Marit Bjørgen dominated the World Cup, World Championships, and Olympics for two decades. This article reveals one of her most important summer training sessions.

Uphill running intervals with poles are a fundamental training form for skiers, with a history spanning decades. The Nordic Walking popular among many outdoor enthusiasts differs from uphill running intervals with poles in that the second is always an uphill exercise, and the intensity is generally quite high, often involving threshold or interval training (while Nordic Walking-jogging is typically aerobic exercise).

For Marit Bjørgen, uphill running intervals with poles were one of her main exercises. The skiing legend withdrew from the Olympic stage after the 2018 season, but returned three years later as a long-distance skier, consistently at the forefront. Bjørgen started her Ski Classics career impressively, skiing straight to the podium at Vasaloppet, finishing second behind Lina Korsgren.

Also Read: Strength training for long-distance skiing: Why it’s important and tips for off-season workouts

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Talent and motivation are always important, but it’s no coincidence that the best skiers succeed. Bjørgen has revealed one of her most important summer training routines that helped hone her peak condition. Now, a 44-year-old champion athlete has left the ski tracks behind, but sports are still a part of her life.

During her peak, one of Bjørgen’s main workouts was uphill running with poles, involving intervals on slopes of varying lengths, preferably done on downhill ski slopes. In this workout, she did intervals of 5-4-3-3-4-3 minutes just below or slightly above the lactate threshold. According to Maastohiihto.com, here are her instructions for this training:

Start with a gentle warm-up, such as running four to five kilometers on a trail or gravel road, transitioning to a suitable uphill. The first interval (5 minutes) is performed as a warm-up just below the lactate threshold. The next four-minute interval is slightly faster, around the threshold. Following that are two 3-minute intervals at a higher intensity, followed again by a 4-minute interval at the threshold. Finish the workout with a 3-minute interval at a slightly higher intensity. Recovery between intervals is one to two minutes. At the end of the session, cool down with light jogging.

Why was this particular exercise so beneficial?

Intervals develop capacity by increasing heart rate, thereby raising the amount of blood the heart can pump to the muscles. Increased heart rate enhances oxygen delivery to working muscles, enabling them to work harder, producing more power and speed. Threshold and near-threshold intervals also help raise the anaerobic threshold, allowing you to work at a higher heart rate without producing more lactate than your body can handle.

How long does the exercise last from start to finish?

Approximately one and a half hours: 22 minutes total interval time, with a total of 10 minutes of recovery between intervals, plus about half an hour of warm-up and cool-down.

Are you interested in long-distance and traditional cross-country ski training? Click HERE and read more about it.