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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.

Tag: SkiErg

  • SkiErg Training: Training Considerations and Technique

    SkiErg Training: Training Considerations and Technique

    I hate rollerskiing. As much as I try to be a good Nordie, I just can’t get over my fear of hitting the pavement. Between a history of bike racing and the rollerski learning curve, I’ve already lost enough skin. I know it’s good for me and might make me faster on snow, but I’m too old to put up with my heart rate being affected more by fear-induced adrenaline than by quality training.

    My legs and lungs get plenty of work all summer from running, cycling, and strength training, but my typical dryland routine does little for the arms. I’ve tried to swim, but I haven’t progressed past drinking half the pool. 

    A few years ago, I set up some resistance bands to train the arms for double poling. After developing triceps tendinopathy, taking a snapped band to the crotch, and generally finding the bands to be either too hard or too easy, I realized my workouts were far from ideal. 

    (Photo: Concept2.com)

    What the bands gain from their price-point, they yield in utility. By their nature, the more you stretch a band, the more resistance it provides. This is the opposite of what happens with poling on snow, where the greatest resistance (or force requirement) takes place near the beginning of the pushing phase and decreases through the end of each cycle. 

    Staring in the face of another hot (and smoky) summer, I splurged on a Concept2 SkiErg last spring. Thus, I was immediately able to avoid rollerskiing (without feeling guilty) while simultaneously shielding myself from the heat and poor air quality. Solved were the resistance bands’ problems of poor adjustability and inverse force curve. This utility continued during the purgatory of shoulder season in the fall, and carried me through the local trails’ annual mid-season melt out here in Salt Lake City. 

    Cool tool. What do I do with it?

    For some expert information, I asked Miles Havlick, head Nordic coach for the reigning NCAA national champion University of Utah Ski Team, some questions about how they incorporate the SkiErg into their training. 

    What are your typical resistance settings? What’s the max you’ll use?

    We almost always use the max resistance setting of 10 during SkiErg workouts. The majority of the time we do sprint type workouts on the SkiErg machines with interval lengths of less than 5-minutes in duration. However, during longer sessions we will lower the resistance in order to keep the intensity lower.

    Author’s comment: 10 is hard! Keep in mind these are elite skiers. In a video blog from Jens Burman, he notes that his max resistance is 7. 

    Better for easy, Z1-2 endurance or higher intensity intervals?

    In my opinion, it is better for high intensity sessions targeting more anaerobic or strength training. Although the muscles are fairly similar to actually double poling, we prefer to perform longer L1 sessions on rollerskis which offers more variety in terrain and more closely resembles double poling on snow.

    Author’s comment: In my opinion, pavement hurts more than snow and I haven’t lost any skin to L1 sessions on the SkiErg.

    Head coach of the University of Utah nordic team, Miles Havlick (far right), was named RMISA coach of the year in 2021 following a record setting season for the Utes. (Photo: utahutes.com)

    Do you cue or work on technique during SkiErg sessions?

    We certainly do. It is easy to get higher power numbers when using techniques that are not as effective on snow, however, we are training to be better on snow. Therefore, we are always trying to emulate the most effective on-snow double pole technique on the SkiErg machines.

    Author’s comment: more on this below.

    Do you incorporate drills like balancing on one leg or BOSU?

    We have played around with it but we do not regularly utilize this. It is effective for making L1 workouts more interesting, however during higher intensity bouts, it seems to detract from the quality and focus of the on-snow movements that we are trying to emulate.

    Training sessions on the SkiErg can cover both ends of polarized training with the capacity for both longer duration, low intensity workouts with emphasis on metabolic efficiency and for shorter, high intensity intervals to work power. 

    SkiErg Technique

    While perhaps the best indoor replacement, pulling on the SkiErg is definitely not the same as poling on snow or rollerskis. The notable difference is the lack of balance with a forward trunk lean. Without bindings and the ski to counterbalance, there is much more tendency to fall forward on your face. Or, perhaps, more tendency to sit back so you don’t fall on your face. This is a likely reason why coaches can be critical of spending too much time on a SkiErg, with a nod toward the potential non-ski-specific movements Havlick alluded to when he commented that they are always attentive to form.  

    With that in mind, there are absolutely some technique fundamentals that can be reinforced on the SkiErg. 

    A pair of Craftsbury Green Racing Project athletes complete a 1k time trial on the SkiErg in November, 2014. (Photo: GreenRacingProject.com)
    The Arms

    The monotony repetition of the poling motion creates a great opportunity to reinforce some key components:

    • Hands high: don’t be lazy, get those hands up
    • Elbows fairly fixed with short swings under higher resistance (think uphill double pole or V1)
    • Elbows extend with long swings under lower resistance (think fast V2 or V2 alternate)
    • Smooth on the power: like starting a car from a dead stop but getting up to speed quickly – if you just stomp on it, the wheels will spin. With poling, we want to achieve peak force quickly but smoothly; setting the poles, then delivering power to them as the upper body drops powerfully onto the poles and the pole angle decreases to deliver the force behind the skier as a push off, versus just stabbing the poles as hard as we can into snow. The latter strategy does not propel forward motion as the peak force is directed into the ground, which incurs vibrational losses in the pole shaft, and robs the system of energy before the pole angle changes toward one more effective for force delivery. 

     

    The Hips

    “Hips high” might be one of the more overused and less understood cues in Nordic skiing. Without digging too deeply here, the basic premise while on the SkiErg is starting the poling motion from a tall position. As the body compresses with the arm pull, hinge at the hips and ankles. Then, focus on quickly getting back to the tall start position by extending the hips via contraction of the glutes (aka “squeeze your butt cheeks”). Your knees should be relaxed and bend slightly on each cycle, but you’ll want to avoid significant knee bending as it likely indicates that you are sitting back too much. I’ve personally found that one of the biggest gains I’ve found on snow is through focusing on quickly returning to the high hands and hips start position, over and over and over on the Erg.

    As much as high intensity double poling is a full body effort (not just the arms), in skiing it is more about movement across the hips and ankles vs the knees. In CrossFit gyms, this is not necessarily the case. They are after maximum generation of force, not skiing efficiently. Please don’t do this.

    Balance

    While Havlick mentioned that they rarely incorporate balance drills into SkiErg sessions, I think they can be very useful for reinforcing single leg stability, especially if there is a specific component to address like foot pressure distribution, ankle dorsiflexion, or lateral weight shifts from the hips. As with any balance exercise, it is generally more beneficial to work on consistently accomplishing appropriate balance on the floor before moving on to an unstable surface like a BOSU or Dynadisc.

    Visual learner? Here’s a helpful video on the CXC Facebook page with Eliska Albrigtsen, former CXC head coach who now leads the University of Alaska Fairbanks team. 

    Looking for more? Find a 2017 Wednesday Workout with Sadie Bjornsen here, featuring 30 minutes of 30/30’s on the SkiErg.

    Doublepole form on display at the start of the 4×5-kilometer relay in Lillehammer. Hailey Swirbul (bib 3) skis the scramble leg for the U.S. (Photo: NordicFocus)

    Author’s Disclosure: Concept 2, manufacturers of the SkiErg, is a sponsor of FasterSkier; however, I purchased mine at full price before I was affiliated with this fine website. In addition to the SkiErg, Abilica makes a very similar device. The Italian company Ercolina makes an upper body ergometer that has the advantage of being much more compact and portable, but it is also more expensive and very hard to find in the US.  

  • DIY Fitness Testing: The How and Why with Pepa Miloucheva

    DIY Fitness Testing: The How and Why with Pepa Miloucheva

    The SMST2 squad led by Jessie Diggins pushes the pace in a double pole interval workout during a fall 2019 training camp in Lake Placid, NY. (Photo: Matt Whitcomb / smseliteteam.wordpress.com)

    It’s May. Yes, really. 

    For most skiers, the new page on the calendar also marks the beginning of a new training year. Dust off your rollerskis, locate your heart rate strap and drink belt, and make sure your running shoes have plenty of life in them.

