With regular cross-country skiing, you can easily reach a level where training feels easy. But in order to become fast in the competition, it is necessary to do special training aimed at developing the qualities necessary in the races.

Whether you are a World Cup skier or a competitor in your city, the weekly training plan below will help you get faster and achieve your goals.

6 days per week

Most elite skiers train 6 times a week and rest 1 day a week. Weekly plan includes long-term, interval and strength training. If you want to successfully perform in ski competitions from January to March, then from the very beginning of winter you need to do some kind of endurance workout 6 times a week. The duration of your workouts should be between 1 and 3 hours, depending on your goals and fitness level. Ideally, of course, it should be skiing (skating and classic style alternating), but if you have problems with snow in your area, then you can run, run with poles, ride roller skis or bike - any of these activities will support your functional state ...

Interval workouts

At least once a week, usually on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, skiers do interval training. If you are preparing for a long race (ski marathon), the intervals should not be too intense, but long enough to develop endurance, which will come in very handy closer to the finish of the marathon.

An example of such an interval workout to prepare for a ski marathon: 8-10 minute intervals at intensity level 3 on a 5-point scale (where 1 is the easiest level, 5 is the hardest). Rest 4 minutes between intervals. Start these workouts 6 weeks before your target start and work on them first for 30 minutes of interval work, gradually increasing to 60 minutes.

Those preparing for shorter races (5 or 10 km) should do shorter intervals. The traditional scheme assumes 4 x 4 minutes, but 6 x 3 minutes are also possible. or 4 x 5 minutes. As you get closer to your race, the intervals should be shortened and the intensity increased to train your competitive speed.

Power training

There is a common statement among skiers that "hard workouts should be hard and light workouts should be light." Therefore, on long training days, ski at a light pace so you can really push yourself out on your intervals.

Another variant hard training- This power training... Strength training during ski season will help strengthen specific muscle groups, strengthening your entire body and helping to avoid injury. A typical strength training session lasts 40-60 minutes and includes exercises for the legs, arms, and core muscles (in that order), as well as stretching.

Don't worry about not working with the scale during the winter. Instead, exercise with own weight targeting muscle groups important for skiers: quads, hamstrings, triceps, latissimus back, press. To develop leg strength, you can do lunges, squats, jumps, and for arms - pull-ups, push-ups, push-ups with an emphasis on the back (on the triceps). Strong muscles bark is a serious "weapon" of the skier. So finish your workout with 5-10 exercises that target a variety of abdominal and back muscles. We really like exercises such as fitball rollouts, back raises, throws medical ball and exercise "windshield wipers" (lowering the legs to one side and the other in the supine position).

Rest

Finally, one of the most important components successful training is rest. Always include recovery in your workout routine, and that includes more than a day of rest.

Follow volume training at an easy pace, do not forget to sleep a lot and drink a lot. Your recovery is based on nutrition, so when you go to workout, be sure to bring a snack containing carbohydrates and proteins; eat it in the first 15 minutes after finishing your workout. Also do your carb load 2 days before your big race.

To feel refreshed and rested on race day, reduce your training volume the week before the race. Do not do interval training this week, replace it with short 10-second accelerations, trying to reach your maximum speed.

Following this training plan will help you become a strong skier, ready for successful performance in competitions.

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Today, cross-country skiing is technically one of the most difficult sports. However, everyone can learn to ski, it is quite affordable. Even if the hobby does not advance further than walking in the forest, it will still have an extremely beneficial effect on physical form and health status. To understand your "professional suitability" - you just need to try.

Ask yourself the question: why do I need this? Do I want to be healthy and resilient? Do I enjoy skiing? Do I want to do an amateur marathon? If there is a real goal and "justification" of interest in skiing, it will bring only positive emotions into your life.

Technique is more important

The huge potential of both the amateur and the professional lies precisely in the technique: overcoming descents, ascents and individual sections. Staging of both skating style and classical style.

Because to master yourself correct technique it is almost impossible - we cannot look at ourselves from the outside during the skating process - it is more efficient and more expedient to work with a coach who will help to smooth out even the smallest mistakes. There are a number of special exercises that help develop a technique that allows you to walk with less energy. It is this kind of riding that makes you feel the real pleasure of sports.

