Nordic ski intervals and training ideas

Anybody have some interval ideas for Nordic skiing or training ideas in general? Currently training for a few “citizens” skate ski races for the upcoming winter between 10k and 50km in distance,current training Template is as follows for context i live in rural New England on the VT/NH border:

1-2 gravel rides around 3-6 hours for base building try to keep HR low below 147bpm zones 1-2, with some some hills at where realistically cant avoid going into the 150’s Z3 for a minute or two
1-2 intensity sessions 4-6x8, 4-6x10 at z4 HR on roller skis with the speed reducers on with occasional 5k repeats 2 max
2-3 x a week Bike commuting to work 40-50 minutes each way try to keep below 147 BPM Z1-2

also try and strength train 1-2x a week pull ups, push ups off boxes, squat pattern, single leg squats.

Any thoughts? @steveneal

Despite being Finn i have very limited perspective on ski-training, but i’ve read little bit of how upcomming skiers trained back when i was trying to figure out this whole endurance trainign thing.

They do very little of cycling in general and i think the usual reason is that it’s too leg dominant. But this might be because they are not good on bike. I’m quite sure cycling might help with skiing quite a bit even out side aerobic benefits, riding with focusing on pulling elbows to hips engages lot of same muscle mass, just isometrically instead of dynamically. So there probably is some cross over with which is very specific for skiing and which you don’t get thru running. For example.

I think running some deal might be a good idea. All high level skiers do it, i think Norwegians do like to do hill repeats by running during summers to help with their climbing abilities with skis later on in the winter. Power-endurance training is what i think they called it.

Maybe add abdominal work to your strength routine? Put something like elastic band over pull up bar and pull is down, or do the same with cable machine. Works on triceps at the same time.

1 Like

Thanks for replying! I wish I could run more but currently dealing with a hip injury that gets agitated with running :frowning: i could start adding some low intensity upper body endurance sessions into the mix or perhaps do a double polling session followed by a bike session