Ski Strong, Ski Fast: Unlocking the Secrets of Effective Ski Training

The number of hours spent training each year is unique to each athlete and should be tailored specifically to their needs. Quality of training is more important than quantity, and it is important to make sure you are properly recovering from your training.

Sign up for a lesson and then try a 4-5 interval session of 8-10 minutes with a 3-minute break in between to build fitness.

Cross-training for when there isn't snow is often done by roller skiing, running, gravel biking, spending biking, or swimming. I also lift twice a week and have an additional core session.

Signs of overtraining include low moods, difficulty sleeping, and elevated heart rates.

I don't use any of the programs, I just turn it on and focus on my technique while using it as part of my warm up.

I trust my coach's opinion and look to successful athletes for ideas on technique changes.

I don't know my VO2 max, but it doesn't seem to be incredibly indicative of performance.

The best way to get up from a fall while skiing is to roll onto your side and make sure your skis are not tangled up. Use your poles to help push you up. Don't try to just go forward onto your skis - sideways is the best way.

I use this exercise as part of my warm up before strength training or to work around leg injuries.

I prefer to gradually work into the season by starting off with a high level of training and then gradually decreasing intensity until I reach race form for the World Championships.

Whatever sport you enjoy playing and having fun with is the best one to get active and build a base. You will also learn important skills such as goal setting, sportsmanship and teamwork. Additionally, it is important to learn how to deal with disappointing days and accept that not every day of sports will be great.

Swimming is a great full body workout and it's helpful to mix up the techniques every 100 meters.

No, it is difficult to fully imitate the feeling of being in a start gate, so I try to visualize it and sometimes make friendly wagers with coaches or teammates to help motivate me.

The ratio for base training and intensity training is 80% low, easy slow distance (level 1) and 20% higher intensity levels (level 3-4). Speed/pickups also form a small part of the overall picture.

Yes, I use video of other competitors to learn technique ideas and try to be more like them instead of trying to beat them.

I use data from my aura ring to track my sleep and recovery, as well as subjectively fill out a questionnaire in my training log to see how I'm feeling. I combine this information with my training plan to make sure I'm getting the most out of my training and not just blindly following it.

Training hours vary depending on the time of year, but on average it is five hours a day in the summer and three to three and a half hours in the winter.

I like to start with Noble skating drills with no poles, like leaning into the hill to get a good hip position and the 2 V 2 drill to commit weight to each ski.

In the spring, cross-country skiers typically focus on Level 1 (easy) and Level 2 (conversational pace) training. By June, they start doing more threshold intervals at Level 3. Throughout the summer, the amount of Level 3 decreases while the amount of Level 4 increases. By October, both sessions are usually Level 4, with more time trial simulations focusing on sprinting.

To implement specificity in training, cross-country skiers can use roller skiing to mimic the motions and muscles of skiing on snow. They can also practice hill bounding and ski walking, which mimics the same muscle group as kicking down a kick pocket on skis. In the gym, quarter squats are used to simulate the top quarter of the squat motion used when skiing. This helps with injury prevention and keeping the whole body balanced.

Strength and weight training is important for cross-country skiing, but it can vary depending on age and experience. Some great exercises to focus on are single leg box step ups, rear foot elevated split leg squats, pull-ups, dips, medicine ball slams, planks, rollouts, and TRX Supermans. These exercises engage the core, balancing muscles, and lats to help build power and balance.

Have some goals, a plan, and build a team. Having a plan and support network is important to achieve anything in life.

Vermont is a great place to train for skiing with access to a good gym and diverse terrain.

In the winter I like to do cross-country skiing, in the spring I enjoy dance classes, and in the summer we do a lot of trail running, gravel biking and swimming. We also roller ski to train for cross-country skiing.