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XC Q&A with Lee Borowski The transition How to keep conditioning gains made on snow I'm in the best shape of my life, mainly because of the great snow we've had this winter. But I'm worried about losing conditioning during the month of April. What can I do to avoid this pitfall? - Southeast Wisconsin skier No doubt you've hit upon a huge training dilemma: how to hold your conditioning during the months after winter. It's cold and windy, the wooded trails are still closed to mountain biking, and the roads are just miserable for roller skiing and biking. Luckily, a little downtime won't hurt -" as long as it doesn't last too long. A week off and then three workouts a week can hold the fort until the weather improves. However, that's not necessarily the only path. It depends on how determined you are. Some hardy individuals will bike and/or roller ski all winter when there's no snow. I used to be one of them. The coldest day I ever experienced while roller skiing was 3 degrees with a 30 to 40 mph wind. I coated my face with Vaseline and that saved the day. That very same day, another roller skier I know suffered frostbite on his nose and cheeks. So if you're half crazy, like I used to be, keep repeating that "there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing" mantra. Running and CAT Skiing But there are other options. The most obvious is running, as it can be done just about ywhere. However, with running there are two drawbacks. First, many people can't run due to physical limitations, myself included (knee pain). Second, running is not a ski-specific exercise unless done over hilly terrain, preferably with poles. But if you can run, it is an excellent option when no other activity is as desirable. However, there is a second option, one that is also versatile. Dale Niggemann recently came out with an even lighter version of his Classic All-Terrain Skis. CAT Skis are easy on the joints and can be used just about anywhere, including on rail trails and bare ski trails. Now CAT Skiing is much more enjoyable, or less painful, depending on your perspective. Before this latest generation of CAT Skis, I've found them tolerable but never a pleasure. But the new, lighter and shorter CAT Skis have changed that. Surprisingly, I found myself having a good time when I tested them on the roads through my subdivision. While CAT Skiing may not be quite as enjoyable as roller skiing or mountain biking, it offers very ski-specific training. And it certainly generates a lot of body heat. I've never come back from a CAT Ski outing where I wasn't drenched in sweat, no matter the outside temperature. (Now might be a nice time to congratulate Niggemann on his showing at the World Cup Masters held in McCall, Idaho, last month. He placed second overall and was the first American in the very competitive 35-40 age group of the 10K classic race. In addition, he placed third in the 30K striding race, only 12.7 seconds behind the winner. He also won gold for being a member of the winning relay team for his age group by racing a striding leg, of course.) While Niggemann is living proof that CAT Skis work, it isn't for everyone. They are something you have to try for yourself. Some love 'em and some hate 'em. They do take getting used to. But if you are a serious skier, especially a serious classic skier, they are an excellent tool. Personally, I save my CAT Skis for very windy days when mountain biking isn't ideal. Then I head for my local rail trail bike path, the Bugline, which is very protected by trees. And even though it's plain flat, I still can accomplish any workout, from moderately easy to race pulse. Indoor biking Now to a workout that for me is just pure fun: indoor biking on my Trek Fluid CycleOps stationary trainer. I know what you're thinking, "That's boring." Yes, it was - until I discovered iTunes. That changed everything. Over the last couple of years, I've downloaded all my favorite up-tempo songs, from the '50s to the present. It all started with the Coors commercial featuring "Love Train," the single released by The O'Jays in 1973. Upon hearing it, I thought, "Wow, what an ideal song for biking." So now, I can enjoy great music without even realizing I'm exercising. Last year I recommended the "Trainright Mountain Biking" DVD by Chris Carmichael for those looking for an efficient way to get into race shape on an indoor bike. It featured intervals that could bring just about anyone to their knees. However, due to its brutality, I never could get myself to make it a permanent part of my spring regimen. This year it's my new iTunes library to the rescue. Those songs just fire me up, and the increased speed feels natural, not painful. The intervals music can produce can be any length, from 10 seconds to several minutes. If you're very fussy, just duplicate the exact lengths of the intervals on the Carmichael DVD. But if you just want to enjoy music while biking, pedal the way the music and spirit grab you. The ultimate test of this method is my wife, Betsy, who really hated indoor biking until she developed her own play list on iTunes. Now she actually looks forward to her indoor biking sessions. And I have a confession to make: The CycleOps trainer is actually hers; she just lets me use it. Of course, you could always head to the local Y for spin classes, and many do. I've heard skiers rave about these sessions, and the group atmosphere can be fun. I just like to save travel time any way I can. With all the skiing and mountain biking I do, I spend too much time traveling already. Weightlifting What about weightlifting? Quite frankly, there are so many ways to lift weights that this is not the simple topic it appears at first. So it's important to be specific, as weights are used for everything from bodybuilding (power lifting) to strength training for marathon running. And cross-country skiing falls somewhere in the middle, as it is a power endurance sport. About a year ago, I performed a small study that had surprising results. I convinced two elite bikers (state champions in their age groups) to see if they could increase their leg power by adding weights to their normal winter routine. These guys are dedicated as they bike all winter and can spend three straight hours on a Computrainer, an indoor bike trainer. This is an expensive apparatus that simulates famous courses around the world. You actually watch a video of the course and the Computrainer changes the resistance with the terrain. The weight program they followed involved three to six sets of 10 to 20 leg presses two to three times a week. These bikers used power taps that measure pedaling power to record their progress. After two months, it was obvious that something unexpected was up. While their lifting ability increased significantly, both bikers lost power on the bike. They actually fell below levels they had developed the previous winter when they didn't lift weights. So intense leg training on both weights and the bike were just too much, and the weights detracted from the specific bike workouts. But the benefits of weightlifting, such as increasing and maintaining bone density and strength as we age, are too good to ignore. My conclusion is that serious athletes should stick to low numbers of reps so as not to hurt their endurance strength or endurance workouts. The legs are particularly vulnerable to overwork as they are used all day to support the body and thus don't get as much rest as the upper body does. So limit leg repetitions to four, only gradually add weight to the bar and don't lift to the point of failure. For the upper body I've found that you can lift as much as you like and it doesn't seem to hamper performance while skiing. The upper body is hard to overwork, since when you're not skiing or lifting, your arms are pretty much in a state of rest. But what about the average person, someone who can't get a workout in every day? Well, high rep endurance weights for the legs are a great substitute for a hill workout. Do I know this for sure? No, but it's worked for me. I recommend 30 to 90 reps of half squats or leg presses. In fact this repetition range is also effective for poling-type weightlifting. But remember, when done in addition to a full fledged bike or ski program, this high rep program can be detrimental. So when your hours of training increase, especially if you're doing hill work, back off on lifting with the legs.Reduce your reps to four or less and stay with weights that are comfortable. Of course to train successfully through these lousy weather months depend on individual commitment. I just hope I've provided an alternative that's right for you. Lee Borowski is a past USSA Nordic Coach of the Year, Badger State Winter Athlete of the Year, and the coach of several Junior, Senior and Collegiate Skiers of the Year. He has also coached many masters skiers who have won both national and world championships. In addition, Lee is the author of several books, many articles and four videos on cross-country skiing. He runs the website http://thesimp lesecrets.com/. To order Borowski's NEW Simple Secrets of Skating or The Simple Secrets of Striding (demonstrated through footage of Olympic and world champions and available on VHS and DVD), send $25 plus $1.75 shipping (Wisconsin residents add $1.27 tax) to Lee Borowski, 4500 Cherokee Drive, Brookfield, WI 53045. | |
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