August 14, 2012 – Short and Quick – Who wins? Have believed in this ever since the beginning of my coaching career (early ’70s) – way more times then not the stronger skier wins. Essentially the top skiers are all doing the same training, but if there is an area where there will be a difference, it is in being in the weight room and doing the proper lifting programs. The musculature between these three ladies is quite dramatic to my eye and whether I knew the names or not I would have picked the heavier muscled skier to be the more successful one.

Back then it was important to be strong, but in today’s skiing it is even more so, with skating and even in classic because of the huge reduction in hill lengths because of the short loop format that is used. There is way more double poling happening and it will continue to grow in proportion to the use of the diagonal stride. Cross country skiers have shown the propensity to train anything they want to when they set their minds to it.

When skating started it was said no one could skate a whole course, and then it was off-set was the technique, which quickly became V1, which is now the most used technique. It is now being thought that the diagonal stride will be dead soon, as everyone will double pole everything and it will be faster.

Here is some reading if you don’t believe it – click HERE.

It is not too late for you to get on board – remember specific strength gains beat general endurance work – everyone does big weights and small reps now – make it a part of your future success.