For the amateur, it is the physical improvement that is especially difficult. What does it mean? Pump up your heart, increase stamina, get stronger, etc. But the staging correct technique, as well as the correction of existing errors is usually not difficult and does not take a lot of training time.

First experience

An important point is the first experience. Unfortunately, for many people, it was not very pleasant. These are school / university physical education lessons, and the army, and persistent parents-athletes, and all this with poor equipment and under pressure ...

But skiing is not just limited to this experience. Fresh frosty air, warm and comfortable clothes, quality skis and - definitely! - the actual desire to go skiing, especially under the guidance of an experienced coach, completely changes the picture of perception. In addition, sport has now changed its status from “the lot of the elite” to “accessible to everyone”. And remember - no one is interested in looking out for your flaws, making fun of your equipment or riding technique, so do not be afraid to seem "funny and ridiculous".

At what age can and should start training

Modern sport implies that an athlete must be an athlete - comprehensively developed, with good coordination, strength, speed, endurance. Therefore, it is useful and advisable to do not only skiing. Especially for children, who can learn something important and valuable from each sport that can lay a brick in the foundation of their future career.

However, it should be borne in mind that serious achievements can hardly be obtained without thorough preparation in childhood. You cannot become a candidate for master of sports from scratch.

The child can be sent to train at a state sports school, but it is worth considering that everything there is focused on results and achievement, and not pleasure. A completely different story with private training, where an interest in sports without forcing is formed.

For amateur achievements, there is no age limit. Although the possibilities are great! For example, ski marathon"Europe Asia". For an ordinary person who has a measured life, work, family and far from professional training, this is an adventure that can charge you with unique impressions for months and years to come. You can start training at 20, at 30, at N years old, and at least reach the finish line of one of the most interesting marathons in the company of like-minded people. Overcome yourself and do something that almost no one from your environment will dare to do.

There is such an unusual direction as sports tourism... You can go to a neighboring city, region or even a country, linking it with sporting event... Such things are great motivators to do more and better, without stopping in their development.

where to go

It makes sense for a beginner skier to look group lessons... Often, offers are very profitable: a group of ten people, a professional coach, equipment is issued by the club and all this for an average cost of 800 rubles / class.

In Yekaterinburg, you should pay attention to the new ski resort SKICLUB from the "Club of Champions" on the territory of the Central Park of Culture and Leisure named after Mayakovsky. At its opening on December 10, the mentors were the Olympic medalists in biathlon and cross-country skiing: Nikolai Kruglov, Sergey Chepikov and me :)

The Champions Club also has activities for children.

Today - from 10.00 to 19.00 the club is open and gives the opportunity to sign up for individual training at a convenient time, or in a group with a fixed time. The duration of the workout depends on the preparation, on average 60-75 minutes. The ideal training regimen is 3 times a week. For those wishing to participate in the marathon - a separate program.

Pros and cons of skiing for health

• Skiing is the most non-traumatic sport. There is no shock load inherent in running - on the joints and spine.
• All muscles are involved, the whole body is worked out entirely.
• Sports on fresh air saturated with oxygen.
• Body hardening.
• Strengthening the cardiovascular system, working out all the capillaries.
• Improving the functioning of the respiratory system.
• Thanks to high-quality equipment available, you can ride even in severe frosts without risking your health and appearance.
• What is important - the figure will thank you thanks to the complex load.

It is undesirable to be exposed to serious stress if there are problems with cardiovascular system... However, it is quite possible to arrange light skiing trips.

Back problems, hernias, etc. can also become a potential limitation.

Serious contraindications for exercising skiing no.

Before posting excerpts from the training diaries, I want you to read the excerpts from the interview with Bjorn Daly. This interview is almost 20 years old, but the views on the training process and the motivation of the athlete are very relevant in our time. Yes, maybe something has been revised in his training method and his training plans seem outdated. But this is only at first glance. Daly's charge of the final result, his desire to constantly improve, not to stand still, is striking.

Bjorn Daly - famous Norwegian skier, eight times Olympic champion and nine-time world champion.

Several times during testing, a documented MIC of 96 ml / kg / min. One of the highest rates in the entire history of testing.

