According to Jaakko Halonen, cross-country skiing coach at Sotkamo high school, running with poles is one of the best forms of intensity training, especially for young skiers. The development of oxygen intake is very efficient when you work with your whole body.

As autumn progresses, the number of intensity workouts is often increased, but Halonen says that young athletes do not always know how to manage them in the best possible way. Even if the aim is to improve oxygen uptake, many perform exercises in a way that develops oxygen saturation and anaerobic energy production.

“Sometimes it seems that maximum capacity (zone 5) exercises are understood in a way that you should go all out on them. Of course, it feels tough and bad in the muscles, but that’s not the main point. If you want to develop VO2, lactate should be kept in check, and there should be no stagnation. During that intensity, the movement is still pretty smooth, and the athlete feels like they can do it well.”

Halonen says it’s the coach’s responsibility to teach the young skiers how each exercise should feel and how tired one should be afterward. When the athlete learns how to do the exercises correctly and in the right zone, one can get the most out of them.

The extra workload of school is critical to consider when planning the autumn training sessions, says Halonen. If the athlete is busy at school, it’s a good idea to make the training load easier:

“If you have a tough workout on the program and feel like you do not have energy and cannot get going today, you should be brave enough to put it off until the next day. In the autumn, I think it is really important that the good feeling does not disappear too far away, but that the feeling that today went well is regular during hard training.”

Sport high school students benefit from the fact that it is often possible to do two training sessions a day despite school. In this case, some training sessions can be a little shorter and develop one particular skill. However, Halonen does not see the combination of normal high school and ski training as a problem.

“High school students who are at school from morning to afternoon can do one session a day, so you may have to compromise a bit more. For example, strength training may have to be combined with basic endurance training, and longer training may not be possible during the week. In that case, it’s worth making the most of the weekends by doing some good quality workouts on those days.

Halonen has two tips for maintaining a good general mood and motivation in the dark and cold autumn weather: sleep and nutrition.

“I think it is really important to maintain a weekly rhythm and focus on sleep. Adequate energy intake also helps you keep going; breakfast and school lunch should be big enough, and you should eat as many snacks as possible.”