    With the country still predominantly on public health orders to stay close to home, avoid groups, and keep at least six feet of distance from those outside your home, kicking off a new cycle is happening without hugging our training partners, post-workout high fives, or otherwise gathering to ring in the new season. There also remains abundant uncertainty regarding the feasibility of racing during the upcoming season from the World Cup level to the junior and collegiate circuits to popular skiing. Nonetheless, we open our training logs and carry on. 

    Last season ended abruptly and the off season may have looked different than anticipated. We may have put our energy into homeschooling children, sourdough baking, binge-watching Tiger King, connecting virtually with our family and friends, or otherwise remaining largely homebound and less active than we’re accustomed. On the flip side, maybe the change in schedule has freed up additional time for long adventures and you’ve logged more hours in April than ever before. 

    Either way, at the onset of a season, you may be interested in checking in on your fitness and strength, looking for metrics to track improvement over time and to guide your pacing or heart rate zones during future workouts. FasterSkier reached out to Pepa Miloucheva, head coach of the Craftsbury Green Racing Project, to discuss fitness testing that could be done without the support of a facility or coach, making it accessible to any level skier as they begin the new year. 

    Miloucheva provided the disclaimer that she relies on advanced metabolic testing with her athletes to determine VO2 Max and lactate threshold levels to assess fitness and heart rate zones, and then prescribes training based on this information. With that caveat, Miloucheva holds a masters degree in Sport Science with a focus on physiology and biomechanics and has been coaching for over 20 years, over a dozen of which have been spent with the CGRP elite program. 

    Caitlin Patterson (far left) leads CGRP teammates running with poles. (Courtesy Photo)

    Before jumping into assessing fitness and blowing up trying to hit a new PR on the SkiErg, Miloucheva emphasized that the most important thing an athlete can do at the beginning of a new cycle is to have a training plan and to understand how the periodization targets different areas of athletic development. This might be a plan from a coach or one found online. 

    “If someone really wants to establish a baseline and monitor, then they have to have a training plan,” said Miloucheva in a call. “I think everything else is kind of pointless, because all of these tests won’t give you anything if you don’t know what you’re looking for. In general, everything starts with first having a good training plan.”

    Once a clear plan is established and you have taken time to understand it, then decide which part of the training process you would like to test. 

    “If you have 2-3 months of high volume, you want to test your basic aerobic improvement. You do the test, you see if you’ve actually improved. When you start doing a little bit more speed, you want to see if you’ve improved your speed. So you really have to schedule these tests based on your training plan.”

    As the typical periodization of the year for skiers focuses on aerobic development during the spring and summer, a good starting place could be an uphill run test, possibly combined with a rollerski or SkiErg time trial, if those are available to you.

    Traditionally, a 3000 meter run on the track was commonly used as an aerobic benchmark, but the results can be skewed based on individual running economy. Athletes with more running experience and better form often fare better than those with comparable or potentially better fitness. As such, most ski programs have transitioned toward an uphill run test, as it tends to level the playing field in terms of the impact of running efficiency on results.

    In addition to being a good indicator of aerobic capacity, Miloucheva explained that the test has the added benefit of being easily repeatable with relatively few outside variables that might impact performance.

    “The uphill running test is probably the most standard around the world. Simply, it’s easier to repeat. It’s a little bit less affected by the weather, but there are still a lot of elements and it is hard to keep it consistent.”

    Craftsbury Green Racing Project Head Coach Pepa Miloucheva (l) and Stratton Mountain School T2 Team Head Coach Pat O’Brien (center) assist athletes with lactate testing after the U.S. Ski Team’s rollerski team sprint on July 15, 2018 in Lake Placid, N.Y.

    If you’re looking to track your own progress on an uphill course, Miloucheva recommends finding a stretch of road or trail with little traffic that takes roughly 10-12 minutes. The effort should be steady throughout the test and you should finish feeling completely spent. 

    Be careful not to start out too fast as you want your heart rate to increase throughout the test, rapidly at first then gradually continuing to rise toward your lactate threshold heart rate, which can be estimated as the average heart rate sustained over the last five minutes of the test assuming it was well-paced. (TrainingPeaks has a deep dive on blood lactate and lactate threshold here, or you can read this description of lactate threshold training by Len Kravitz Ph.D., Exercise Science professor at the University of New Mexico.) 

    As for the course, you’re looking for terrain that is runnable, meaning you won’t need to resort to walking or hiking, and a relatively consistent grade. 

    Miloucheva later added that many veteran athletes have their own aerobic fitness test piece, which is also perfectly sufficient. 

    “I’m an old lady and I have this loop around the lake I do every year and I measure my time just for fun. So in general, everybody who has been training for years, they have a place where they can run the test.”

    Miloucheva has also used a 1-kilometer uphill double pole test on rollerskis with some of her athletes. Her course starts relatively flat, climbs gradually, then levels off at the finish. 

    “The biggest thing is that [athletes] need to keep moving, so it cannot be very steep because strength and the resistance become the issue [rather than fitness].”

    She has found this test harder to standardize than the run test, meaning results must be taken with a grain of salt. 

    “The problem using it year to year is that [the athletes] don’t always use the same rollerskis, they change wheels, cold weather and cold pavement changes a lot. So you have to consider all these details with the results.”

    Sophie Caldwell and Annie Hart square off for a SkiErg time trial during a week of testing with the SMST2 team in 2017. (Photo: Instagram @sophiecaldwell(

    Because of the ease of standardization, Miloucheva prefers using SkiErg time trials, as athletes can repeat the test indoors with a fixed resistance. Her junior athletes complete 1 and 2 k time trials, and her senior athletes additionally complete a 5 k test. The CGRP athletes complete the tests while hooked up to a VO2 Max testing equipment. If these are available to you, these tests could also serve as a benchmark for aerobic fitness with some ski specific strength indicators. 

    As for strength, Miloucheva is working on developing a test she feels is informative and can be standardized, as she is not satisfied with other tests used previously. She has historically used a version of the Canadian Strength Test (outlined here by Jackson Hole Ski & Snowboard Club), which counts the number of pull-ups, sit-ups, push-ups, box jumps, and dips an athlete can do in one minute with one minute rest between each exercise. Some differences in Miloucheva’s version include the use of single leg squats within a 30 second time period and measures pull-ups to exhaustion. 

    If you’re completing this test from home, ask a member of your household to help time, count, and keep your form honest so the data reflects your current strength accurately. 

    Okay, you’ve done an initial test of your aerobic fitness and/or strength. Now what? How soon should you repeat the test to check for improvement?

    Miloucheva reiterated that it is essential to plan testing between training blocks to assess whether the block had the intended impact on fitness. She explained that her testing weeks are written into her general yearly plan for athletes at the beginning of the season. 

    When considering your own plan, space the tests out roughly 6-10 weeks to give the body time to absorb and respond to training. In addition to striving for a faster time, you can also consider trends in heart rate, as more time during the test spent closer to the lactate threshold heart rate is also an indicator of improved aerobic capacity. 

    To get the most information from a testing period, it is essential that each round is approached the same way, including how the training looks in the days prior and the warm-up performed before beginning the tests. 

    “You want to have a standard approach into the test, because you don’t want to do the first test after a very exhausting week and the second after an easy week, because it will affect the results.”

    For CGRP athletes, this typically looks like one or two days of rest or easy training prior to a test. 

    There you have it. If you’re looking to assess and monitor progress in your fitness, first select and understand a training plan. Then, determine what factors of your fitness you’d like to assess and decide when a set of tests might fit best between different blocks within the training plan. Finally, do what you can to ensure that when the tests are repeated, the environment is as controlled as possible and your approach is the same so improvement (or lack thereof) between tests provides accurate insight into how your body is responding to training. 