He always wanted to become a skier. He began systematic training at the age of 15. He has not won a single race in the Norwegian Junior Championship. However, at the age of 20, he finally made it to the Norwegian national team. It took him another 4 years to shoot in the main team. And since 1991, the athlete's triumphant period began.

So excerpts from the interview in the form of a question-answer:

Training volumes.

• What is the training volume each year? About 800 hours effective training in year.
• What month is the maximum volume? September, October and November. About 90-100 hours per month.
• When do you exercise the least? April. About 30-40 hours.
• How often do you train? Twice a day.
• How many workouts per week in the fall? 12-14 workouts every week.

Distance training.

• What is the percentage of distance training? By time - 80%. I do competitive speed kicks during remote work.
• What is the heart rate during distance training? 130 on average, 140-150 during the climb.
• What is the maximum duration of distance training? 5:00. I do 3 - 3.5 hour running workouts every week.

Intensity.

• How often do you do interval training per week? From May to August, one interval workout per week. From September to November, two interval workouts per week. No interval training per week during competition season. Too many races.
• What is an example of a typical interval training? 4 x 6 min. running intervals uphill. 5 x 5 min. cross-country intervals. Tempo work - 10 km at a time.
• How heavy are the intervals? Within maximum heart rate at the end of each interval.

Power training.

• Do you work with weights? Yes, light weights and many reps.
• You work for special simulators? Yes, on the skateboard. On a treadmill before strength training as a warm-up.
• What exercises do you use most often? Squats. Exercises for the back and abs. And of course the main thing is work on the skateboard.
• How often do you do strength training? Three times a week in summer and autumn. In winter, I stop less or even stop before important competitions.
• How many repetitions during strength exercises? 10-50, sometimes more.
• How many sets do you do? Usually three sets of several exercises.
• Do you do special strength training on roller skis or skis? When I was younger I did special work on roller skis in the rise, using the DP. But now this is part of my usual distance training, since I mainly use renewal moves both on the plain and uphill. This is my typical special strength job.
• Have you used the help of third-party software specialists strength training? Yes, before Olympic Games 1994 we worked a lot with specialists speed skating according to a special power program.

Control and tempo training.

• What part do control and tempo workouts take? In the summer I often participate in roller ski and ski shows. In the fall, I do 1-2 control workouts a month. The control workout is usually about 30 minutes long.

Fast work and explosive power.

• What exercises do you use to develop explosive leg strength and increase repulsion power? I use jump simulation on short stretches, with ski poles and without. Very often I do interval training in the form of jumping imitation with sticks. This is great exercise for the development of leg power and in addition one of best exercise for the development of the cardiovascular system.
• Do you use track work in the stadium to increase your speed? Every summer, when the national team holds a ski camp in June or July, we conduct a control training in the 3000m race in the stadium. My best time 8 minutes 18 seconds. And no one has surpassed him yet. We have a couple of guys with a track and field background, and they set the pace for this workout. A couple of years ago I ran 800m against Thomas Allschgort at Bischlet Stadium. In the presence of a huge number of spectators, he won with a result of 1:59, I ran in 2:01. He won a car that he donated to charity.

Intensity and heart rate.

• What intensity do you train? For all of us who train a lot (800-850 hours per year, excluding gymnastics and flexibility exercises, working on technique), most of the work is done at a low heart rate. My maximum heart rate is 190 beats per minute. I perform remote work on the pulse 130. During the climbs, the pulse rises slightly to 140-150. I often do acceleration during distance training to competitive speeds so that the body does not forget that I am a racer after all. About 10% of the total is hard work, which includes races, interval training, test starts. In the fall, I do two interval workouts a week. When I do the intervals, it's really really hard work. For example, here's my last interval workout. I was doing 4 x 3.5 km uphill with maximum effort. Used roller skis. At the end of the intervals, I reached a maximum heart rate of 190.
• What do you think about monitors heart rate? Yes, this is a good device for beginner athletes that helps to determine the maximum heart rate and helps to feel training zones... However, as an elite athlete, he gives me little. I have gone through so many BMD and lactate tests in so many different conditions that I know my body perfectly. Wearing a heart rate monitor and being manic about which heart rate zone I am in is not for me. I focus on my health and knowledge of my body. I believe that younger skiers should also use less heart rate monitors in order to learn to feel their bodies and not become a slave to these devices. I believe that the younger generation, who use monitors and calculated recommended intensity zones, train too weakly, which does not develop sufficiently aerobic capacity.

