#Snow is here, What a difference a day makes for #Nordic #Skiing!

The snow fell and continued to fall here in #yeg. Now the wind is picking up.

Class last night was able to ski. Due to the dangerous winter driving, a lot of the class did not make it. Double poling on a few centimetres of snow was still skiing, though cores of grass turf kept flipping up and tried to stop you. Some of the common denominators that the class worked on, were falling forward onto their poles with hips ahead of ankles, and reaching with 90' bent elbows. Hands at shoulder width apart or a bit more, no tri-podding, and planting the baskets close to your skis were other areas looked at. Once tracks are set we will go over double poling again.

This morning there are at least 12cm of snow, which is great. Now we wait for the groomers to do their awesome deed of trail grooming.

On another note I slept outside in my makeshift tarp, backyard winter camping, still trying to do my part for SNOW DANCING. Since a lot more snow came down after I went to sleep, I awoke and found the weight of the snow was pressing in all around the tarp. The inside of the tarp was covered in frost from my breathing. There was snow sealing all around the bottom, with almost a foot of snow. The rope was being stretched and was sagging. There was next to no room to get in and out.
However I was warm and and comfy. I used my 3 inch Exped air mattress, with a closed one inch cell inside my old Eddie Bauer sleeping bag cover. My 4 decade old bag has been used down to -40C, so I had no problems in that area.
Several decades ago I used to drive, sleep in a snow bank, and then race Nordic skiing as I did not have much money. My hips do not like hard ground anymore, hence the Exped mattress, which I use summer camping all the time.
The inside of the tarp tent is still on grass. My cell phone was almost dead and had to be plugged in, as it was on the cold ground. My Power Monkey would not be charging as there is no sun, if I was in the woods. I have heard that if you put the cell phone on airplane mode, it charges a lot of faster, we will see.
 Fifty feet away is a nice warm house at 17C. Outside it is -7C, and -13C, with the wind chill.
Time for breakfast, when the rest of the household arises. In the old days before a race, I used to eat a can of 40% syrup peaches, a container of cottage cheese, some bread and of course Chocolate Milk.
 I love winter, and I love #Nordic #skiing.

Get out there, Be Safe and Have FUN.

#Nordic #Skiing and still waiting for #SNOW

Snow dancing continues. Winter tarp camping, as a form of snow dancing, is now being done by the instructor! Embrace the winter.

Today’s class once again started with reviewing who did their homework and how much. Many students managed to travel to the snow in the last week, which is a 3 or 4 hour drive away. Lucky them as they rubbed it in, to those of us that did not get to ski. Lol.
Most students are at least doing some of their homework, now. However ski walking is now bumped up to a 3-4 hour chunk of time. The Canadian Birkie maybe 80 days away, but the last week does not count for much training, which just leaves about 70 days.

You are encouraged to go race some Loppets, as this will sharpen the mind, and get you use to being around other people, at speed.

Clothing and what to wear for training and racing was also discussed. NO cotton, and avoid waterproof garments for normal winter skiing. Wicking fabrics underneath, and fleece or Lycra, depending on the situation over top, works well.

The class then had a seat on a picnic bench for those over 5'6", and a lower bench for those under that height. Stomach crunches, with thighs at 90' to floor and you on your back, had everyone doing 4 sets of 20 reps; up, one, two, while twisting. There was a lot of groaning and the coats came off pretty quick.
The importance of double poling and a strong core is so important. Races of up to 90km, with no kick wax, in a classical race, and a time of just over 4 hours tells us the writing is on the wall. Be ready to double pole lots!

After another exercise of partial lifting your partner off the floor, while keeping your legs bent, shoulders over your ankles, and doing rows, it was time to go outside. (3 sets of 10 reps per person)

Review of ski walking, ski bounding, herringbone, and running herringbone finished off the night. 

Length of poles, and steel tips vs carbide tips, are showing some students that perhaps they should do some investing in their poles.

See you all soon, keep doing the snow dance, do your homework, and go chase snow if you can.