    See you out there!  (from a safe social distance) 

  • Wednesday Workout: Killer Ski-Specific Strength with the HardCore Training Center

    Wednesday Workout: Killer Ski-Specific Strength with the HardCore Training Center

    Author Bill Nurge and Matt Liebsch (l) on the Haig Glacier near Canmore, Alberta, last August. (All photos: Bill Nurge)

    This week’s workout comes from Bill Nurge, head coach and owner of the HardCore Training Center in Ketchum, Idaho, who has a master’s degree in exercise physiology. Starting July 28, Nurge and Matt Liebsch will be serving up a week of nordic-specific fitness training and technique work at the Sun Valley Nordic Fitness Academy. With a maximum of only 12 participants, they recommend signing up early. Click on this link for more information.

    ***

    You can blame Matt Liebsch for this workout … and for making me a better skier!

    Last August, my wife and I joined Coach Matt, and 25 other nordic tribe-mates, on the Haig Glacier for what turned out to be a bucket-list topper in every regard. One of the biggest takeaways from skating a dozen hours behind the terminally affable Birkie winner and World Cup skier was how annoyingly powerful and stable he is on one ski. Whether he was single-ski double poling up a hill, or gliding effortlessly on a long descent, he was always solid and skilled while perched atop a single Salomon S/Lab skate ski.  As much as I’d like to blame the fact that I didn’t start skiing until I was almost 30, and my equipment wasn’t as good (Matt promptly set me up with shorter poles, better boots, and hand-picked stable skis), the stark reality was simple: Matt possessed more power, greater dynamic stability, and better balance than I did.

    So once my 56-year-old brain got over being tweaked by my body’s inability to match his single-ski prowess, I set to work on developing a program to take my balance, core stability and functional power to a higher level. And the best part is that it worked! Prior to consistently performing the workout I’m about to share with you, my posture, balance, and power output would predictably spiral downward halfway into a 50k skate race. But this past March, I was able to string together two of my best back to back 50 k’s (10th overall at the West Yellowstone Rendezvous; 4th overall at the Cascade Crest Marathon) with no appreciable diminution in performance.

    It’s no secret that nordic skiing — particularly skating — is a single-leg sport. Unless you’re double poling or flying downhill in a tuck, the vast majority of time is spent balancing and producing “ground force” with one ski, and one or two poles. This is why single-leg power, core stability, and balance play such major roles in sustainable speed. Every powerful stride must be accompanied by a dynamic, and sometimes high-speed balancing act requiring huge amounts of stabilization at the hip, knee and ankle joints. In the 2 hours and 15 minutes — of mostly single-leg Pain Cave time — it took me to complete the relatively flat Cascade Crest 50 k in Bend, Oregon, I ended up doing roughly 4,000 V2 strokes on each leg. That’s a lot of time performing single-leg squats with hip abduction and balancing and repeating every second!

    So here’s the deal, most nordic athletes do a great job of cranking out lots of cardio hours, weighted pullups, dips, box jumps, and heavy squats. The problem is that some of the hard-earned endurance and strength will be squandered unless it’s matched with equal amounts of balance and stability training. With regard to function, the muscles of the hip can be separated into two groups: movers and stabilizers. Though they all technically perform both, it’s easier to think of them in these two distinct categories. Because strength and stability are two sides of the same coin, having strong “movers” (lats and glutes) and weak “stabilizers” not only compromises performance, but may contribute to shoulder, lower-back, knee, and ankle injuries. Bottom line: nordic skiers are only as “strong” as their weakest stabilizers. Just like their big-brother primary movers, the myriad behind-the-scenes stabilizer muscles need strength, stamina, power, AND intelligence to do their “balancing act” effectively. No stability, no balance, no fun.

    Here are five pairs of exercises you can add to your existing program to help improve single-leg balance and functional power (with links to demo videos):

    The Workout: Nordic-specific exercises to improve balance, core stability and functional power

    Warmup: About 20 minutes

    Before getting into high-intensity unilateral exercises, it’s always best to do a progressive and comprehensive warmup. I like to start with 2 minutes of Level 1-2 cardio on the AirDyne standing, treadmill forward run with pulsers, and SkiErg double-poling. I would then recommend doing 60 seconds of alternating single-leg squat dips, alternating side-skip med-ball slams, and alternating split-squat rope pulls.

    Then do a second set of 2 minutes of Level 2 cardio standing on the AirDyne, all directions on treadmill, and V2 on the SkiErg. Follow this up with 80 seconds of alternating dips, side-skip slams, and lateral skip rope pulls.

    Finally, a third set of 2 minutes alternating 10 seconds easy/10 seconds “harder” on AirDyne (hands on rings pulsing up and down), treadmill (forward only), and SkiErg V2 with jump, followed up by 90 seconds of tuck-jump dips, single-leg BOSU hop rope pulls, and side-skip slams.

    Side-skip on the treadmill with pulsers
    Side-skip slams

    Paired Exercises: About 25 minutes for one set of each

    For each of the paired exercises, I would recommend starting with a medium-hard 60-second first set with 30 seconds rest between each leg, and no rest between pairs. Note that on all but the first set you will be performing each of the paired exercises on the dominant leg first (left leg for most right handers), and then the non-dominant leg. I like to have the less coordinated/“weaker” leg follow the lead and learn from the smarter/stronger leg.

    So for example you would do (#2a) left-leg inverted SkiErg step ups, immediately followed by (#2b) left-leg single-leg slideboard double pole. After 30 seconds of rest, switch to the right leg of the same exercises. Then move on immediately to the next (#3) set. Try to build into each set and maintain form as you get fatigued. The demo videos are very helpful in showing proper form and body position.

    Performing one set of the 5 pairs equals 8 minutes (not counting the first pair which alternates legs) of total time-under-tension for each leg: roughly a hilly 10 k’s worth of single-leg balance for an elite skate-skier. After several weeks of this twice-weekly regimen you can add a second, more aggressive 75-second set of each exercise. This would amount to about 18 minutes of overload on each leg plus up to about 4 minutes of sandbag push and hip bridge swings. Total workout time (including 20 minute warmup) is approximately 1 hour.

    1) a. Sandbag Push: The key on this brutally effective, anterior-core exercise is to push the bag — or something heavy that slides — with your body, not your arm. Use your legs and side-flexion muscles to “shove” the bag forward. It should be heavy enough that you can’t push it with your arm alone. If you have a strong core you can do this exercise for two minutes alternating arms and directions. Make sure your push arm is on the same side as your lead leg.

    b. Hip Bridge Monkey Swings: This is essentially a dynamic hip bridge with isometric abduction, and posterior chain muscle tension. Keep the hips up, knees pushing “out” against the rubber band, and arms bent at 90 degrees. This can also be done — without the swinging — on a single TRX strap in single-handle mode walking your feet forward and backward. This exercise can be performed for up to two minutes.

    2) a. Inverted SkiErg Step Ups: The flywheel resistance provides a uniquely effective eccentric overload to the quads, hip extensors and lower back. This can also be done with weights or a heavy rubber band. The key is to use only the upper/loaded leg to pulse aggressively out of the bottom position. Use a cadence of about 60 strokes/minute and pause/glide for half a second at the top of each rep.

    Single-leg step ups with flywheel resistance

    b. Single-leg slideboard double-pole hops: Your primary hip-and-knee movers — quad and glute — should feel like they just did a breakaway on a big climb, but you still need your stabilizers to negotiate the technical downhill to the finish! While maintaining constant tension on the poling muscles you can hop or pull yourself up the slideboard and then allow yourself to glide backwards resulting in a big eccentric hit on the double-pole initiators. This can also be done using a TRX strap and performing partial pistol-squat pull-ups; although it’s not as intense on the balance muscles.

    Single-leg double-pole on sideboard

    3) a. Single-leg squat jump double pullup: The key on this exercise is start with a 90-degree knee-angle and no countermovement. Explode up and do one pullup while touching foot to bar, and then as quickly as possible do a halfway down pullup and repeat as quickly as possible. High-tempo partial range of motion/upper-half pullups are more nordic-specific because of the shoulder-joint angle and eccentric loading.

    b. Single-leg stomps on BOSU with high-tempo SkiErg double pole: Now that your big primary poling and leg muscles are hammered, similar to the end or a race, you have to sprint and produce lots of “ground force” with the tired arms and leg. Keep the cadence high (80-90 spm), stomp your foot on the BOSU, and sprint for the finish!