Technical training.

• You keep working on the technique ski runs? Yes, I continue to study videos of my movements and movements of my opponents. I also do a lot of joint training with Thomas Allschgort to improve my skating style of movement. We work together, one after another, trying different options at different speeds, trying to find the optimal technique for different driving conditions and terrain. An important part of my training is cross-country skiing. I specially prepare skis with uncertain grip and hone the technique of movement in these difficult conditions.

Other training methods.

• Are you using alternative training methods? Yes, in the summer I ride a lot on a bike and go kayaking on the lakes.

Exit to the peak of the form.

• What are you doing to achieve your peak performance? Since 1990, the Norwegian national team has been very successful in using the highlands in their preparation and reaching their peak of form. It works very well for me. The number of training camps in the mountains, their duration, rest periods and the final training camp in the mountains have been calculated for me. Everything is calculated and aimed at achieving maximum performance for the main starts of the season. In addition, it saves us from unnecessary communication and makes it possible to fully concentrate on preparation. Naturally, the overall load is reduced.
• How many rest days do you do when you are in peak condition? Not at all. I train every day, but with less stress.
• How much rest do you have during your preparation in the fall? Not at all. Usually I have one day of rest a month, very rarely two.
• What are you focusing on in the last week before the main competition? I have no formula for success. I listen to my body and adjust my work. I mostly use medium intensity and short accelerations.

Food.

• What's your diet? Ordinary Norwegian food with many variations. I eat a lot of bread, potatoes, pasta, vegetables, fish and meat. I take a lot of fluids in the form of water and sports drinks. It is important for me that the food is natural and tasty. I don’t eat what they say can be good for me if I don’t like the taste.

Tips for young skiers.

• Can you suggest an example of junior interval training? I think the following work will be useful - intervals uphill 2 min + 3 min + 5 min + 1 min. Rest between intervals is half the time of the interval.
• What is your advice for ambitious juniors? Train as varied as possible. Try not to do the same interval work. Remember the interval can be 1 minute and 15 minutes, and everything in between. Use the terrain that is available to you and make the most of it. You don't need to copy the workouts that you heard from someone else, it could be a completely different terrain, different elevation differences, different lengths. Use what is around you. Another tip. Gradually increase the load to reach maximum volumes by the age of 20. This allows you to integrate into adult sports without stress. I also want to note that I started to specialize in cross-country skiing only at 15 years old. Before that, there was a versatile, varied training.

Summer preparatory work.

What other secrets are there in the "Norwegian" ski training system?

• The truth is that Norwegians do a huge amount of low intensity work. They wind kilometers for hours at a "conversational" pace.
• The intensity during interval training is really very high.
• They avoid training at an average pace. Two poles. Either slowly or very quickly.
• Do a lot of strength work.
• Use competitions, summer and winter, as part of the training program.
• They eat well and eat right. They prefer natural products.

This article is for 1st, 2nd year amateur skiers. For beginner veterans who have decided to start running or are trying to get back on track. This is an attempt on my part to help figure out how to start training, where to start, and to help answer the question: what to do after all, what training means are better to use in order to return to the same level that was at the exit from the nursery sports school... And what to do for completely newbies, who would also like to glide on skis in winter as easily and naturally as others do, and not get up to “breathe” at every slightest climb.

It will not describe complex training theories with scientific terms, which only a senior medical student can understand, and this article is not intended for advanced athletes who have been practicing for more than a year, regularly participating in competitions and winning prizes. The very basics of training methods will be described here, the result of which will be an acceptable level of training for an amateur athlete. So, let's begin.

