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Why you should start training for the cross country skiing season early

Why you should start training for the cross country skiing season early

Tips and training exercises from William Poromaa to be perfectly prepared for the cross country ski season.

Pros on why you should start training early towards ski season

  • Your first trips won't feel as heavy
  • You're already on a roll and can start going on long trips earlier
  • You will get full advantage of the winter
  • If you're planning on racing, you're probably ahead on schedule compared to your opponents
  • If you're planning on racing you're better prepared reaching your goals

Find the motivation to train during fall

In our podcast Skisporet Wlliam shares his thoughts and experiences on how he motivates himself even on the days where you just want to stay on the couch.

– Why bother during fall? It's a question a ask myself from time to tome. I then start to remind myself what my goals are. Without any goals I think it's harder to get out the door for training, says William when we meet him in Östersund, Sweden, on a grey cold fall day.

You can hear the entire epiode with William Poromaa on Spotify, Apple Podcast or on YouTube.

Interval training on a SkiErg machine

Many cross country athletes runs uphill with poles or go roller ski in the dark. In addition to that William supplements with intervals on a SkiErg machine. His favorite exercise is long intervals with competition pace.

– I have pretty hard interval runs. On a SkiErg I like intervals as 4 x 5000 meters, William says, but adds that this kind of intervals probably is too long for a beginner.

Therefore, make interval shorter, like 4 x 4000 meter or 6 x 1000 meter. This exercise consists of holding the pace throughout your interval. You will probably be in zone 3 if you're using a training watch with heart beat monitor. Training in zone 3 is an efficient way of training when you want to pushing the pace without getting stiff muscles.

Try William Poromaas favorite exercise on a SkiErg

Do you want to try William's favorite exercise? Go to a gym with a SkiERg. Before starting you should decide how many intervals you should have, and how long they should be. Next time you extend the distance. Keep a steady pace and make sure you don't get stiff muscles.

Good luck.

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