    Single-leg stomps on Bosu with SkiErg double-pole

    4) a. Single-leg TRX squats with arm extensions: Get in a position where you’re maximally dorsi-flexed at the ankle and the triceps are loaded. Perform about 1 rep per second with the arms extending only two-thirds of the way out (just like most of your V2 poling strokes). Make sure your hands go fully behind your head on every rep and you’ve got heavy tension on your triceps.

    b. Single-leg BOSU squats holding front-plank on slideboard: With your triceps dynamically fatigued this exercise will take them even deeper isometrically and help build integrity at  the “bottom” of their functional range of motion. Maintain anterior core and tricep tension the entire time you’re single-leg squatting and pulling yourself backwards with the hip flexors. This can also be performed on the floor with sliders.

    5) a. Single-leg ball bounce on Slackline: Having the slack line inclined simulates an uphill ski and forces more pressure on the ball of the foot resulting in ankle flexion. Hold off on actually throwing the balls until your able to balance for at least 30 seconds without falling. You want to get to the point where you can get 20-30 ball tosses in a minute without tipping over. This exercise can also be done on a balance disc; but it doesn’t feel the same as a skinny ski.

    b. Single-leg push and slide on zipline TRX strap: With your stabilizers statically fatigued, now it’s time to see how they perform dynamically … Pushing and gliding in a forward-leaning, front-plank position simulates the start position of most nordic strokes. Make sure you have vertical-hip displacement and are head over foot on every rep. This can also be done without the “zipline” (a ceiling-mounted track with a chain hanging down from it and a Core Flyte Dynamic Stability Trainer under your foot) but it’s not as FUNctional 🙂

    So there you have it … Try to hit the unilateral balance work 1-2 times/week and you should find yourself feeling significantly more solid and confident in your ability to powerfully push, and effortlessly glide!

    ***

  • Wednesday Workout: SkiErg Intervals with Sadie Bjornsen

    Wednesday Workout: SkiErg Intervals with Sadie Bjornsen

    Sadie Bjornsen, of APU and the U.S. Ski Team, during a SkiErg interval workout at her home in Anchorage, Alaska. (Courtesy photo)

    If you have a lower-body injury, be it acute or chronic, training for cross-country skiing can be frustrating: there are so many activities which must be cut back if you are trying to protect a knee, ankle, or foot.

    Luckily, there are good training options available, especially if you have access to a double-pole machine like an Ercolina or a Concept2 SkiErg.

    “I use the SkiErg a lot because I fight with feet injuries, and it is a safe escape from ski boots or shoes,” U.S. Ski Team and APU skier Sadie Bjornsen wrote in an email.

    Last season, Bjornsen won World Championships bronze in the team sprint with Jessie Diggins. This season, she is back to battling heel spurs. That’s why she has been putting in time on the SkiErg she has at her house, but she sees other benefits to these types of workouts as well.

    Sadie Bjornsen (l) en route to her first World Championships medal, bronze with teammate Jessie Diggins (not shown), in the women’s classic team sprint on Feb. 26 in Lahti, Finland.

    “The SkiErg can also be really helpful on rainy days, super cold days in the winter, or just days that you want to rock out to some tunes indoors and avoid traffic on the roads,” Bjornsen explained. “It is an easy workout to get the most ‘bang for your buck’ if you have a short amount of time, which I also really like. There is no wasted time tucking on downhills, or coasting across the flats. Instead, you are on power mode from the start to the finish.”

    And as numerous research studies have recently shown, double-poling ability and upper-body strength are more and more becoming great predictors of overall ski performance, even in freestyle races.

    “I like to do a little intensity in my SkiErg workouts because it helps keep it fun and fresh, and I also think it really helps to build my upper body strength,” Bjornsen wrote. “Our sport has become really upper-body driven, so I feel like I can never get too much upper-body workouts!”

    With that in mind, she shared a recent interval workout she did on the SkiErg — it’s bread and butter for Bjornsen. “I like to try to do this workout at least once a week all through the summer, and sometimes more if I am going through a period of struggle with my heel spurs,” she wrote.

    It aims for an hour of total workout time.

    The Start: “I start my workout with a fifteen-minute warm up. During this time, I often shut my eyes, and visualize skiing. This helps bring in true ski form, and feel my movements, rather than just fall into a ‘SkiErg-specific technique.’”

    Getting Speedy: “During this time, I will do some little ten-second increases in power to warm up my back and arms, and get ready to go hard.”

    The Workout: “After fifteen minutes, I begin the workout known as 30-30’s. This means 30 seconds of intervals followed by 30 seconds of recovery, then repeat for 30 minutes. What may feel easy at first, quickly catches up after 10 minutes, so I always start this workout more conservative than feels appropriate.”

    Keeping It Going: “After about five minutes of 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off, I start to see a common number of watts I am exerting during the 30 seconds. This is where I set a goal. Maybe it’s 190 watts I am hitting, I want to continue to reach that level or more for the next 25 minutes of this workout. This becomes increasingly hard around 20 minutes, and requires a certain amount of mental power. The 30 seconds of rest begins to pass too quickly, and I find myself becoming really focused in my own little world… forgetting where I am (maybe a garage, maybe a gym).”

    Finishing Up: “By the end of 30 minutes of 30-30’s, I am pretty worked, and feel like I have just done a race out on the snow. This is when I bring myself back to my surroundings, and finish with a fifteen minute easy warm down to help flush my arms out.”

    Final Thoughts: “Not only does this one hour pass really fast, but it is a really focused workout that feels like it truly helps build specific power. I always make sure I finish this workout with a little five minute walk. This helps flush all my muscles, but also helps make sure my back goes back to moving naturally after a pretty intense workout.”
  • Wednesday Workout: Strong Glutes, A Recipe for Skiing Efficiency (with Video and Podcast)

    Wednesday Workout: Strong Glutes, A Recipe for Skiing Efficiency (with Video and Podcast)

    Dave Cieslowski, a Physical Therapist with a practice in Bend, Oregon and who works with the U.S. Nordic Combined team, demonstrates the glute firing Wednesday Workout. (Photo: still frame capture from video)
    Dave Cieslowski, a physical therapist based in Bend, Ore., demonstrates a glute-firing workout.

    BEND, Ore. — Dave Cieslowski comes with an alphabet soup of suffixes after his name. There’s DPT (Doctor of Physical Therapy), CSCS (National Strength and Conditioning Association Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist). He also helps the U.S. Nordic Combined Team in and out of the competition season.

    As all that education implies, Cieslowski, of Bend, nerds out on the neuromuscular and biomechanical aspects of sport. Yeah, you guessed it, if you don’t already know of Dave, and since this is primarily a cross-country ski site — Cieslowski admittedly could spend days analyzing the minutia of how we ski and how we could ski more efficiently.

    Cieslowski is at once both a powerful and graceful skier. His style distinct: a dash of ballet like grace, a big sprinkle of Force = Mass x Acceleration. And he possesses an upright skate ski motion. He’s not dead vertical — his knee and ankle flex look textbook.

    When it comes to skiing wellness, Cieslowski emphasizes strengthening and engaging the glutes.

    In this Wednesday Workout, Cieslowski offers up a unique, not exactly simple, exercise that focuses on ski-specific use of the glutes.

    If you want to improve balance and power on the ski or are dealing with any lower extremity, hip or lower-back injury having to do with skiing, this workout may be what you are looking for.

