All right, too much time has passed since my last post and it’s all due to my pondering the future options for this blog. So, I’ve decided to transition from a focus on my experiences in Norway to looking closer at my current training experiences, both in collegiate racing and biathlon, and the perspectives that I gain. This is not to say that I will stop drawing on my experiences in Norway, but rather discuss them with a little less concentration. All of my post and photos from “En tid for skiskyting i norge” will remain accessible through various links, and I will also welcome any questions about my experiences.

Ronny Hafsås–one of Norway’s fastest biahletes and skiers

Anyway, so what makes the Norwegians so good at skiing and biathlon? I’ve attempted to answer pieces to this question over the past several months, but I’m sure there is much more to the puzzle. I first explored the dynamics of the ski community, which is obviously much larger and more concentrated than that of the US. Just like one might expect, clubs are the organizing base and affiliation of racers, while teams are more focused on training.

Gålå ski tour with fellow skiskytere (biathletes)

Next, I looked at some of the general training philosophies that I came in contact with. In addition to Stephen Sneider description of the basic ideas behind the Norwegian training methods(LINK), I noticed the importance of realizing that everyone has a different recipe for success. In addition, I found training less structured and more reliant on personal motivation than I had previously experienced. Personal motivation was easy to find due to the many dedicated racers, both old and young, found in my neighborhood. There is no substitute for hard work!

My third post explored intensity training: intervals, time-trials, etc. And by far, this was the aspect of training where I noticed the most difference from my experiences in high school and college. Simply put, my intensity time this past year nearly doubled and I gained a greater appreciation for the different intensity zones.

Ole Heinrik Somby and I pushing to the finish of

the pursuit (12.5km) in Beitostølen

The fourth post looked at strength training, which was another area that changed dramatically. What I experienced was a much higher emphasis on ski specific strength (double pole and no pole skiing) than on general strength. In addition, within general strength, about half of it was static exercises. The general idea was to strengthen those muscles used in skiing, while minimizing the bulk building exercises.

Finally, I explored a more biathlon specific subject: shooting. A lot more time spent shooting combined with several new drills provided an added confidence that was a great help to this mentally challenging portion of the sport.

The start of one of the classic sprint heats in the

Hovedlandsrennet (junior championships)

So, taken together, the Norwegians system is nicely conducive, in my opinion, for producing some quality skiers. I’ll end saying that I hope to continue using and sharing what I’ve learned this past year in Norway in regard to both skiing and biathlon, but as always, there are many ways to become a fast skier/biathlete.

This entry was posted on Friday, October 2nd, 2009 at 9:42 pm and is filed under Norway, Transitions. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.