XC Endurance Training Theory - Norwegian Style - Part II

The Basic Recipe

Here are the basic philosophies of the Norwegian system with some explanation and comments along the way:

1. Build the program around weekly high intensity training/intervals!

XC country skiing races are won by athletes with VERY high maximal aerobic capacity. This capacity requires both genetics and hard training. The athlete should build the program around TWO hard/interval sessions per week. In general, the emphasis is on long intervals in the 3 to 8 minute range. This 2 hard session/week rule of thumb is a consistent feature from the junior level all the way up to the international class. For example, here is some actual training data for three elite Norwegian skiers when they were juniors (18-19 years old), during the competitive season.

Vegard Ulvang: 1.9 interval/hard training sessions pr week (including competitions)

Anders Eide: 1.6 " "

Anita Moen: 1.9 " "

All three were averaging 8.5 hours/week volume during the racing season at that age (a volume which is significantly reduced from what they do during the preparation period). Interval/hard sessions are part of the training program beginning in August and through the competitive season, which concludes in early April. The only period where we see a deemphasis on high intensity work is during May, June, and July. So, when I get asked the question, "when should I start doing intervals?," I usually reply "two months ago." Hard training bouts at high physiological intensity are an important part of the training program most of the time. What will change is the absolute intensity (and duration in some cases) of these bouts as the athlete approaches competitive form.

Similarly, international medal winning athletes like Marit Mikkelsplass and Kristen Skjeldal, who are 10 years older or more and competing at the international level, are still averaging 2 hard sessions per week, according to their coach. So, the number of high intensity sessions/week does not increase over the development of the athlete. However, with the improved basic endurance that they develop over years of increasing training volume, the quality of these hard training sessions does improve. This is a fundamental concept of the preparation of XC skiers. High volume, low-intensity work builds the basis for extending the athlete's performance capacity with the hard sessions. The two are complementary. At the elite levels, both are necessary for success.

The interval/hard sessions have the primary effect of stressing the cardiovascular system. We think this is very important for increasing/maintaining a high maximal oxygen consumption. These sessions also are important for stressing the lactate clearance and buffering systems which are stressed during competitions. High intensity interval training IS NOT an ideal method for inducing muscular adaptations such as mitochondrial proliferation and increased capillary density. The adaptations induced by high intensity sessions occur relatively quickly, but are also more quickly lost with inadequate volume of high intensity training.

2. Do (most of) the remainder of the endurance training volume each week at LOW (below the LIT) intensities.

The volume of this work does change and can be quite high, depending on where the skier is in their development. At the extreme, these sessions can be 4-5 hours long in elite athletes who are accumulating 25 hours a week of training volume. The key concept is that the long distance training is also critical but should not diminish the quality of the interval sessions. If something has to be reduced, it is the low intensity volume, not the interval volume or quality. The operative Norwegian word here is "overskudd" or overshoot. We want the athlete to feel psychologically ready and be physically rested to perform those hard, high quality sessions. The low intensity training is vital because it builds the muscular endurance foundation necessary to allow the cardiovascular system and lactate removal systems to be stretched to their limits during the intervals without overstressing the recovery capacity of the athlete.

This "hard core" philosophy is a departure from thinking and practice 10-15 years ago, when the training volume was considered the key element.

The primary adaptation acheived with a high volume of low-moderate intensity training is at the muscular level. Mitochondrial density increases, capillary density increases, and cyctosolic enzymes involved in fat metabolism are enhanced. It appears that these adaptations can take years to be fully realized. It is important to point out a few points here. First, despite the fact that the very best junior skiers have VO2 max values that are similar to the best senior skiers, no junior skier has ever won a world title. The increasing training volume that is adapted to over several years of high level training seems to be important, even after VO2 max has plateaued. Second, an alarming trend that has occurred over the last several years is that top skiers are reaching their peaks later in life. And, junior skiers who take the step up to the World cup level are taking longer to achieve good results. In Norway, it has been suggested that one of the problems is that junior skiers do not put in the training volume they used to. Too many cars and busses. This is a distraction that Kenyan children have avoided so far, to the demise of the western distance running establishment who chases them from a widening distance.

The Progressive Overload Principle In Action

Total training volume increases progressively over the developmental cycle of a cross country skier. Here are some guidelines for yearly training volume (hours of actual training), in relation to age. These numbers come from material presented by current Norwegian men's national team coach Eric Røste.

Annual Training Volume in Relation to Age:

Keep in mind that this is a progression based on long term development. The late starting athlete is not going to be able to automatically handle those high training loads, just because they are older! When the training is broken down into percentages of hard and "easy" training, it comes out to around 15 to 20% hard and 75-80% "easy" or "steady." Coach Røste also points out that there is some hidden intensive training that occurs during the long steady state bouts (big terrain changes). I hesitate to use the term "easy" this describe this low intensity form of training. The actual Norwegian term used is "langkjøring" or long running. Distance, not time is of the essence here. A 3 hour trail run in the woods, kayak session, or climbing-intensive hike with back pack in the mountains is not "easy" if have only been doing "60 minutes and out" training!

Continuing tomorrow

Copyright Stephen Seiler