According to the National Strength and Conditioning Association, Nordic skiing is perhaps the most aerobically challenging sport in the world. Nordic skiers consistently test higher than athletes in any other sport for maximal oxygen consumption, the body's ability to uptake and process oxygen. Nordic skiing requires a blend of strength and endurance, particularly in the lower body. Three primary exercises will improve these attributes.
Lunges
In his seminal book on body weight training, strength and conditioning specialist Juan Carlos Santana says that improving performance doesn't always require expensive machines. Lunges are an effective exercise for building strength and endurance in the lower body. Perform a lunge by stepping one foot about a meter in front of the other. Keeping an erect posture, sink the hips down into the lead leg so that the rear leg is almost straight. For strength, perform six repetitions while holding heavy dumbbells. For endurance, just use body weight and perform several sets of more than 12 repetitions.
Squats
For lower body strength, weight training author Jim Wendler believes that squats are the king of all exercises. A squat is performed with just body weight, with a bar over the back or with a bar held in front of the chest. For a standard body weight squat, set the feet about shoulder width apart. Keeping the upper body erect, sit down into an imaginary chair and stop when the hamstrings reach parallel to the ground. For strength, hold a heavy barbell on the back or in front of the chest and perform four sets of six repetitions. For endurance, just use body weight and perform several sets of 12 repetitions.
Leg Press
Leg presses are done on a machine in a supine, incline or decline position. Each position is effective for Nordic skiing, and an effective program varies between these three. Perform the leg press by placing the feet about shoulder width apart in the middle of the foot support. Start with the legs at about a 90-degree angle and push the foot support until the legs are just short of full extension. For strength, perform four sets of six repetitions with heavier weights. For endurance, use a lighter weight and perform several sets of at least 12 repetitions.
Assistance Exercises
In addition to these three primary exercises, Nordic skiers can perform a seemingly endless amount of what the National Strength and Conditioning Association refers to as "assistance exercises." Assistance exercises target the smaller stabilizer muscles in the legs. For example, to train the calves, skiers can perform calf raises. For hamstrings, hamstring curls are recommended.
References
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning"; Thomas R. Baechle and Roger W. Earle (eds.); 2008
- "The Essence of Body Weight Training"; Juan Carlos Santana; 2004
- "5/3/1: The Simplest and Most Effective Training System to Increase Raw Strength"; Jim Wendler; 2009
- CrossFit Endurance
- CrossFit: Forging Elite Fitness
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