HAVE FUN!!
This what I found on the Cross Country Alberta website.

LOPPETS. We are still working on the Loppet Series Calendar for the 2015-2016 series. Be sure to check back soon!  http://www.xcountryab.net/alberta-loppet-series/

  

Nordic Skiing and Flexibility Thoughts

I had a question asked of me in a class not long ago.
What flexibility exercises do I feel are best, as related to Nordic skiing?
As a rule, as I thought about it more, I realized the following general principles. I did a bit of digging into the internet for answers, but did not find anything very useful.

So I will go with my own view and experience.
When stretching, start from the core, then go to the lower body and then to the upper body. Go from bigger muscles to smaller muscles.
I always like to stretch the hip flexors > glutes > hamstrings > quads > back > lats > Achilles > calves > shoulders > triceps > forearms. The order I have listed is pretty well the order I use.

IF the snow conditions are loose and unstable, you need to stretch your sartorius which is not a muscle you will normally think about, unless it cramps and then that can be painful.
If you have been skating, I would definitely stretch your adductor and abductor muscles as well. 

As for how long you should hold a stretch, as a rough guideline I will say 20-30 seconds. Over the last 4 decades, I have seen theories come and go, about the length of time to hold a stretch. The stretch should not hurt, just a slight pull.

I always feel best, if I do my stretching in a hot water whirlpool or hot-springs, o ya. If this is not practical, then go for a ski, and when you are ready to strip your warm up layer of clothes off, then that is time to do your stretching, and not before.

For sure, do not stretch before you are warmed up, and new research indicates that you do not stretch, until after your exercise, as your muscle strength will be decreased. I am still watching this.

I personally like to do the vast majority of my stretching after skiing. It is far better to continue stretching as you get older, then to stop and then start a couple of decades later start again.

THINK SNOW

Dry-land Training

                              Picture taken on the East end of Rundle, above Canmore

Your homework was to do at least one 2-3 hour ski walk a week. Most of you did manage to do it, and those that did found a 3 hour ski walk, a real challenge. The more vertical terrain the better. Be sure to always be prepared for changing weather.

 For the last several weeks you have been learning ski specific dry-land exercises.

You have learned ski walking, ski striding, ski bounding.

You have learned dry-land double poling, uphill.

You have learned how to do the dry-land off-set

You have learned how to do the dry-land herringbone.

Last night you learned the double pole, stutter step, which is used on flatter terrain. This is where you are falling forward, engaging your core and squeezing your butt cheeks, just before you double pole. Placement of your poles is not written in stone, because everyone has different length poles.
Those that have longer poles, must place their poles further back. The poles do not tripod, and baskets never fling forward past the hands. Hands are shoulder width apart, elbows flared, depending on the strength of your shoulders, and baskets plant within roughly 6 inches of your feet. After the double pole, your feet move real quick (normally 3 foot stutter).

Mental toughness to keep going and to keep thinking, about your technique, while suffering, i.e. heart rate elevated, will always be helpful.

Let's hope the SNOW COMES SOON!!  

Fall ski training classes have started again for another season.

