“Skiers are made in the summer”
I believe everyone has spent good and busy spring and summer by doing family things, work for living, and activities.
You’ve probably done variety of activities throughout summer; run, hike, paddle, bike, and swim, so on. Those are great activities over the general preparation period, typically from April to August for skiers.
Now, temperature cools down, kids back to school, September is right time to convert you training plan from general preparation period to specific preparation period. So, you still can enjoy your favorite activities from general preparation period, however, better to increase ski specific training ratio more.
For example, if your total workout time for three month is hundred hours, you can start ratio between gen. vs specific is 80% vs 20% over Sep, 50% vs 50% over Oct, 40% vs 60% over Nov and 20% vs 80% over the snow season.
When you think about ski specific training in the summer, the first thing that will come to your mind is “roller skiing”. A good alternative is also the so-called “Nordic ski walking”, which is semi-specific.
When Nordic walking, most walkers only dangle along their poles. But when ski walking, you push off explosive with every
step you take. Additionally, you also drive your arm all the way back past your hip.
After each leg push off, there is a short break on the standing leg. The speed isn’t as decisive, but the quality of the movement is. Thus, Nordic ski walking comes close to the classic diagonal ski technique.
It is particularly used in moderate and sometimes in steep uphill. When you are in flat or downhill terrain, you carry your poles in the middle while running.
Speed-hiking up a hill (walking up a hill) with your ski poles is also very suitable. This is especially beneficial if you are living in the mountains or hilly area.
Another way to imitate skiing is Nordic running with your poles. The top XC ski cracks use Ski bounding or Nordic running also for interval training.
Nordic running simulation targets your arm movements and improves your coordination. This is perfect training for classic style skiers.
Running only also improves your Nordic skiing fitness. But of course, it’s not as specific but builds your endurance base.
Roller Skiing
Roller ski training builds the most specific Nordic ski fitness and comes closest to XC skiing on snow. But even if roller skiing is the most specific summer training mode, it’s not quite so easy to handle.
Particularly popular is roller skiing by committed cross country ski Masters. They train specific and a lot, which mean 2 – 4 times a week.
Today, there are now brakes for roller skis on the market that makes training a lot safer.
Thus, roller ski training is also the best form of training for less skilled cross-country skiers. And skiing on a road in the classic technique doesn’t need any more space than a bicycle, compared to skate skiing.
It’s wise to check out roads with little traffic or even better roads that aren’t permitted for cars.
Doing regular roller ski workouts should make you feel more comfortable come winter. That’s why I recommend 1-hour sessions and once a week a longer workout the right dose.
I realize that you may not have an interest to do part of the training by roller skiing during the summer.
This may be the case when you haven’t done much roller skiing before. It could also be that you are at an age and are more concerned about your safety first.
Strength Training
Cross country skiing is a very dynamic sport, which uses almost every muscle in your body. To be able to ski at a brisk pace over a longer period, you need well-developed strength endurance. Having lots of strength endurance resists muscle fatigue.
You improve your strength endurance ability through different strength training forms.
You can mix in your strength sessions with long endurance workouts. It distinguishes between general, semi-specific and specific training forms. So, the training to acquire your Nordic skiing fitness is very diversified.
To general strength training counts training on equipment in the gym or in your home. Also, stabilization exercises are a part of strength training.
In semi-specific strength training, you can use different types of pulling devices. This could be rubber bands, or different pulling devices. Those could be like the Ercolina pulling machine, or the Skierg.
You could also build yourself a roller board to use at home. It may be old-fashioned, but it works. The use of these pulling devices is best right after an endurance workout. For ex: Add 30 min after a 1-hour run or roller ski workout.
The specific strength training contains longer double pole training sessions uphill. Or ski imitation exercises before or after a run.
Plyometrics, Balance Training and Stability Exercises
To get the most of your Nordic skiing fitness, it’s best to include plyometrics, balance and stability exercises.
For example, at the end of a 1-hour easy run, include 15-20 minutes of plyometrics. For ex: exercises like moose hoofer bounding, one-legged jumps, frog leaps, skate bounds etc.
You can do the same with balance training. Before a strength training workout, include some simple balance exercises for 15-20 minutes.
So here you have it. The question is how you put it all together. The trick to gain a high Nordic skiing fitness is to put the puzzle together in the right order.
As a coach, I can advise you and work out a plan with you according to your time availability.