THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MUSCULAR STRENGHT FOR THE XC SKIING AND FOR THE WELLNESS

Dear cross-country ski lovers, welcome to the weekly date with Tips & Thoughts. Andrea Zattoni, technician of GS Fiamme Gialle Ski Team speaks about muscular strength.

 

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The definition of strength is the ability to resist being moved or broken by a force and its improvement.

We already talked how the increasing of the aerobic capacity mixed up to the strength are important to get good results in a long distance competition.

Strength comes in 3 forms:

- Maximal strength, or limit strength, is the greatest amount of force that a muscle or muscle groups can voluntarily produce, regardless of time.
- Muscular endurance is the ability of a muscle or group of muscles to sustain repeated contractions against a resistance for an extended period of time.
- Muscular power, or explosive strength, is the speed of the contraction, in other words the combination of muscular force and the speed of movement.
The exercises to improve the muscular strength are several: body exercises, with elastic band, workout on different terrain or level (hill ride or running across the beach), gravity workout or with weights.

When and how to improve the muscular strength for the xc skiing?

We already explained the importance of choosing the best activity according to their type and to the season and the same is for the type of strength and the respective exercises. Each of these workouts focuses on a different strength aspect.

During the spring and the summertime start exercises of general muscular endurance (physical and gymnastic exercises) using a program of lower intensity without weights. Strength training is the kind of exercise that builds healthy muscle tissue. Strong muscles help you to move your body more efficiently, also become more coordinated and better able to perform technical movements.
Typical exercises could be: push-ups (1), bench dips (2), lunges (3), calf raise (4).

During the late summer and autumn time, you can increase the maximal and power strength, with the goal to increase the highest level of force. Maximal strength weight training programs are different and based on the personal muscles and body characteristics and you should address to a trainer that could develop a personal program.
Examples of muscular power include throwing a punch, jumping over a hurdle, or swinging a bat.
Both for the general muscular endurance and the maximal and power strength, one sessions per week is suitable for the pre-season phase.

General and specific strength

When starting the season, there are special exercises that we can do during the special training with the ski-roll or the specific training on the skis.
Whether skating or classic, one of the fundamental movements in cross-country is balancing on one moving ski. Exercises without poles is the best way of improving the instability and legs strength.
A specific strength upper body workout consists of double poling and single sticking without using the legs. Your shoulders work to plant the ski poles and your arms and core muscles help to propel you forward: the stronger is your upper body, the stronger is your skiing.
The time for this activity of lower intensity should be 20-30 minutes.
You should add also some exercises of maximal intensity for 15-20 seconds.

Functional training and good health

Nowadays, the concept of functional training is on the increase. What is it?
Functional training is a classification of exercises which involves training the body for the activities performed in daily life. It attempts to adapt or develop exercises which allow individuals to perform the activities of daily life more easily and to evolve specific muscles without the use of weight training machines.
Functional training has its origins in rehabilitation, but all the daily activities apply a good muscle synergy and the functional exercises are beneficial in everything, from everyday living to athletics and is the foundational principle behind functional fitness with the use of exercise bands and balls or simple equipment, and of course free weight exercises.
Functional training involves mainly weight bearing activities targeted at muscles of the abdomen and lower back: the core. Core muscles create a solid base for your body, allowing you to stay upright and stand strong and without injuries.

Coming soon, we are enlarging the core but at the moment we wish you a good training.

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