    What you need:

    – SkiErg

    – Two pieces resistance tubing. One piece around both legs just above knee level, the other wrapped around the waist (just below the pelvic bone) and held in place with tension…note the kettlebell four feet behind Dave on the SkiErg

    – Kettlebell or dumbbell to hold resistance tubing around pelvic bone in place

    – 12″ x 12″ x” 2  inch block, placed under “leading foot” while simulating V1

    Here’s a video of Cieslowski in action. In it you’ll see the exercise setup and how to properly align the body to “fire” the glutes.

    (Dave Cieslowski Wed. Workout #1: Ski ERG and Glutes from FasterSkier on Vimeo)

    The workout can be incorporated into SkiErg interval sets or a longer slower endurance type SkiErg session. One thing is certain, you must engage the glutes.

    And lastly in this Wednesday Workout multimedia extravaganza, here’s the podcast interview. Press the play button (the arrow) to have a listen.

  • Team Gregg Partners with NASA for Zero Gravity Training Research

    Team Gregg Partners with NASA for Zero Gravity Training Research

    Husband and wife Brian (r) and Caitlin Gregg recently signed an agreement with NASA to conduct a series of training blocks at zero gravity starting in June.
    Husband and wife Brian (r) and Caitlin Gregg recently signed an agreement with NASA to conduct a series of training blocks at zero gravity starting in June.

    Brian and Caitlin Gregg of Team Gregg have penned an agreement with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to conduct a series of training blocks at zero gravity. Extensive research has been completed on the benefits of high-altitude training, but very little is known about the effects of space on endurance performance.

    “We have found success with blocks of training at altitude and when the opportunity to explore a partnership with NASA came up we decided to look in to it,” Caitlin said. “We both have always wanted to travel to space. Although, we still have a lot of steps to take before the trip to the International Space Station (ISS).”

    The ISS orbits about 200-250 miles above the earth and at that altitude, Earth’s gravity is about 90 percent of what it is on the planet’s surface.

    Caitlin Gregg during NASA's initial testing in a microgravity pool earlier this week in Florida. (Courtesy photo)
    Caitlin Gregg during NASA’s initial testing in a microgravity pool earlier this week in Florida. (Courtesy photo)

    The Greggs were reached in Florida, where they are conducting initial testing and training with the astronauts in their specialized pool, which simulates micro gravity.

    “The pool is really quite a strange feeling,” Caitlin explained. “The greatest challenge will be not losing too much speed, since all movements are so slow.”

    “Water is relatively dense fluid and is available in huge quantity, so we can simulate microgravity in a pool by putting an astronaut into a suit and adjusting that suit’s weight until it neither floats nor sinks — making it neutrally buoyant,” explained resident scientist Kumar Harshit. “Once neutral buoyancy is established all the objects can move freely as in micro-gravitational field. The pool used to train astronauts for spacewalk at ISS, is 202 feet long, 101 feet wide, and 40 feet deep. Equipment which have higher density are covered by Styrofoam.”

    Brian is of particular interest for NASA in this endeavor as he is a twin. His brother Chad will be monitored before, after, and during the study to help quantify the effects of space on the body.

    The extended family that is Team Gregg, with Brian and Caitlin in green, and Brian's twin brother Chad (second from r) along with parents Jim and Jan (left and second from l), and Chad's wife Alieta Gregg (r) in 2013 in West Yellowstone, Mont.
    The extended family of Team Gregg, with Brian and Caitlin in green, and Brian’s twin brother Chad (second from r) along with parents Jim and Jan (left and second from l), and Chad’s wife Alieta (r) in 2013 in West Yellowstone, Mont.

    “Concept2 has actually designed a specialized travel SkiErg that we will be bringing with us to the space station for our training,” Brian said.

    This exercise tool will remain on the space station for all to use and has the Russians in particular excited.

    Initially one of the sticking points for the agreement was that the Greggs’ dog Lahti need to be able to join them for the trips.

    “We spend a lot of time away from him and I have really been looking forward to spending time with him,” Caitlin said.

    NASA conceded to let the pup join them to the space station, but were unable to agree to the costs and risks of bringing him home. Ultimately the Greggs decided to leave Lahti at home.

    If everything goes smoothly the Greggs will be looking at some super-high altitude time at zero gravity in the beginning of June after completing an on-snow training camp in Bend, Ore. The ISS camp would be 12 days with another possible camp in early August where they will look to avoid the high temperatures and humidity of the dog days of summer.

    “This is truly and exciting opportunity and their are still a lot of unknowns. We should know a lot more by tomorrow, April 2,” Brian said.

  • SkiErg Training Tips from Judy Geer

    The U.S. Ski Team's leading woman Kikkan Randall using the SkiErg. She's been using it this year to rehab an Achilles issue.
    The U.S. Ski Team’s leading woman Kikkan Randall having fun with the SkiErg. She’s been using it this year to rehab an Achilles issue.

    Know Where You’re Starting From!

    Over the past month, skiers and biathletes around the world have been getting back to training. For many of those at the upper levels, this means a round of testing. It might be VOmax testing on a treadmill or SkiErg, strength testing of various sorts, uphill runs, double pole rollerski time trials—there’s a wide variety, but the important point is that it makes good sense to test at the beginning of the training year so that you have a baseline from which to measure your progress.

    Most of us don’t have ready access to a rollerski treadmill, or a VOmax lab, so we find other ways to test ourselves. Ideally, the test(s) should be repeatable and accurately measurable, so that results can be compared from one time to another and offer meaningful guidance.

    If you have access to a SkiErg, it’s a good option testing option because it doesn’t have the innate variability of most outdoor tests. And the Performance Monitor is self-calibrating so tests can also be compared from one SkiErg to another. Compare your results with a friend in Europe, or across the US.

    Here are some test distances you might consider using in your own testing protocol. Several of these are also included in the Concept2 Online Ranking, and SkiErg Performance Series, so you can see how you stack up there as well.

    SkiErg by Concept2

    • Speed/Power: 30 seconds
    • Sprint: 1000m
    • Distance: 2000m
    • Distance: 5000m

    …and Make Sure You Get Where You Want to Go

    The one kind of training that we all hope to avoid is rehab, but sometimes it is unavoidable, whether due to overuse or accidental injury. The challenge becomes finding good training activities that can still be done without hindering the recovery of the injured body part. Recovery from injury demands patience, determination and creativity. On the bright side, these are all good attributes to develop and you may find new training modalities that you truly enjoy. And a lower body injury may help you make significant gains in upper body strength and power, and vice versa. But enough of the optimism!  Injuries are not something any skier wants to deal with.

    We’ve heard from a number of skiers who have found that the SkiErg can be a really helpful training tool during the rehab period for lower body injuries. Pull up a stool, or spin bike, and you can do any kind of workout you want: from intervals to distance. Or, if you can stand but can’t bend your knees, you can ski that way as well. Ideally, through your rehab period, you’ll be able to progress from seated to straight-leg standing to full use of your legs.

    We sincerely hope that it is not injury that introduces you to the SkiErg, but if it is, we hope you find it helpful and we wish you a speedy recovery!

  • Concept 2 Coming to Quebec World Cup

     Concept2 will be at the First FIS Cross Country World Cup in Quebec

    Leading Manufacturer partners with Fast and Female

    December 3, 2012 – Morrisville, VT – Concept2 is proud to be a Bronze sponsor of Fast and Female, an organization founded in 2005 by Olympic gold medalist Chandra Crawford and members of the Canadian National Cross-Country Ski team.

    As part of the sponsorship, Concept2 will be exhibiting at the first World Cup in Quebec, Canada, on December 7 and 8, 2012, and is providing Concept2 SkiErgs for athletes’ use. They will also be holding SkiErg contests during the two days of racing. The SkiErgs will then be donated to Fast and Female for their post-race Breakfast of Champions fundraising raffle on Sunday, December 9.

    Fast and Female is dedicated to the empowerment through sport of young women between 9 and 19. With an emphasis on cross-country skiing, biathlon and complimentary summer enduro-sports, Fast and Female hosts events led by athletic champions like Chandra Crawford and Kikkan Randall. These role models inspire girls to gain the confidence and leadership they need to reach their full potential in life and sports. In parallel, Fast and Female educates parents, coaches, and sports leaders to ensure they foster the most supportive environment for their young female athletes.

