By Theresa Fugger
The new training season has started and Pro Team athletes all around Europe are preparing to get in shape for Visma Ski Classics season XI. While many still have the possibility to train on snow in Scandinavian countries, athletes in more southern parts of Europe are already in full summer training.
Michael Kuisle, Team Nordic People, currently ranked as best athlete from German-speaking countries according to the SC ranking, gives an insight into the current training situation.
“As everywhere around the world, Covid-19 is having an impact on our training, but as opposed to some other countries, we only have to adapt our training to some governmental limitations and can still follow our plan for the most parts,” he explains.
Kuisle as well as Florian Rohde who was the best German skier at Vasaloppet 2020 with a 49th rank competing for the same Pro Team, have used the weeks since Vasaloppet for some basic endurance training which should already count as preparation for the upcoming season as the last events of season X, unfortunately, have been cancelled.
“After the assumed season final on April 4th we both started into our 4 weeks offseason in which we completed training sessions according to our mood with only approximately 35 hours during whole April,” Kuisle says.
As there were no competitions anymore, they intensively used the social fitness network Strava for internal competitions. They created their own segments in the app and competed against each other during different time periods.
Since May 1st the training for Visma Ski Classics season XI is in full swing again. At the moment the two are using varied training options such as running, cycling, kayaking, and of course roller skiing. Currently, the focus lies on getting accustomed again to regular training and technique improvements. Next to endurance sessions, they also include two to three intensive sessions per week as for example 8x1000m running intervals or threshold training with a stress time of approximately 40 minutes. However, due to closed gyms, they have to improvise strength training and try to do it at home.
Training camps are not planned at the moment as the development of the current situation is quite unclear.
“For now, we train as if season XI starts as planned as we hope for the best,” he expresses confidently.
