Atle KvÃ¥lsvoll, Thor Hushovd’s coach as well as the Norwegian Olympic Committee’s endurance sport specialist gives Langrenn.com/Fasterskier.com some of Hushovd’s training secrets.
, only one intensity session per week is included. This session is never above anaerobic threshold until after Christmas.</p>
<p>This means that the intensity is low enough for the body to metabolize or remove the lactic acid that is produced – in other words, the working muscles are still working smoothly without going “stiff”. This interval session has bursts of minimum 10 minutes, and in total up towards 1 hour. This year Hushovd often did this workout as uphill running.<br />
The distance sessions during the pre-Christmas period are easy, except during training camps (2 weeks) with this professional team Credit Agricole – where a few of the distance session were faster.</p>
<p>Hushovd uses a four-week training cycle, consisting of three weeks of high volume, and one week with less volume. He also tries to include one rest-day every week. </p>
<p><B>Not much strength training</B><br />
In the weight room Thor Hushovd does strength training only for the upper body, and lets the legs rest.<br />
– The only strength training for his legs is done on the bike, as specific strength where he is biking using heavy gears. The sprint sessions can also be considered a form of strength training.</p>
<p><B>Loong sessions</B><br />
The next period in Hushovd’s training is from January until the start of the competition season in February. Now the focus is more on race preparation.<br />
– January consists of very many long sessions, and the intensity increases gradually, but almost nothing is above the anaerobic threshold.<br />
This period often included bike rides of 7 hours of more, where he includes different training methods to get used to the upcoming competition pace.</p>
<p>– It is fairly common to include a mountain pass during these 7 hour rides, such that about one hour of threshold training can be included. Towards the end of the ride, he is often paced by a motorcycle for end-of race speed training.</p>
<p>At this time of the year the training volume is around 30 – 35 hours per week. Only one or two weekly sessions are done at anaerobic threshold, in addition to the sprint sessions.</p>
<p>– You may think that the high volume is detrimental for his top speed, but this is not the case at all. He was where he to be wanted (in the front at the sprints) as soon as the race season started.</p>
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How Norway’s best bicyclist trains
From the FasterSkier archive — posts syndicated from athletes’ and coaches’ own blogs between 2004 and 2012, kept online as published. Current coverage is at fasterskier.com.
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