1. The basics of the physiology of an athlete training in cross-country skiing.

The most important quality that prevails in cross-country skiing is endurance. Endurance is developed by voluminous long-term work at a low heart rate of 120-130 beats per minute. This is a calm, even, long-term work for 1.5-2 hours, without excessive muscle tension and without shortness of breath. When we run for a long time, ride a bicycle or ski, various physiological processes take place in our heart and muscles, leading to changes in these very muscles. The heart is also a muscle. And all these changes are aimed at adapting the body, at adapting it to this long physical work... First of all, the heart increases in volume, it stretches, literally grows, it becomes bigger! Over the years of training in cyclic sports such as skiing, cycling, long distance running, the heart can double or even triple in comparison with the heart of an ordinary person! This, in turn, leads to a decrease in the pulse rate. If an ordinary person has a resting pulse of about 60-70 beats per minute, then a trained endurance athlete's heart beats much less often, only 40-50 beats per minute. Famous cyclist, winner of many major competitions Miguel Indurain's resting pulse, when he was at his peak, dropped to 26 beats per minute! And when working on the rise, the pulse also becomes less frequent. For example, for an untrained beginner, the heart rate in lifting goes off scale for 180-190 beats against 140-150 beats for a trained athlete.

Significant changes occur directly in the muscles. Working muscles become stronger and more enduring, new vessels and capillaries grow in them, bringing oxygen with blood. The muscles become able to work tirelessly for many hours of training.

Regular ventilation of the lungs also leads to their enlargement, which makes it possible to capture more air during inhalation.

This is how the work of the heart, muscles and the whole organism is economized.

Strength endurance also plays a significant role in cross-country skiing. It is the ability to push off strongly, both with the legs and arms, over time. And this component of preparation also needs to be given sufficient attention.

2. From endurance to speed.

To begin with, you should understand that there are a great many ways to achieve your goal. You can use radically different training methods and come to the same seconds. As the saying goes: "Whatever you do, it's better to do at least something!" Some do endless intervals, running a huge number of stretches per workout. Others stay in the gym, looking more like bodybuilders than runners or skiers.

The classical training scheme implies first the development of endurance, and only then the increase in speed. At the initial stage of preparation, it is important to lay the foundation, you should not strive for a high pace. Long, sustained workouts at low speed are what is required at the very beginning. The fact is that general endurance develops exclusively at low heart rates of 120-130 beats per minute. "SLOW" means running 10 km on uncomplicated terrain in about 1 hour. No need to pay attention to grandfathers, girls and other "dummies" running past. Let them run at their own pace and you run at yours. You can control your heart rate using the simplest heart rate monitor. Or simply by counting the pulse, putting your hand to your heart or wrist. You need to count the number of beats in 6 seconds, and multiplying them by 10, you get the pulse in a minute.

Training tools that can be used at the first stage of preparation (and this is four months: May, June, July, August): even running, running with a step imitation in the ascent with sticks, bicycle. From July, you can add a special training tool: replace the bike with roller skis.

Thus, having developed a sufficient level of general endurance during the summer months, having laid a certain "base", having stretched the heart sufficiently, in the fall, you can proceed to more high-speed training. Work on segments, acceleration on rollers, jumping imitation in ascents is added. The whole scheme summer workout, thus, is a short phrase: from endurance to speed.

3. Training.

Now let's go directly to the training scheme itself. Since most of the readers of this article are working people or students, and can only train in the evenings and on weekends, the following training scheme can be proposed.

In April, as a rule, after the snow cover has melted and at the end of the season, the so-called transition period begins for skiers. Athletes are active and some passively rest. During this period, you can and should have a good rest, recover from a long and tiring competitive season. Many go south to overseas countries to sunbathe and swim in the sea. Someone goes to the pool, in gym or simply takes long walks in the fresh air for active recovery and unloading of the nervous system. You should not run or perform any other cyclic activity during this period. Two or three weeks of such a rest is quite enough. We begin to train in May.

MAY and JUNE:

Tue 1.5 - 2h cross.
Wed 1.5 - 2h cycling, general training.

Fri 1.5-2h cross.
Sat 1.5 - 2h cycling, general training.
Sun 2h cross with step imitation in the ups.

Older skiers, as a rule, assess their readiness more adequately in comparison with young and healthy ones, so they can more easily dose the load for themselves. If you feel that your health is not enough, that you are not pulling, then instead of 2 hours you can do 1.5, instead of 1.5 hours - 1 hour, etc. Adjust the volume according to your capabilities.

The scheme, at first glance, looks extremely simple, but, in fact, it takes into account all aspects of a skier's training.

