In order to prepare as best as possible for cross country skiing in December, roller skiing is seen as more of a necessity than a luxury opportunity. Running, cycling, swimming, and weight lifting all create an amazing base of strength and cardiovascular fitness and endurance; however roller skiing targets specific neuromuscular recruitment and coordination, balance, and “accessory” muscle building to truly create a more enjoyable and successful winter.
Whether you are trying to just increase your off-season fitness, try your first ski race, make in on the varsity high school team, or qualify for World Cups, roller skiing is critical to make your transition on snow faster and more efficient.
Practicing a similar muscle pattern to your winter sport creates neuromuscular connections that make sport easier over time. It is not necessarily just the fittest and strongest skiers that are the fastest. One of the most frustrating, yet encouraging, aspects of cross country skiing is how much technique can make you both fast and efficient. Practicing roller skiing in the summer and fall allows your body and mind to know how to move through space while balancing on a ski. Over time, you can handle more training and more intensity while balancing on skis, and thus access more strength and cardiovascular endurance in the sport.
I have heard many times how some runners or cyclists get so frustrated when skiing. They say, “I just feel like I can’t use or show my true fitness!” It is incredibly frustrating to get dropped in a hard race or workout when you are not going your hardest. That is where the technique comes in, and why roller skiing is so important!
The best way to start your training if you haven’t skied or roller skied in a while is to train twice a week. This can easily be fit into your current running or cycling training routine for cross-training. Aim to do two roller ski workouts per week about 1-2 hours each if possible: one will be a double pole only workout, and the other will be skate roller skiing. Both can be used with your skate roller skis and skate boots, and it would be best to use your classic poles for double poling, and skate poles for your skate workout (with roller ski ferrules if you can).
The purpose of the double pole workout is to develop the strength and endurance of your upper body muscles that are required for skiing. Pull ups, push ups, and upper body gym lifts are great, but as I said before, the neuromuscular recruitment pattern that skiing requires must be learned by your brain and your body. You will also find many small muscles that are necessary for a good double pole in your lats and shoulders that are difficult to target without skiing.
The purpose of the skate roller ski workout is to work coordination, balance, and certain hip muscles that are not used when running or cycling, specifically the medial glutes. Over time all of the small muscles that burn a lot when you start roller skiing will develop and become stronger, so by the time you are on snow they will not slow you down.
Remember, roller skis almost never have brakes. Safety is a huge concern for roller skiers not only for the dangers of being on the road, but the incredible lack of control on descents and the awkward motion in general. Try to roller ski on bike paths if you are uncomfortable on a road. As your skills increase, you can go on the roads that you know staying in the right lane. Skiing on roads you do not know can be dangerous due to unknown descents or stop signs.
As professional skiers, we always stay single file when we ski on roads, stay to the right, ALWAYS wear high visibility clothing and ALWAYS wear a helmet. Knee and elbow pads are recommended for beginners as well.
Ben Lustgarten is a Skirack ambassador athlete and professional cross country ski racer for the Craftsbury Green Racing Project. In the summer months, Ben also competes in mountain bike and trail running.
If you have never tried roller skiing before or are new to it, read A Beginner's Guide to Roller Skiing”
Also, check out Ben's additional roller skiing blog posts:
Roller Skiing: Tips to Increase Your Speed
3 Roller Ski Strength Training Exercises
