Coaching Corner: Hard Week

Thu, Dec  3, 2009 - By CXC Academy

A training plan from http://www.cxcacademy.com.

Hard Week. This our first week with the focus on specific strength. Specific strength is series of dynamic and functional exercises that will develop the muscles and motions you use when cross country skiing. Specific strength exercises will help you develop your power, speed and economy.

Monday: Rest day
 
Tuesday: Ski walking or bounding (based on fitness and ability). Warm up in Level 1 for 20 min, increase pace to Level 2 for 25 min, increase pace again to level 3 for 30 min and cool down in Level 1 for 20 min. Focus on explosive push of during ski walking and/or bounding.
 
Wednesday:  Warm up in Level 1 for 20 min. This session can be done with shock cords, SkiErg or on rollerskis. Specific strength (four sets of each exercise for 1 min): single stick (arm swing with resistance like in diagonal stride), double pole crunch (using upper abdominals without arm extension) and double pole. Cool down in Level 1 for 15 min. Simple shock cord are available at http://cxcstore.com/site_pages/store_subdirectory/gear/xc_cords.htm
 
Thursday: Ski walking. Warm up in Level 1 for 15 min, increase pace to Level 2 for 1 hour 20 min and cool down in Level 1 for 15 min.
 
Friday: Rest Day
 
Saturday: Ski walking or running. Warm up in Level 1 for 20 min, increase pace to level 2 for 30 min, cool down in Level 1 for 20 min.
 
Sunday: Ski walking. Warm up in Level 1 for 20 min, increase pace to Level 2-3 for 1hour 20min, cool down in Level 1 for 15 min.
 
Note: ski walking workout can be substituted by rollerskiing or skiing. We recommend to start with ski walking workouts and then gradually add rollerskiing and then progress to skiing.