ProXCskiing met Mattias Reck in Båstad, Sweden, for a training session with Team Engcon. Reck is well-known in the cycling world since he has been a trainer for professional cycling teams for ten years. For the past six years, he has been a coach for Trek – Segafredo, including riders like Bauke Mollema, Giulio Ciccone, Elisa Longo Borghini, Ellen van Dijk, Lizzie Deignan, and Mads Pedersen.

Almost four years ago, Max Novak approached Mattias and asked him to become his coach. And that’s where it all started: 

“I was giving a lecture in Östersund about training, nutrition, and performances. This was an open lecture, and Max Novak, among other skiers, came to listen to me. A few days after the lecture, Max contacted me asking if we could try my approach to training with him. And that’s how it all started. It was cool that he dared to try something new.”

“The first year, I only worked with Max, but I guess I also influenced others on his former Team (Ramudden). The year after, I also started working with Lina Korsgren, Ida Dahl, and later, Ida Palmberg. After the months went by, I became like the official Head Coach at Ramudden. Also, being there as an adviser for Johannes and Hermann when needed. I think it was pretty cool of Lina and Gustaf to take me in as Head Coach. And it was nice to be part of a whole team like that, just like I am in Trek-Segafredo.”

“After last season, Lina stopped, and Max and Ida switched teams, and I am now more of a freelancer, helping out a bit here and there. So, I am still working with Max Novak in Team Aker Dæhlie, Ida Dahl in Team Engcon, and Ida Palmberg in Team Ramudden. I also coach Viktor Brännmark, Piteå Elit, on the traditional side.”

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Are you now the main coach for Team Engcon? 

“No, not really, not yet, at least. I am here at their training camp because I am Ida Dahl’s coach. I also just started working with Eddie Edström, so that’s why I’m making the schedule for the whole Team during this training camp. Besides, Båstad is the area where I grew up, so I know all the roads. And in addition, me and Jerry Ahrlin know each other from way back, through Enervit, and I enjoy working with him.”

“I also train other athletes, like normal people who cannot focus totally on training (cyclists and skiers) through my coaching company Guided Heroes. I even have a special training plan for Vasaloppet!”

What are the differences between training a skier and a cyclist? 

“I train skiers the same way I train cyclists. At least 90% is the same. And it works! But the fun fact is that I don’t know how to ski properly. I am actually super impressed by skiers and their balance. I think I have done rollerski five times in my life and skied on snow about the same. And I crashed almost every time (laugh).” 

“A bit more in detail about the difference, I can say that it has taken some time to understand the difference since I did not know so much about how long-distance and traditional skiers trained. It’s something I have realized as the years have gone by.”

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• The easiest thing to explain is that I put in more long training instead of shorter ones. Not because I believe it gives you extra training stimuli but because it makes the whole day puzzle easier. Training from 9 to 13/14, and then you are done and can focus on the recovery for the rest of the day. 

• Secondly, and what probably has become most well-known, is the short-short intervals like 40-20 that are popular in cycling. With this kind of interval, you can hit an intensity at least 10% higher than regular Vo2Max/A3+ intervals like 5×5 min. 

• I also think I make more periodization than what many skiers are used to. Both seen over a year but also within specific periods. I don’t see any problem at all with rollerski racing in the last part of the summer to break down an otherwise very long build-up from May to Nov/Dec. Just by training proper build-up training, you get very good after 8-10 weeks, and racing gives a bit of extra stimulus for both mind and body. Then you take a short break before building again towards the winter season.”

“I think my way of coaching somewhat comes down to how I see high-intensity training/speed work. For me, threshold work (like 5-6 x 8-10 min) is not speed; it’s more of an endurance interval. If it’s not A3+, it’s not speedwork. And this kind of intensity can be done fresh in a short session to focus on maximum capacity or at the end of longer training to push your speed endurance. But it’s also important to note that I also give clients controlled threshold work. Sometimes rumors spread what a typical “Reck-interval” is (laugh), and that usually doesn’t tell the whole picture.”

“One other thing I have understood that has been “new” is how much I let my clients train during the season to keep in shape. In certain periods there can be quite a lot of base training to keep and conserve shape. My philosophy is to be well-prepared for racing early and then conserve it over longer periods,” Mattias Reck concludes.