Strength Training for Cross-country Skiers part 1 “The core”.

By Fred Koch with Dr. Scott Howell

Norwegians are already the best in the world in the aerobic area of cross-country skiing.  Just wait until they get as serious about strength training.  Strength training is just popping up in Cross-Country skiing in Norway.  As it gets more serious, you will see a new generation of skiers arise.

In 2005 Fred Koch was appointed the 1st Strength Coach in the history of the Norwegian Biathlon Association. (Men’s and Women’s Teams)

2005 Women’s Norwegian Biathlon Team

The DB Bench Press vs Bench Press for female athletes.

Why in the world would a coach give a female athlete bench presses? Why ? Because they really don’t understand or train with the athletes. Writers and professors ugg. A Bench press is cool for guys, we grew up with it. Girls could care less. It takes too much time. It really doesn’t duplicate any sports movement and when used as a test by schools is only depressing because girls have longer weaker arms. Most schools or gyms only have one or two benches which makes for long workouts. I could go on but anyone reading this blog follows my thinking. Answer, simple DB bench Press.

TRX Training. How to define progressive resistance. Part 3

Using a TRX, Red rope or any of these rope devices is “Strength Training” don’t fool yourself. Training to failure with any of these type devices is a bad as training to failure every time you go into the weight room.

You are still training to exhaustion .

Even with the TRX a progression needs to be followed for best results

Just because these devices don’t look like your standard barbell or dumbbell don’t be fooled, the body still treats their use as progressive resistance just like the BB and DB.

Military Core Training..Design an “Ab Mat”in nature.

There is so much talk lately about cutting sit-ups from the Military due to low back injury. I have written before about what a ridiculous idea this is. Come on, if your going to carry a 100lbs on your back and be as active as any military person is you have to train abs. The Ab Mat is of course the perfect answer. It allows full range of motion for the abs with weight , like every other muscle  without  back injury. I have numerous videos on this. This video is on what you do when you are out in nature and want to train the “abs”.

This is a full length explanation of “Ab Mat” training if you haven’t seen it before.

 

 

Cross -Country Ski Summer Strength part 2

In my first article on CCS (Cross-Country Skiing) I wrote about the importance of core training. I received more interest than I was expecting so I wanted to get this summer workout out as fast and as simply as possible. Sorry it got a little more complex than I wanted.  If you have any specific questions you are more than welcome to  write me in Norwegian..på norsk), if you like since, I know most of my readers here are Norwegian CCS.

This article became a lot longer than I thought because one of my coach friends reminded me that if a an athlete or  parent really believes in this this article will be their only chance to learn it without a lot of research, because the majority of coaches still don’t believe. Unfortunately he is probably right and thus the length.

Yes, I know it gives you a head ache to look at all this stuff, There are just illustrations to make the system easier. Everything you need is listed in the drop box link both in english and Norwegian. If you have any question just give me a call 975-61166. Can’t make it any easier.

Ole Einar with Fred learn the reverse grip-lat pulldown

Where does the strength program for the summer fit in the Annual Plan? Since the summer off season is so short we have to pre-plan.  Below is an example of a pre-planned summer program. (All this is in the following folder both in English and på norsk.) In theory using this program ,every Cross-country skier in Norway can have a program that is guaranteed to work this summer in 2 weeks.

New Section-From the Desk of Tudor Bompa ( the originals)

There has been so much information from the internet on strength training over the last years I just thought you might want a place to start when you begin to look into the industry. I sure did when I got started and that was 40 years ago. When I first met Tudor Bompa there was no internet and we had to do it the old way. By letters. Actually, I wrote questions and he wrote most of the letters. Many of these ended up in Ironman Bodybuilding Magazine, (a thanks has to go out to Lisk now.) As the industry continued to grow it seems many of Tudor’s ideas stood the time and when updated here and there still do. That is why I wanted to start this new section. so you too can see the material that was written before editor, after editor, after editor changed not only the wording, but the meanings. You can now decide.  Just click on “From the Desk of Tudor Bompa ( the originals)” in the category section.

Tudor Originals-Muscle Soreness and Damage in Bodybuilding

Over the last few years I have tried to post some of the original handwritten material from Tudor. This one on Muscle Soreness I came across the other day. with all the “research” material as they call it coming out these days over this topic. I thought you would be as interested as I was over how Tudor future vision and writings at the time were so close.

You can get the full version here: Muscle Soreness and Damage in Bodybuilding

 

Tudor Originals, Anatomical Adaptation

In the series that I am now presenting, I want people to see the original handwritten version of Tudors work. My feelings are that too much of his original thoughts are lost from one editor to another. Keep in mind these writings were before the internet was available and we did our correspondence the old way, by letters.

Anatomical Adaptation is the 1st phase of the Annual Plan. both for advanced trainees or beginners. A knowledge of this is a must for your education of Strength training. Full copy here:  Tudor Originals- Anatomical Adaptation