    ***

  • SkiErg World Sprints a Success Before Ski Season (Updated with Photos from Sweden)

    SkiErg World Sprints a Success Before Ski Season (Updated with Photos from Sweden)

    The SkiErg World Sprints in action earlier this month in Sweden, which was organized by FasterSkier Editor-at-Large Chelsea Little. (Concept2 photo)

    FOURTH ANNUAL SKIERG WORLD SPRINTS: Popular Competition Kicks off the Ski Season

    (Press release)

    November 16, 2012 – Morrisville, VT – The SkiErg World Sprints is an international race of 1000 meters on the Concept2 SkiErg. It’s held annually in homes, gyms, ski clubs and fitness centers around the world—all it takes is a SkiErg and interested people. Sometimes it’s a small group of friends in a home gym; other times it’s a sizeable public event. No matter the venue, the goal is the same—your best effort for 1000 meters.

    Swedish skiers get after it during the SkiErg World Sprints earlier this month. (Concept2 photo)

    This year’s event held November 9-11, 2012, drew 855 participants from nine countries, with ages ranging from 5 to 88. The fastest men’s time was 3:05.1, pulled by 36-year-old Ats Pärnaste of Estonia. The fastest women’s time was achieved by Anika Miller with a blistering 3:51.4. Since its inception, Miller has been a regular competitor at the SkiErg World Sprints at Rudy’s Gym in McCall, Idaho, and she’s only 17!

    All host sites with at least 20 participants were entered in a drawing for a new SkiErg. Club Form, of Littleton, Colorado, was the lucky winner.

    The SkiErg World Sprints, coordinated by Concept2 in Morrisville, Vermont, continues to grow each year. Participants around the world can accurately compare their times from one location to another because the SkiErg includes a self-calibrating Performance Monitor. The SkiErg provides measurable and specific training for Nordic skiers, while also offering a high-quality low impact exercise option for non-skiers of all ages. Concept2 offers rankings and challenges to help keep skiers motivated throughout the year. More information on the SkiErg is available at concept2.com/ski.

    Haven’t tried the SkiErg yet? You can use Concept2’s “SkiErg Finder” to locate a public SkiErg near you so you can give it a try.  http://www.concept2.com/skierg/finder.

    For full SkiErg Sprints results, visit: http://log.concept2.com/challenge/skierg/sprints12.asp

     ***

    Concept2 was founded by Dick and Peter Dreissigacker in 1976. Both competitive rowers and engineers, the two brothers designed and manufactured carbon fiber racing oars, then went on to create the world’s first air­resistance indoor rower. The SkiErg, launched in 2009, builds upon the Dreissigackers’ love of skiing and Concept2’s years of experience in designing and manufacturing high-performance training equipment. For more information about Concept2, visit concept2.com.

  • SkiErg World Sprints Set for Nov. 9-11

    Mark your calendars: 

    4th Annual SkiErg World Sprints will be held November 9–11, 2012

    This 1000-meter race allows you to compare your time against others worldwide in a one-weekend showdown of speed. See how you stack up before you strap on your skis for the season!

    How it works: Race 1000 meters on the Concept2 SkiErg at your club, school or home, November 9–11, 2012. Post your time to the Concept2 logbook by 5 p.m. Monday, November 12, 2012. The winners of each age group will receive a special prize; prizes will also be awarded for the top three times in each age group.

    Don’t have a SkiErg? Find one near you to participate.

    We expect there will be challenges to the current records in all age groups. View last year’s results and get ready to race!

    Happy skiing!

  • SkiErg World Sprints Attract Old and New Talent Alike

    SkiErg World Sprints Attract Old and New Talent Alike

    A participant in the 2011 SkiErg sprints.
    A participant in the 2011 SkiErg sprints.

    November 18, 2011 – Morrisville, VT – While many ski races in Scandinavia were being canceled due to lack of snow, the 3rd Annual  SkiErg World Sprints took place last weekend in locations around the world and drew a record number of participants. Races were hosted by ski clubs, high school ski teams, CrossFit gyms, fitness centers, and elementary schools, in ten different countries, with competitors ranging in age from 5 to 80. There were over 800 participants—a 50% increase over last year!

    Both skiers and non-skiers alike earned top finishes. Christopher McLaughlin, who uses the SkiErg at home for fitness, is the overall men’s winner for the second year in a row with a time of 3:04.3, while Jennie Bender, also last year’s winner, won the women’s event with a time of 3:52.9. Other results of note include a tie for second place overall and first place in the men’s 30-39 category. Jack Nunn of California and Ats Pärnaste of Estonia both came in with a time of 03:12.9.

    McLaughlin, 40, of New Jersey, started rowing and skiing after years of lifting, work and running had injured his knees. The Concept2 Indoor Rower and SkiErg provide him with a low impact, full-body workout. He uses the Concept2 rankings and logbook for motivation while he works out at home.

    On the women’s side, Jennie Bender is a strong US skier living in Minnesota and training with the CXC program in Wisconsin. The SkiErg is a regular part of her training program, especially when she can’t get out on rollerskis due to darkness or bad weather. In the next couple weeks she’ll start her competitive season on snow.

    In the adaptive field, the men’s win goes to aspiring paralympian for Biathlon David Leach of New York with a time of 4:03.9 (LTA) and the women’s  to Christina Kouros (TA)of Maine in 6:56.0. Kouros is one of the first sit skiers to compete in high school ski races. Full SkiErg World Sprints results can be found here.

    All host sites with at least 20 participants were entered in a drawing for a new SkiErg. Pat’s Gym in Madison, Wisconsin was the lucky winner.

    The SkiErg World Sprints, coordinated by Concept2 in Morrisville, Vermont, is an annual indoor ski race of 1000 meters on the Concept2 SkiErg held in locations around the world. Participants can accurately compare their times from one location to another because the SkiErg includes a self-calibrating Performance Monitor. The SkiErg provides measurable and specific training for Nordic skiers, while also offering a high-quality low impact exercise option for non-skiers of all ages. Concept2 offers rankings and challenges to help keep skiers motivated throughout the year. More information on the SkiErg is available at concept2.com/ski.

    Concept2 was founded by Dick and Peter Dreissigacker in 1976. Both competitive rowers and engineers, the two brothers designed and manufactured carbon fiber racing oars, then went on to create the world’s first air­resistance indoor rower. The SkiErg, launched in 2009, builds upon the Dreissigackers’ love of skiing and Concept2’s years of experience in designing and manufacturing high-performance training equipment. For more information about Concept2, visit concept2.com.

  • 3rd Annual SkiErg World Sprints

    3rd Annual SkiErg World Sprints

    Morrisville, VT – Each year in November, we offer SkiErg users the opportunity to “race” with others around the world during the SkiErg World Sprints. If you’re an on-snow skier waiting for the snow to fall, this is a great way to pass the time. If you’re not a skier but just like the challenge of setting a personal best on the SkiErg—here’s your chance. No matter what your inspiration, we hope you’ll join us for the 3rd Annual SkiErg World Sprints Indoor Skiing Competition.

    This 1000 meter race will be held November 11-13, 2011 at locations throughout the world. The comparable, repeatable results of the SkiErg Performance Monitor allow anyone with access to a Concept2 SkiErg to race against others on a fair, measurable “course.”

    The event is open to anyone who’d like to join the fun. If you’d like to host a race, please email joshc@concept2.com for more information.

    Can’t travel to a Sprints location? If you have your own SkiErg, you can join in from your home! You can even invite friends and teammates over to join you. Pre-set the Performance Monitor for a 1000 meter piece and “race” any time between November 11-13, 2011. Submit your time to the Concept2 Online Logbook to be included in the official race results.

    Concept2 will award prizes for overall men’s and women’s winners, and the top three finishers in each age group and gender. We hope you’ll join the fun!

