Smart summer training for skiers

Catarina Henriksson is a training coach, ski trainer and Official Vasaloppet Coach. She knows that many recreational skiers tend to take it easy with training over the summer.

– Both because the ski season still feels far away and because there’s often so much else going on. But if you manage to stick to your training during the summer months, you’ll be in a much better place once autumn arrives. Plus, there’s so much fun summer training to try out,  she says.

If you prefer training alone, her advice is to work out in the morning.

–It’s a great way to start the day, and to make sure the training actually happens. Otherwise, it’s easy for other activities to get in the way, or it might simply get too hot later in the day, especially for running.

Another way to make time for training is to invite family and friends to join in on sporty summer activities.

– Many water sports work well as group activities, provided you always bear safety in mind. A life vest is a must! And if you’re paddling a kayak or SUP, it’s important to stay close to shore and consider the wind direction. You can travel several kilometres with a tailwind without much effort, but getting back against a headwind can be a real struggle.

Mix up your sessions

Catarina believes summer training should be enjoyable and varied.

–Don’t take it too seriously. Try different sports and activities; do what you feel like. If you usually go to the gym, try Nordic walking and stop at an outdoor gym. Or train with a kettlebell, or just your own bodyweight, in a park or garden. Challenging yourself on different surfaces is fun too; you could try running barefoot on a beach or Nordic walking across a marsh. Explore your surroundings, whether you’re at home or on holiday; it makes things more fun.

Vasaloppet skiers need endurance training, but doing one activity for hours in summer heat can be tough.

–My advice is to mix things up: for example, an hour of running, an hour of roller skiing and an hour of SUP.

Summer sports that work especially well for skiers

· SUP – activates the rectus abdominis, obliques, lats, shoulders, triceps, chest, and leg muscles.

· Kayaking – core, shoulders, triceps, chest, lats, and to some extent, legs.

· Swimming – core, lats, shoulders and neck.

· Running – glutes, thighs and calves. Strengthens the ankle.

· Roller skiing – legs, glutes, shoulders, triceps, core and lats.

· Double poling on roller skis – rectus abdominis, shoulders, triceps, lats and leg muscles.

· Nordic walking up steep hills, ideally a ski slope – triceps, shoulders, chest, lats, glutes, thighs and calves. Mimics the large diagonal stride used in skiing.

· Nordic walking on trails – triceps, shoulders, chest, glutes, thighs and calves. Also strengthens the ankles effectively if you walk on smaller trails. Gentle training when running is tough.

· Outdoor strength training focused on ski muscles – targets rectus and oblique abdominals, triceps, chest, back, glutes and shoulders. The obliques are often neglected but are especially important for stability and balance in skiing.