By Teemu Virtanen
Our Pro Team Athletes train hard throughout the year, and as we have now learned on our podcasts and in our articles, VO2 max and high capacity are the key elements for great success in long distance skiing. The training methods are very similar to standard distance skiers, albeit the focus is more on double-poling and long endurance sessions. One particular workout that many of our Pro Teams tend to undertake during their training camps is what the Swedes call “Vasalopp-pass”. That workout is extremely demanding, but it is absolutely necessary if long distance skiing is your calling.
Team Serneke’s director Martin Holmstrand says that this type of training is their highlight at their training camps in the summer.
”One of our favorite sessions is a proven long distance pass on classic roller-skis with a block of intervals of different duration. We usually go about four hours in total where we have four intervals which last about 10-15 minutes. Depending on the terrain, we plan it so that a half of these intervals go uphill and the rest on flats. The speed is usually just below race speed, but the last one is always `all in´. The first intervals can also be early in the session to mimic the start of a long distance race in the winter where the speed is usually high. At the end of the workout, we also put in 10 sprints that are about 20 seconds each. This is to really work on the explosiveness at the end of a long session where energy levels can be low. We always do this in double-poling.”
Since this workout is very challenging, you should find your own personal way of conducting the session. A group of friends with similar physical strength and capacities can get together and do this exercise on regular basis, but you should use shorter or less intervals and perhaps aim to spend less hours on the road compared to our experienced Pro Team Athletes. This can also be a fun day out with like-minded cross-country ski enthusiasts and get them in the right mood for the races in the winter, which is the purpose of this special race-like workout.