    Concept2 was founded in 1976 by Dick and Peter Dreissigacker. After competing internationally in the sport of rowing, the two brothers designed the first carbon fiber racing oars, and then went on to create the world’s first air resistance indoor rower. Living in northern Vermont, they quickly adopted Nordic skiing as terrific cross-training for rowing and a great way to enjoy winters in the north country. The SkiErg, launched in 2009, builds upon Concept2’s years of experience in designing and manufacturing high-performance training equipment. For more information about Concept2, visit concept2.com.

  • Concept2 Announces Current SkiErg World Records

    Concept2 Announces Current SkiErg World Records

    Working hard on the Concept2 SkiErg (Photo: Gym Jones)

    Morrisville, VT – Just in case you’re curious, or have a competitive streak, here are the fastest SkiErg times recorded for a variety of distances since the Concept2 SkiErg was introduced in June of 2009. Some of these times come from competitive Nordic skiers; others come from the fitness/cross-training community.

    antabuse

    To see all the ranked SkiErg performances, with athletes’ names and home country, visit http://www.concept2.com/sranking03/rankings.asp and select the SkiErg button.

    Event Men’s record Women’s record
    500m 1:24.0 1:48.0
    1000m 2:59.7 3:44.2
    2000m 6:30.9 7:56.0
    5000m 17:24.3 21:05.9
    10k 36:38.3 47:05.6

    Records are set to be broken! It’s free and easy to submit a time online. Visit www.concept2.com/ski and click on Logbook.

    Need a bit of inspiration, or at least entertainment?  Pete Dreissigacker and Greg Hammond of Concept2 challenged each other to a 500m challenge on the SkiErg. You can see the lactic acid accumulation in their facial expressions. Enjoy!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLmFLzYk1Gk

    Ski season will be here soon (Photo: Kris Dobie)

     

    Concept2 was founded by Dick and Peter Dreissigacker in 1976. Both competitive rowers and engineers, the two brothers designed and manufactured carbon fiber racing oars, then went on to create the world’s first air­resistance indoor rower. The SkiErg, launched in 2009, builds upon the Dreissigackers’ love of skiing and Concept2’s years of experience in designing and manufacturing high-performance training equipment. For more information about Concept2, visit concept2.com.

     

  • SkiErg World Sprints Attracts New Talent

    Morrisville, VT – Both skiers and non-skiers alike succeeded in the 2nd Annual SkiErg World Sprints; Christopher McLaughlin, who uses the SkiErg at home for fitness, set a new men’s world- record time of 3:01.9, while CXC Team Vertical Limit member Jennie Bender won the women’s event in 3:51.6.

    McLaughlin, 39, started rowing and skiing after years of lifting, work and running hurt his knees. The Concept2 Indoor Rower and SkiErg provided him with a low-impact full-body workout. He uses the Concept2 rankings and logbook for motivation while he works out at home. When asked about his new World Record, McLaughlin humbly replied “I’m sure there are guys out there who are faster than me, they just haven’t surfaced yet”.

    On the women’s side, winner Jennie Bender, who has skied at the 2008 and 2009 World Junior and U23 Championships, has been using the Concept2 SkiErg for training with CXC Team Vertical limit, a post-collegiate program that supports athletes with elite aspirations. “[The SkiErg] is good for analyzing double-pole technique and getting in a hard effort inside that’s ski-specific” says Bender. Bender competed at The Fix Studio in Minneapolis, MN, which hosted a SkiErg World Sprints race as a fundraiser for her and fellow Olympic hopeful Matt Leibsch.

    The SkiErg World Sprints, hosted by Concept2 CTS on November 12-14, had over 500 participants from 10 countries skiing 1000 meters on the Concept2 SkiErg between November 12 and 14. Participants can compare their times because each SkiErg includes a self-calibrating Performance Monitor. As Bender noted, “Ski racing has so many variables that make comparisons difficult, that its cool to have a universal competition for skiers all over the world.” Skiers submitted their time to be ranked at Concept2 to see how they compare before the official ski season begins.

    Athletes from age 5 to 86 participated in this year’s World Sprints; the SkiErg is a low-impact exercise suitable for all ages. Concept2 offers rankings and challenges to help keep skiers motivated throughout the year. More information on the SkiErg is available at concept2.com/ski.

    Concept2 was founded by Dick and Peter Dreissigacker in 1976. Fresh from Olympic training, the two brothers designed and manufactured carbon fiber racing oars, then went on to create the world’s first air-resistance indoor rower. The SkiErg, launched in 2009, builds upon Concept2’s years of experience in designing and manufacturing high-performance training equipment. For more information about Concept2, visit concept2.com.

  • Concept2 Offers Web-Based SkiErg Performance Series

    Morrisville, VT – Skiers have had limited options for controlled performance testing: not everyone has access to a rollerski treadmill, rollerskis vary significantly in speed, and running time trials aren’t especially ski-specific.

    To help address this need, Concept2 has developed a web-based testing series using the SkiErg. The SkiErg Performance Series offers coaches and athletes a new tool for evaluating the effectiveness of their training. The SkiErg, with its accurate Performance Monitor (PM), offers a testing tool that is ski-specific, controlled and comparable. The Performance Monitor allows scores to be compared from one machine to another, at any altitude, in any conditions, because it self-calibrates.

    Training on the SkiErg is not exactly like skiing on snow, but it is a good approximation; it provides useful data and a measure of a skier’s potential performance. The proposed SkiErg testing series spans the dryland training season, starting in May when skiers get back to serious training, and ending in November when races begin on snow. Additional intermediate testing periods will be offered in July and September, to inform training along the way.

    The first round of testing for 2010 kicked off on September 1st. Testing may be performed at any time during the month and submitted to the Concept2 website via the Online Logbook system. Test distances range from 30 seconds to 5000 meters, simulating speed, power, sprint, and distance races.

    Skiers and coaches worldwide are encouraged to submit scores for all or any of the test distances in each of the four test periods so progress can be monitored. Visit skierg.com/logbook/performance-series for complete details including how to submit scores to the online logbook.

    Results will be posted and archived on the Concept2 Logbook, so that coaches and athletes may refer back to historical data.

    Please email Josh Carlson at info@concept2skierg.com with questions.

    Concept2 was founded by Dick and Peter Dreissigacker in 1976. Both competitive rowers and engineers, the two brothers designed and manufactured carbon fiber racing oars, then went on to create the world’s first air-resistance indoor rower. The SkiErg, launched in 2009, builds upon the Dreissigackers’ love of skiing and Concept2’s years of experience in designing and manufacturing high-performance training equipment. For more information about Concept2, visit concept2.com.

  • Concept2’s 10th Annual Holiday Challenge

    WORK OUT TO FEED OTHERS IN CONCEPT2’S ANNUAL HOLIDAY CHALLENGE

     Concept2’s 10th Annual Holiday Challenge to Benefit Food-Related Organizations

     With holiday foods everywhere you turn this time of year, Concept2 offers a way to fend off holiday weight gain and stress while helping others in need with the 10th Annual Holiday Challenge. This year, the Holiday Challenge helps put food on the table for struggling families by supporting organizations whose mission it is to make sure our food is healthy, sustainable and that no one goes hungry.

     Participants choose an exercise goal of 100K or 200K to complete between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and then record their progress online in the free Concept2 Online Logbook. The Holiday Challenge rewards motivation and perseverance, not speed. Finishers are recognized with certificates of completion and honorary pins. In the past ten years, Concept2 rowers have rowed over 5.3 trillion meters! To include even more participants, Concept2 invites skiers to include their Concept2 SkiErg meters as well.

     For every person who rows or skis at least 100K during the challenge, Concept2 will donate $.02 for every kilometer (1000 meters) to one of the following organizations: Oxfam International (oxfam.org), Slow Food USA (slowfoodusa.org), Feeding America (feedingamerica.org) and The Center for an Agricultural Economy (hardwickagriculture.org). For each kilometer beyond 100K, Concept2 will donate an additional $.04. There are awards in kids and adaptive categories as well.