Monday you need make a full day recreation. On Thursday you can swim in the pool or in the river (if possible) and go to the bathhouse. This will provide unloading and active recovery for the legs from stress. Thus, in May and June, you will train 8-10 hours a week. Cross-country crosses should be run on slightly rugged terrain, as evenly as possible, without accelerating uphill. We cycle the bike mainly on the plain, both in the forest and along the highway. Sunday long cross with sticks. This means we run a regular cross, but we walk all the ascents, actively pushing with our hands with sticks, imitating a ski alternating two-step course. Try to diversify your training sites as much as possible, change the tracks as often as possible, arrange for yourself daily small hikes to unknown places, enjoy your training. The mileage is absolutely not important to you, it is important to run or drive planned 1.5-2 hours.

GPP - general physical training... When skiing in winter, the muscles of the upper shoulder girdle... And in last years, in connection with the fashion for overcoming classic marathons exclusively "on the hands", the importance of training these muscles has greatly increased. What muscles should a skier develop and train? These are, first of all: back muscles, arm muscles (triceps) and abdominal muscles. It is these muscles that are involved in the process of pushing with the hands, both in classical and in free moves. There are many exercises for the back, arms, and abs. These are various pull-ups on the bar, push-ups from the uneven bars and push-ups from the ground, pulling the knees to the chest while hanging on the bar on the press, etc. It is also useful to use various simulators and devices that simulate ski jerks with your hands. All exercises are performed with their own weight, in 5-6 sets of 10-15 repetitions. With growth strength endurance muscles, closer to winter, you can use additional weights, in the form of pancakes weighing 5-10 kg, suspended from the belt. Important note. We do not strive to increase muscle size (although a small increase in them is inevitable), we strive to increase strength endurance. Pumping these muscles 2 times a week for 30 minutes will be enough for initial stage preparation.

Since July, we have been increasing the total training time and introducing a special work - we are replacing the bike with rollers:

JULY and AUGUST:

Tue 1.5 - 2h cross.
Wed 2h rollers, general physical training.

Fri 1.5-2h cross.
Sat 2h rollers, general physical training.
Sun 2.5h cross with step imitation in the ups.

In P n. and on Thurs. - weekend.

We continue to run the crosses at low intensity - slowly. At this stage, you should start using roller skis in your training. We alternate training with classic and free style. We ride evenly, with low intensity, trying to catch the technique of movement forgotten since winter. Sometimes we ride without sticks, sometimes only "on our hands". To increase the load, you should use "slow" training rollers. "Fast" racing roller skis are good for competition and for practicing speed, which is not foreseen at this stage of preparation. We continue to do the imitation of ups in the Sunday long cross. We carry out the OFP according to the previous scheme.

At the end of spring and summer, from September, we begin to intensify the training process. In four months, a good base of general endurance was laid, many kilometers and hours of training were run and run, the heart increased in volume, the muscles grew with additional capillaries, now you can work on power and speed.

Since September, we have been increasing the total training time a little, bringing it to 12-13 hours a week.

SEPTEMBER and OCTOBER:

W 2h cross.
Wed 2h rollers with acceleration.
Thu 2h led, OFP.
Fri 2h cross.
Sat 2h rollers with accelerations, general physical training.
Sun 2h cross with jumping imitation in the ups.

In P n. - day off.

On Tuesday and Friday, we run on terrain using high and medium lifts, but without strong acidification of the leg muscles.

During roller skating training, periodically (every 10-12 minutes) we accelerate for 20-40 seconds., powerfully pushing off with legs and arms. Here, the main thing is not to "frequent", but to concentrate on the power of repulsion.

During the Sunday cross, we do a jumping imitation of the rises. But you need to jump no more than 1 minute. If the ascent is very long, then you need to start it using a step imitation, and end it with a jump.