It is always a pleasure to meet another new class of students. I wait with anticipation, wondering about the diversity of the class and how many students will be very fit or a bit weaker. Of course there are students that are also returnees and you can see how much they have improved over the summer season.
The class started with the basic ski walk up a gradual hill. Weight on one bone supported leg with hip behind the ankle, then over the ankle and then a quick knee drop and then spring as the hips come past the ankle. If you did not take a step forward you would fall on your face. The landing for the next leg is once again in a bone supported leg position.
Then you worked on making sure there was a good weight transfer by ski walking up a series of pylons up the gradual hill.
The arm motion took some correcting, as some were not walking with arm and leg working in opposite movement.
On the way back down the hill you pretended to plant a pole and go around it with the shoulders over the ankles, and the hips dropped to load the leg muscles.
After much practice we switched things up and practised somewhat stationary double poling without poles. First we pretended to flick the water off our hands. The elbows did not straighten. Then you worked on elbows slightly wider then the hands. The stomach is stretched before contracting and hips come forward.
As you whipped the hands downward the knees collapsed as would happen when loading the poles by body weight, only as the hips starts to pass the ankles.
The tempo was increased to a very fast real racing tempo, while stationary and forcefully breathing out. If you blow out you will breathe in.
A core stomach exercise was done by one person laying down on their back and grabbing the other persons ankles. The person on the ground raise their legs to the person standing then had their straight legs thrown down wards, while the person on the ground tried not to have their legs be thrown to the ground. It is a very quick way of determining how strong a persons stomach is.
Then it was back to more ski walking up the small hill. This time on the way back down you paired up with grasped hands one pulling and one resisting back down the hill. Shoulders stay over the ankles, back upright, and hips dropped.
 next exercise had you skipping up the hill 2 skips on one side of the pylons and then on the other side.
Continued pulling going back down with partners taking turns on who was pulling from the downside of the hill.
Next exercise was to hop up the hill on one leg first on one side of the pylon and then the other side. Four reps up the hill with each leg doing it twice.

Homework is to try and get out and do at least a 2-3 hour ski walk on hilly terrain in one session with at least 5 hours of ski specific training for the week.
The class finished up with a bit of stretching though I like stretching in a hot tub.

A lot more was mentioned, but that is what we will mention for now.

Being Injured with #Spinal #Stenosis

Most of us at one time or another get hurt or injured. Spinal stenosis is not something to take casually!

Over use injures take a lot longer to heal as I have been training for over 5 decades. You have had a lot of fun and you have probably not stretched enough.

Perhaps your technique changed, your boots and/or shoes are worn out, or you over extended yourself.

Some of the areas of treatment you may have tried are medication from the doctor, the chiropractor, physiotherapist, certain exercises, ice and heat therapy.

Mental anguish happens to varying degrees and it is no fun. Sometimes you do not want to out of bed. To even think about standing which you know is going to hurt, keeps you sitting.

Being injured affects not only you but those around you. Your family, workmates and especially your spouse, all are concerned. The longer you are injured the more everything around you changes. They continue to ski and you are left behind.

Its very hard not to eat lots, and you gain weight, as food for some is a comfort.

Limping everywhere, bent over and bow legged like an old man, hurting and in pain is just not fun. The pins and needles, fussiness, in the legs is not pleasant.

Crawling literally into bed and then silently crying while trying to go to sleep because you are in pain is just not fun.

When your hips stop hurting for a short period then your hip flexor or knee hurts instead. The doc says that I need a knee replacement in the next few years and many of my friends have already done so.

You wonder how much longer??!! I have been told that 1 to 2 years before there might be a fairly full recovery is perhaps a possibility. Surgery is not really an option, as many studies show that in 2-8 years the ones opting for surgery are no further ahead.

You cannot push too hard or too easy. No one can tell you exactly either so you are an experiment of one.

Ah well, pass me the Advil and I will go for a short easy bike ride, as the snow has all disappeared for this year.  :) 



Well 7 more months have passed and I am a bit more mobile. Being almost bed ridden for several months has made me realize just how precious being healthy and mobile really is. I have gained over 15 pounds in the last year. My maximum heart has dropped from 187 to 160 in the last year. Resting HR has gone up from 39-44 to 49-53. I have used HR monitors since 1979, so I know a fair amount on how to use them. I have not done any MVO2 tests for some time, but I fear it might have dropped about 25-30 numbers too, guessing low 40's now. Well I hope to have a good year coaching, and get in some skiing.

#Nordic #Ski Tips on #Summer #Training, (the snow is going, waa)!

The following question was asked of me, by a very good up and coming LADY Nordic ski athlete.
"I hope to be able to have some really good summer training.
What are some things that you have learned from your time as an athlete?"
My comments are made from my experiences of over 4 decades of racing,instructing and coaching. #ucanskixc. If they disagree with your coach, go with your coach, as he knows you far better then I. However, many times we are saying the same thing in a different way. The video clips at the bottom are my way of backing up somewhat, what I have said, below.
Do not be discouraged if some exercises are not doable right now.
Train with those that are better then you, but not all the time. It is good to get out there and do some training on your own. Watching others and how they are approach a given situation, just before you get to it, will allow you decide to take the same line, or perhaps take a better line of your own. 

