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How benefits

Utilizing Flow Motion Technology® with the I2 brings game-changing dynamic pitch into the game. By adding the blade holder rocker you get the superior benefits in speed, agility, and control you need to excel in your game.

Here we go into depth of how these bold claims are backed up by science.

Understanding pitch angles

You wouldn't compromise on the fit of your boot or the quality of your steel. Yet the design of the holder, and more specifically the pitch, doesn't get the attention it deserves. It has an immense impact on your skating. In any given situation it will affect how well you can keep a strong skating position, maintain good glide, as well as your ability to generate power.

The pitch is the angle measured between the line from heel to the toe and the ice, and indicates the forward angle.

Different pitch angles will get you benefits in different situations. A neutral pitch will be beneficial in the first phase of a stride – the load phase – and in a turn. An aggressive pitch on the other hand will be beneficial in the push-off phase of a stride.

A traditional holder, with a fixed pitch, will naturally always need to be compromise. It simply forces you to choose between getting benefits at different parts of the stride. The I2 holders on the other hand, utilizing Flow Motion Technology, gives you a dynamic pitch. This allows you to get the benefits of both aggressive and neutral pitched holders to improve your stability and maximize your power and glide without compromises.

Section view of the Marsblade I2

Important note: The rocker motion of the I2 holder is located from the center and back. There's no rocker in the front part of the blade, to provide firm support for push-offs. Hence, no energy loss at any time.

Perfecting balance and stability

Maintaining good balance and stability on the small surface area of a rounded 3 mm steel runner is not easy. And while stiff skate boots are creating good support, they are negatively impacting the natural ankle movement.

Decreasing ankle mobility makes it harder to react and adjust your body position quickly to stay balanced. This also creates compensatory movements higher up in your chain of joints.

Flow Motion Technology adds another dimension of movement to give you that natural ankle motion back. At the same time it allows you to increase steel contact with the ice, for more support.

By enabling the steel and the foot to move in relation to each other, the technology helps to absorb unwanted movements, allowing you to get a more stable support and better balance in all situations.

Speed up glide and turns

Getting that smooth and efficient glide; turning sharp while maintaining your speed out of the turn – it's a challenge for most players. Toe picking when pushing off or digging into the ice at the heel in turns. Traditional rigid holders does nothing to help you prevent this.

The Marsblade I2, on the other hand, adds a dynamic pivot point between the steel runner and the boot. This enables fluid changes in weight distribution, making it easier to keep your balance point centered on the steel at all times.

In turn, this prevents you from ending up on your toes too quick when pushing off. And helps you keep that heel from digging into the ice in turns.

Always optimizing blade contact to the ice.

Improving glide speed, while maximizing efficiency and conserving energy.

That's what the I2s will do for you.

Boost power & acceleration

A key to maximize power and accelerate fast is letting the ankle work through a large range of motion (ROM) while the steel stays in contact with the ice.

The pitch of a traditional holder will always need to be a compromise between ideals at each given moment of a stride. Therefore, it won't allow you to generate power to the extent possible.

With the dynamic pitch of the I2 holders and Flow Motion Technology there's however no need to compromise.

This dynamic pitch allows you to get the benefits of a span of pitch angles, neutral and aggressive. Letting you maximize ankle ROM while the steel stays in firm contact with ice, to increase power transfer.

The neutral pitch ability of the I2 are beneficial in turns and in the early part of the stride – the load phase. This lets you get in a skating position with that important deep knee bend and proper ankle flexion.

The aggressive pitch ability of the I2 are beneficial at the end of the stride, allowing you keep good support to the steel on the ice, while finishing the stride with a full leg extension.

Flow Motion Technology unlocks a wide range of pitch angles. In doing this, it provides you with the best option at any given time, to maximize power in your stride.

Research

We are thrilled to announce the results of Brock University’s comparative study of the Marsblade I2s.

In early 2023, Brock University and George Brown College, Ontario, Canada conducted a study analyzing the performance of Marsblade I2 blade holders with dynamic pitch versus traditional holders with fixed pitch.