Step imitation performed by S. Nikolaeva and P. Sedov:

Jumping imitation performed by N. Kryukov:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaw0WBbHssU

Jumping imitation performed by the Norwegians:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=_-rRldLHKNc

Practicing a non-step motion on a simulator performed by O. Sverd:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=HycGGqrnzlM

Strength work of the Russian men's team:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0bqFcGDq90

Roller skiing by D. Colony and P. Nortuga
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGioZvV2joA

In November, before the snow falls, we continue to train according to the program of the last two months: September-October. Immediately after the first snow falls, you need to get on your skis. As a rule, this happens at the end of November, beginning of December. Thus, approximately until the new year, there is a whole month to properly "roll in" into the competitive season. Reduce the amount of jogging to one or two times a week. A light jog of about an hour on Monday will be enough to actively recover from a week of skiing in the competition season. In general, I would recommend everyone not to forget about jogging once a week throughout the winter. This will help nervous system relax, actively recover and switch. And in the spring, after the end of the season, it will be much easier to switch back to running training. In the meantime, during the period of "rolling in", we are actively skiing, rebuilding the body for another job, remembering the technique of skiing. At this stage, do not rush, DO NOT RIDE TOO FAST! the main objective"Roll-in" - to catch a push and develop a stable rolling on one leg, both in the classic course and in the skating course. Closer to the new year, having driven 200-300 km on skis, you can add short accelerations of 30-40 seconds to your workouts, both on the plain and in the ascents. So, slowly, you will come to the competition period.

The competitive season usually lasts three months from January to March. There are many competitions, skiers usually start every weekend. These are short races of 5, 10, 15 km, and long marathons of 50 km. But, it is advisable to choose a couple of the most responsible, most important starts for you, and prepare for them, considering other races as preparatory. Because, of course, you can give all your best 100% every weekend, but this will inevitably lead to a decline in physical form, and at the most crucial moment you may not feel enough strength for best performance in the season.

The training scheme during this period is as follows:

On Monday, after the competition, you need to unload and run cross-country.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, we calmly roll back 1.5 - 2 hours at a low heart rate, focusing on the technique of movement.
On Thursday, after warm-up, we do acceleration: 8-10 segments, 1-2 minutes each. We are working on both power and frequency of movements.
On Friday, we calmly roll back 1.5 - 2 hours.
On Saturday we perform a pre-competition warm-up, which is 30-40 minutes of calm riding with a couple of short accelerations.
Start on Sunday.

This pattern can be easily followed throughout the winter.

Some remarks.

Despite the fact that skiing is quite a power sport, by February the muscles, not receiving the usual strength work, begin to weaken. Therefore, to maintain good muscle tone, it is necessary to carry out regular strength work on horizontal bars and uneven bars once or twice a week. Do 5-6 sets of 12-15 pull-ups on the bar and 5-6 sets of 20-30 push-ups. Don't forget about flexibility and stretching exercises. After each workout, it is recommended to stretch well for 5-10 minutes. When it happens that there is no competition at all on the weekend, then instead of starting, you can do high-speed work on long segments. After the warm-up we run 6-8 stretches of 1-2 km each. This will maintain competitive muscle tone and help maintain a high emotional level.

Now I need to say a few words about nutrition. The nutrition of athletes in cyclic sports has a very great importance... With food, it is necessary to receive a sufficient amount of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and trace elements for successful management, as training process and competitive activity. The diet of a skier-racer consists of 60-70% complex carbohydrates. These are a wide variety of cereals, bread, potatoes, pasta. Carbohydrates are the energy on which we train and run competitions. Adequate carbohydrates in your diet will prevent muscle wasting and shrinking from long hours of cyclic training. But you shouldn't forget about protein either. These are meat, fish, eggs, cottage cheese. Protein is necessary both for building muscles and for the normal functioning of the whole body as a whole. Vegetables and fruits can be consumed in unlimited quantities. They will provide vitamins and minerals necessary for the body. IN winter period, as well as in the spring, you can additionally drink multivitamins from the pharmacy, since natural vitamins are no longer enough, and the competitive season requires an increased intake of them into the body.

Training and competition lead to a lot of water loss in the body, so you need to drink plenty of fluids. If you are going to run a marathon on the weekend, then you need to properly load up on carbohydrates during the week, starting on Wednesday. The more you can fill your muscles and liver with glycogen, the longer you will maintain a high speed in a marathon. You need to eat fractionally - this means more often and in small portions, for quick assimilation of food and to maintain high level energy throughout the day.

Thus, we have considered the main provisions of the training process for beginner amateurs of skiers-racers. And in conclusion, I would like to remind you that the main task for amateurs - it is to get joy and pleasure from training and competition. Go in for sports, friends!

Evgeny Goryachev, April 2013