TRAINING: The best tips for transitioning from skiing to roller skiing and three key sessions on roller skis from the overall Roller Skiing World Cup winner last season.

Although roller skiing is the form of training most similar to cross-country skiing, it is still essential to adapt the amount of training and sessions during the transition period.

Norway’s Amund Korsæth won the overall Roller Ski World Cup last year, and here, he talks about how you should set up your training, different training and sessions, safety, and how to prevent injuries.

“For most active people, the transition to roller skis goes quite well, but there are a few things that you should think about during the transition period,” says the 22-year-old to our Norwegian sister site Langrenn.com.

Read More: The Big Roller Ski Test 2023

Gradual Increase

Although the movement pattern on roller skis is similar to what you do on cross-country skis, there are some differences. The surface is harder, which can affect the body at the start of the season. 

“If you just double pole, it’s easy to overload, especially the elbows,” says Korsæth. 

Therefore, he recommends starting with relatively short and easy training sessions, then gradually running longer and harder. 

“For example, start with half an hour up to an hour, and increase a little at each session as long as it feels good,” he says, adding that most people are up to regular sessions within a couple of weeks.

Variation

Korsæth is interested in varying the training. Cross-country skiing is a complex sport, and there are many elements you must master.

Therefore, he alternates between different training forms, such as running, cycling, and strength training, as well as skiing on snow as long as possible, in addition to roller skis. But he also varies his different roller ski sessions. 

“Vary between different types of sessions: hard sessions and long rides, flat and hilly terrain, road and roller ski tracks, classic and skate, technique, speed, and endurance. If you switch between all types of sessions, you also train all elements,” says Korsæth.

Technique

It is also slightly different technically on roller skis compared to cross-country skis. One thing is that you always have a reliable kick. But roller skis also require more balance.

Later in May, ProXCskiing.com will release a series of technique videos for roller skis – stay tuned!

Three key sessions in the transition to roller skiing

Korsæth’s tip is to put in three different types of sessions a week: An interval session, a proper long ski, and a session focusing on speed. 

“On the interval sessions, I like to ride slightly longer stretches with a higher intensity, preferably six times eight minutes. Start with a gentle half-hour warm-up before starting the intervals, and take time to cool down afterward. I often do that type of intervals on roller ski tracks,” he says.

The long sessions often take Korsæth on small roads with little traffic and varied terrain. 

“Such long sessions can be anything from a couple of hours or more. But once a week, I try to get in one that is around three hours.”

Speed sessions where are something many people can prioritize, says Korsæth, adding that the speed sessions are also some of the most enjoyable ones.

“The intervals are short that you can do with good speed. And then I like to do them with one or more friends so that it becomes a bit of a competition. That’s the most fun,” he says and complements:

“In speed sessions, you get good training in almost everything. It provides good endurance training, training in skiing well at high speed, and very good technique training.”

Safety

Korsæth clearly states that roller skis have greater risks than skis. 

One is that the surface is harder. It is something that even the World Cup winner thinks about in the transition from skis to roller skis. 

“It hurts more to fall on roller skis. So, it’s good to be focused and take fewer chances, at least until the feeling and technique are in place again,” says Korsæth. 

But when roller skiing outside roller ski tracks, traffic is by far the most considerable risk, and that is something Korsæth has great respect for. 

“Accidents keep happening, and the fatal accident in connection with the Blink festival was a terrible reminder of that. One thing is to always roller ski with a helmet and to be careful. But there are others out there too, and people do many weird things in traffic, so it’s good to know the roller skiing rules, especially now at the start of the season, says Korsæth. 

Also Read: Three steps for safer rollerski training