to the stability of the body.
Otherwise, it is easy to fall - if the mountaineers don't use two sticks to stabilize in advance, in case the stone or wood they step on shakes, or the body's center of gravity is unstable, it is very easy to fall into the river, and the body will be wet and uncomfortable.

Finally, there is a special terrain that does not require trekking poles.
Cableways, steep slopes climbed by hand, etc.: put away trekking poles
When traversing terrain that requires ziplining to cross rivers, or climbing steep slopes with hands on ropes or chains, both hands are the main force for providing body stability, and holding trekking poles is easy to get in the way.
Put away the trekking poles - when you encounter the above terrain when climbing, it is best to shorten the trekking poles, tie them on the side of the backpack, free your hands to grasp the chains or ropes, and pass carefully.
The trekking pole is too long and it is in the way - if the trekking pole is too long at this time, when you focus on your hand, the trekking pole behind you is stuck in the stone crevice or entangled in the grass, which is dangerous and troublesome.