     “Keeping fit and eating healthy can be especially challenging at this time of year,” explains Concept2 Co-Founder Judy Geer, “and the Holiday Challenge provides a great goal to help participants stay focused.” The Holiday Challenge provides incentive to stay healthy during the holidays while also helping those in need. The not-for-profit organizations in this year’s Holiday Challenge were chosen based on their efficient use of funding, reputation and unique programming. Participants have a choice of which organization they choose to support.

     In 2008, Concept2 first supported charitable causes through the Holiday Challenge; over $26,000 was raised for organizations working on environmental issues. This year’s goal to raise $30,000 requires the dedication of rowers and skiers to join together for a good cause, one meter at a time.

     For more information on the 10th Annual Online Holiday Challenge, or for details on where to find a Concept2 Indoor Rower at a health facility near you, please visit www.concept2.com.

                                                                         * * * * *

    Concept2 was founded by Dick and Peter Dreissigacker in 1976. Fresh from Olympic training, the two brothers designed and manufactured carbon fiber racing oars, then went on to create the world’s first air-resistance indoor rower. The SkiErg, launched in 2009, builds upon Concept2’s years of experience in designing and manufacturing high-performance training equipment. For more information about Concept2, visit concept2.com.

  • New Records Set in First Ever SkiErg World Sprints

    New Records Set in First Ever SkiErg World Sprints

    Morrisville, VT – In less than 4 minutes, world records were broken and history was made as two US Biathletes, Jennifer Wygant and Zachary Hall, skied their way to victory in the first annual SkiErg World Sprints.

    “The race was tough… My main goal was to sustain a consistent pace through the entire race. However, I also had some teammates go before me, so I had some times to try and beat” explains Wygant. Wygant held on to a 3.5 second lead over her closest competition, with a final time of 3:45.3. Hall completed the 1000 meters in 3:14.6. More details and results can be found at www.skierg.com/news.

    Over 400 participants skied 1000 meters on the Concept2 SkiErg, an indoor training tool that makes it possible for Nordic skiers to race without snow on a fair measurable course. Each SkiErg includes a self-calibrating Performance Monitor that gives skiers accurate, comparable feedback. This allows skiers to assess output, monitor progress, and compare scores with others. As Hall noted, “since there are few ways to consistently measure fitness against athletes with whom you do not regularly train, it’s great to have a tool like the SkiErg to set up time trials or fun races to see how you stack up.”

    Skiers raced at one of over 30 satellite locations, from Idaho to Norway, and submitted their best times to Concept2 to be ranked in the SkiErg World Sprints. Both Wygant and Hall raced in Lake Placid, New York, where they are hopefuls training for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

    Athletes of all ages, from age 9 to 77, participated with the single goal of racing their best time. George Hall, 74, set a new world record for his age group with a time of 4:21.7. “The Sprints were very different with so many others there and so much vocal encouragement. It was a much better output than I ever did alone!”

    Concept2, the leading manufacturer of racing oars and rowing machines, has experience with indoor racing for outdoor pursuits. The annual C.R.A.S.H.-B. Sprints World Indoor Rowing Championship, hosted each February, challenges rowers to 2000-meter sprints on the Concept2 Indoor Rower. US Olympic and World Team athletes began the championship as a way to break up the monotony of winter training with some competition. For skiers, the SkiErg World Sprints allows athletes to measure their fitness just before the competitive racing season begins.

    The SkiErg World Sprints were open to anyone with access to a SkiErg, which encouraged both skiers and fitness enthusiasts to race. The low-impact, high calorie-burning exercise of skiing is suitable for all ages and abilities, making it a terrific exercise for the entire body. More information on the SkiErg is available at concept2.com/ski.

    Concept2 was founded by Dick and Peter Dreissigacker in 1976. Fresh from Olympic training, the two brothers designed and manufactured carbon fiber racing oars, then went on to create the world’s first air-resistance indoor rower. The SkiErg, launched in 2009, builds upon Concept2’s years of experience in designing and manufacturing high-performance training equipment. For more information about Concept2, visit concept2.com.

    Williams College skiers Robby Cuthbert and Alex Taylor hammer it out during their SkiErg race.
    Williams College skiers Robby Cuthbert and Alex Taylor hammer it out during their SkiErg race.
    Hannah Hausman and Holly Whitney of Williams College going for it.
    Hannah Hausman and Holly Whitney of Williams College going for it.
    Williams College skier Dimitri Luthi being cheered on by teammate Evan Dethier.
    Williams College skier Dimitri Luthi being cheered on by teammate Evan Dethier.

  • The First Annual SkiErg World Sprints

    Here in northern Vermont, we are itching for snow but we know we still have weeks to wait.  To help pass the time, we’re excited to present the 1st Annual SkiErg World Sprints Indoor Skiing Competition. An indoor skiing race? OK, it’s a bit wacky – but rowers have been doing it for years, and finding that it’s a great workout and a fun way to get through the last bit of the dryland season. The comparable, repeatable results of the SkiErg Performance Monitor allow anyone with access to a Concept2 SkiErg to race against others on a fair, measurable course.  This 1000 meter race will occur November 14-15, 2009 at locations throughout the world. Can’t travel to a Sprints location? Join in from your home! The official home race venue will be the Craftsbury Outdoor Center, where racing will take place on November 14 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. (RSVP here).  The event is open to anyone who’d like to join the fun.   But if you can’t get to Craftsbury, an ever-growing number of satellite races will take place at locations around the world on the weekend of November 14-15. See current list of events below.  Additional locations will be added to this list as we hear about them! If you are interested in learning more about hosting your own Sprints, email Meredith at Concept2. Have your own SkiErg and want to join in from home?  Race your best 1000 meter piece and submit it to the Concept2 Rankings on November 14 or 15, 2009 to be included in the official race results. All participants at satellite events will receive prizes; prizes will also be awarded randomly and for any new records set in each age group and gender.  We hope you’ll join the fun! SkiErg World Sprints Locations (Watch http://www.skierg.com/news for additions to this calendar.) Please contact the individuals below for more details and times for satellite SkiErg World Sprints events. New England

    Bates College Lewiston, ME Becky Woods, rwoods@bates.edu
    Bowdoin College Brunswick, ME Nathan Alsobrook, nalsobro@bowdoin.edu
    Colby College Waterville, ME Tracey Cote,  tacote@colby.edu
    Craftsbury Outdoor Center Craftsbury, VT Oliver Burruss, oburruss@gmail.com
    CrossFit USA Berlin, CT Merle McKenzie, trainermerle@att.net
    Green Mountain Valley School Waitsfield, VT Justin Beckwith jbeckwith@gmvs.org
    Mt. Mansfield Nordic Jericho, VT Don Harmeyer marmotdude@aol.com
    Northeast Passage Durham, NH Cathy Thompson, Cathy.Thompson@unh.edu Cory Schwartz, Cory.Schwartz@unh.edu
    Stratton Mountain School Stratton, VT Sverre Caldwell, scaldwel@gosms.org
    Williams College Williamstown, MA Aubrey Smith, Aubrey.M.Smith@williams.edu

    Mid-Atlantic

    Olympic Training Center Lake Placid, NY Patrick Coffey, ptrck.coffey@gmail.com

    Mid-West

    U Can Row 2 Inc. Houghton, MI Terry Smythe, tsmythe@chartermi.net

    West

    Idaho Nordic Boise, ID Joe Jensen JJensen@aceco.com
    Sun Valley SEF Sun Valley, ID Rick Kappala, xcolaf@mindspring.com
    University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT Eli Brown, ebrown@huntsman.utah.edu

    South

    Velocity Sports Performance Franklin, TN Amy Cotta, AMYCOTTA@COMCAST.NET

    Worldwide: Austria Czech Republic Estonia Italy United Kingdom Please contact your local Concept2 dealer for details. Concept2 SkiErg - logo