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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: zone 4 intervals

  • Wednesday Workout: Lung-Busting with Hanna Falk

    Wednesday Workout: Lung-Busting with Hanna Falk

    Sweden’s Hanna Falk (8) going for it in a sprint finish in Drammen, Norway, with her teammate Stina Nilsson (4) and Finland’s Krista Parmakoski (1) on March 8, 2017. (Photo: Fischer/NordicFocus)

    “I have a workout that I like and usually do in the autumn when it’s time to shape up.”

    Those are the words of Swedish national-team member Hanna Falk. To take Falk’s words literally, it is that time of year: in the Northern Hemisphere, it’s officially autumn and “time to shape up”. In two months, the 2017/2018 World Cup will open with classic sprints on Nov. 26 in Kuusamo, Finland.

    For the figurative aspect of Falk’s comment, if you’ve been eschewing hard workouts and log six days a week of perfunctory OD, yes, “it’s time to shape up”. For World Cuppers, potential 2018 Olympians and those giving a Heisman to Father Time, it’s the season to think about priming for those moments when latching on to those skiers pushing the sharp-end pace is paramount.

    In group sprints or distance events, no one likes to be yo-yoed off the back of the pack.

    Last season on the World Cup, Falk finished third in the sprint rankings and 20th overall (a combination of both sprint and distance results.) Although certainly a sprinting force, Falk now considers herself an all-arounder. She placed eighth in the World Cup 10-kilometer freestyle race held in her birthplace of Ulricehamn, Sweden. After we interviewed Falk for FasterSkier’s Nordic Nation, we reached out for a Wednesday Workout, requesting something she uses this time of year to round herself into shape.

    The Workout: 6 x 5 minutes with 2 minutes rest

    “I usually do the workout on roller skis in variable/tough terrain,” she explained. “I also try to do a real sprint start in the start of each interval, just to practice that special moment. It means 10 seconds all out and then continuing the interval in the speed you can manage. You can also do a short sprint at the end of the interval if you want to practice the change of frequency in the finish. It’s a race-inspired workout that will get you tired!”

    How to pace it:

    “You should try to go hard, at high speed, without losing the technique — and with the same speed from the first to the last interval. It probably means Level 4. If you start off too hard and you are not able to have the same speed on the last interval, you are doing it wrong!”

     

  • Wednesday Workout: Lickety-Split Christmas Zone 4 Intervals

    Wednesday Workout: Lickety-Split Christmas Zone 4 Intervals

    Sam Tarling and teammate Welly Ramsey skiing on the Stelvio Glacier in September. (Photo: Will Sweetser)
    Sam Tarling and teammate Welly Ramsey skiing on the Stelvio Glacier in September. (Photo: Will Sweetser)

    Merry Christmas!  On the rare chance that you can sneak out for a workout during the busy holiday season, try the following 45-60 minute workout from Sam Tarling of the Maine Winter Sports Center. 

    ***

    4×4 Zone 4 Intervals

    By Sam Tarling

    “This is one of the simplest workouts anyone could think up, but it’s also one of the best for dialing in your top-end race pace.”

    The holidays can be a stressful time for the North American ski racer.  With US Nationals and Canadian trials races coming up in the beginning of January, it’s not easy to sneak away from the holiday parties and family gatherings. But if you have a spare hour between last-minute gift shopping and baking another batch of cookies, you have enough time to squeeze in a very effective intensity session!

    This is one of the simplest workouts anyone could think up, but it’s also one of the best for dialing in your top-end race pace.  It’s a great workout for anytime of year, but very useful in the busy holiday season, because it takes only one hour and you can do it on foot or on snow.

    Start with a 15-minute warm-up.  Don’t be afraid to push out of Zone 1 for a minute here, or 30-seconds there, but the majority of the warm-up should be easy.

    After 15 minutes, it’s time to get things rolling! The first 4-minute interval should be about 5km race pace, but you shouldn’t yet be hitting your maximum. Take 3 minutes of easy recovery before starting the second interval. The second, third, and fourth intervals should be maximum effort, with 3 minutes recovery in between each.

    By the end of the intervals you should be approaching 45 minutes of total workout time. It is important to have a dry shirt, hat, and even some warmer gloves for the cool-down. Your body will be pretty depleted at this point and quite vulnerable.  Dry clothes are a good way to prevent the development of any holiday head colds.

    After quickly changing, continue skiing easy for another 15 minutes.  Even though you are tired it is important to focus on skiing with good technique.

    Be sure to eat an energy bar or quick snack within 10-15 minutes of finishing the workout, and try to have a meal within an hour.  This will help stimulate quick recovery.  Don’t forget to shower and change again as soon as you’re home!