There are certain standards that I feel are needed.
No extra body fat, if you are going to get serious.
You should be able to do an L-sit and hold for a minute, as well as super man push-ups. 20-30 Pull ups and some L-sit pull-ups, should be doable, hopefully. I am firm believer in pullups.
Hanging vertical sit-ups should be a piece of cake. Go to the playground and hook unto the ladder or find a tall friend. The vertical sit-up uses lots of hip flexors and core.
You need to have a high power to weight ratio!!You must love the hills and eat them up.
Say "I love hills"!!
Also try to train high and sleep low, if you are able?
Train in the most miserable weather conditions, no excuses.
Squats of at least body weight, working up to double body weight, for 3setsX10reps should be a goal. Be sure to do a warm and cool down set as well. Work up to doing lots of heavy, double body weight dead lifts, too(3X10). Pull logs, and large rocks, use heavy sleds for pulling, both forward and backwards.
Body weight: Stomach should be a six pack and the legs ripped and you should be able lift the skin off the legs, arms etc. Its fat, not muscle, if you cannot lift the skin off the muscle.
Ski specificity is so important. Lots of roller skiing and roller blading with ski poles, IF there is no snow.
Always be thinking technique, never go on automatic pilot. The only music I want to hear, is my heart rate, breathing, and the sound of the wind, etc., not music.
You need to work on the deltoids with high pulls, etc., for all the high elbows double poling. Sore rotator cuffs are painful and long lasting!!
Use the Ski-Erg if you can find one, pulling 200 watts for 30 pulls is a start, 350 watts for men. The Jacobs ladder, doing 500 feet in 5 minutes is common goal, for starters.
Always run with ski poles, the more body parts you use in training, the better, safer too. The heart needs to be working and use to, sending blood out to the WHOLE body, not just the lower or upper body.
Minimum, an hour ski/run/roller ski in the morning, slowly, and another hour to two hours (for running your dog) in the afternoon, plus scheduled coaches training. Go for an all day hike with poles, every 10 days or so, carrying a bit of weight in your day pack as well. Go for a mountain bike for several hours and take a dip in ice cold glacier water, brr! Alternating hot and cold dips will help with blood circulation.
Avoid sugar except real honey, maple syrup and dark chocolate, yum.
I tended to avoid meat in the couple of days, leading up to racing.
Use a slack line, bocce ball, and walk along the tops of those metal fences that are at schools, for your balance.
Stretch lots. Doing the splits and putting your palms on the ground should be doable. It is very important to have very flexible ankles so that in classic, your kick wax is on the snow for as long as possible. So stretch those Achilles tendons and calf muscles. Be sure to stretch those forearms, lats, triceps too.
Always try to race every two or three weeks to keep the mind sharp, even if it is just local time trials.
You should be able to recover at least 80 beats in 2 minutes.Fast recovery is so important in racing! A 100 beat recovery, in 2 minutes is very good!  ie (190>90)
Always stay with your technique, and gradually work up your HR, till you can race without the technique falling apart.
You need to do speed work. For example, get on a bike and do some 10-15 second on 45 sec off, spins, as fast as you can for an hour, ie135+rpm.
Do lots of stutter stepping for 15 seconds on, 45 seconds off, using the arm pumping action too, for an hour.
I rarely did interval training but when I did, I did 3min on 2 off, 4on/2off, 5on/2off and 6on/2off, repeat for an hour. The fastest way to get fit is to race. BUT always have recovery time.
Keep a diary not just for training, but also a separate wax diary.
You should be able to hold 10 HR beats below max for an hour.
The leaner you are, the meaner you are, BUT you must have lots of ski muscle.
50% of the time is spent climbing in a race, so do lots of hill climbing, the longer the hill, the better!
Get on snow as much as you can in the summer, even if it is just one weekend a month.
Grab rock skis and ski as late as you can into the spring. Run on your skis from snow patch to snow patch, through the knee high cold water, if you have too.   :)
A key factor for an awesome summer is to stay uninjured and healthy. That means get your sleep at night, 8-10 hours depending on age. Be like an animal and lay down for 20-30 minutes after eating. If you can, get a massage and hit the whirlpools. If nothing else Epsom salts in the bathtub.
Do not double pole below 45 degrees bend, from upright. This is for the long haul of life. Just keep falling towards your moving center of gravity. That means your hands will never brush you calf muscles, but will be just around or above the knee.
I think it is very reasonable to average at least 25 hours per week of ski specific training for you this summer.??
As long as there is no lightning, get out in that rain, wind, sleet, not many bugs (he-he), this summer. "WHEN IT RAINS, I TRAIN" was always my motto.
Practice running straight through the bush, no trails, ducking and weaving as it develops great hand, eye, and feet coordination and of course wear glasses and  appropriate clothing . Pretend you are chasing a deer or Mantracker is after you, lol.  
Get a heart rate monitor. Its used for making sure you are going SLOW enough, (125-145) and not just fast enough. A good coach should always be pulling on the reins, not cracking the whip.
Run on dirt not pavement. Replace your shoes frequently; you do not want shin splints.
Make sure you have eye blocker and ear plugs for sleeping in the summer time. Sleep in cool air, be outside as much as possible.
Suggested goals for vertical jumping, (40%> of height), as well as the standing broad jump (1 1/2 times your height >).
Some of the following weight lifting exercises that are slow and controlled, that I like are: dumb bell curl and press, push downs, overhead cable triceps extensions, side lying lateral raises, lat pull downs with the rope, seated rows, one arm dumbbell rows, T-bar rows with abdominal support, back extensions, machine add and abduction, donkey calf raises, high pulley crunches with the rope, side bends with dumbbells. There are of course many variations, but you have to start some place.
Get a ski resume done, and try to raise more sponsorship. 
O ya, get out there and Have FUN!!

Links for watching and getting ideas of your own.
http://skike.com/en/home/skike-the-original-cross-skates_index.0.0.0.html?c=CA Site is fine though Firefox tries to scare you for Skike roller skis, off road too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZZGkokZ0E0 Ladies Norwegian team training
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8u8bvdEkJ0 Therese Johaug 6 pack
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0oeHjca6Tk  Therese doing gymnastics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7gokPJTuWA  Justyna with 6 pack and ripped, hiking and then at 7'05" she is roller skiing pulling a tire. Notice how lean she is, no fat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiz37oPKZyI Marit at the 18 second mark shows ripped abs and strong upper body.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFfoqCgsZMU Jessie Diggins giving it 101% at around the 2min 12 sec, with clips of a team being serious as well as having fun.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2tux7AlCHyU  Kiki and Jessie talk about strong healthy bodies and being active all the time, for our whole lives.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_P_wzZ1sIXw Jesse’s favourite core exercise.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CltMbFAz2Oc Jessie talks about injury and spending 2 hours on a spin bike at a time, ugg.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YXoispkigM Jessie doing a MVO2 max test.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5TP-Ameq9E Ladies downhill ski team training hard with some dry land exercises
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Bm7uE19MBE Marit Bjorgen has some very lean strong arms and big strong legs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQv7g7-94u0  Marit roller blading on gravel as well as on pavement.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzA3M0ciskQ Kalla does some training in the wet and then they show some weight training, vertical sit-ups at 3’45,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRXB5vEOmC8&spfreload=1 Strength training being implemented in the early 1990’s for Nordic skiers, bah it was several decades earlier.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5KUhVHvmlQ Petter Northug doing a bit of training.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPsME8-gSDI Russian men with Alexander Legkov doing some dryland training.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2zCCgGB6hE Part 2 of Alexander Legkov