Lenny Valjas photo by: Devon Kershaw Rollerski Training Should a skier train on Rollerskis during the off season? Rollerskiing is the Best way to train during the off season…well, almost; the absolute best would be to ski on snow, of course, but most of us won’t ever be able to do this. Even world class skiers, who do regular glacier skiing, will train a lot on rollerskis during the off season.
Why is it important? It’s well known that “specificity training” is the key to improving. Not only must the skier incorporate ski muscles in the proper sequence but the intensity while training has to equal or exceed the intensity when competing. In other words it has to look and feel like skiing and it needs to be done at least as hard if not harder than racing. In fact skiers will be greatly disadvantaged if they don’t rollerski during the off season. Running, cycling, swimming and other endurance sports will definitely help the athlete develop base fitness but nothing, save skiing on snow, will prepare the skier for the coming season the way rollerskiing can.Rollerskis are lightweight, smooth and easy to use and allow the skier to effectively simulate all aspects of both skating and classic techniques. Furthermore, when you pay careful attention to detail, roller skiing is an excellent way to perfect and preserve technique*; even the diagonal stride can be done effectively. *Caution must be taken when diagonal striding on roller skis because of the ratchet system in the wheels. It doesn’t matter how bad or good your weight shift is, rollerskis will give you grip. However when you pay careful attention, technique can be fine tuned during the summer months and will translate to better technique once on snow!! Visual feedback is probably the best way for you to correct your technique. In other words have yourself video taped regularly and compare your technique with the world’s best. If you don’t feel your “eye” is all that keen, get feedback from a coach or someone you know has a lot of knowledge when it comes to technique…
How should I train on Roller skis? Train basically the same way you would when on snow. Roller skiing can be done as:
Rollerskis can also be used for strength training by using a slight uphill and doing repeats of double-poling and single-poling up the hill, or by skating without poles. Remember: "Making your technique good comes from training good technique!!"
How often and far should I Rollerski? The short answer to the question is that rollerski training, like all forms of effective training, ought to be progressive. Therefore how far, how often and level of intensity depends on the time of year. Since preparation for the season starts already at the beginning of May (of a given year), the amount of rollerskiing in May would be considerably less than in August and would likely be significantly more in October and November. The body and mind may need a bit of a break from skiing after a long season and it may be wise to mix in a variety of other training during the early phases of dryland training and then add more rollerski workouts and increase intensity as you get closer to the season.
Rollerski Poles For proper technique and maximum power transfer use the right pole length (make link to the Rex site for pole lengths). We often see people using poles that are too long. This is the main culprit in the development of bad technique, muscle pain and fatigue. See the animation of Ulf Kleppe. His classic technique on rollerskis is exactly the same as on snow. He knows and feels right down to the millimetre, how long his poles should be. i.e. very close to 81-82% of his total height. Question: Should I use different length poles when roller skiing?...Or the same length as when on snow? Click here for answer! |
Answer: Use the same length poles as when skiing on snow. Yes, you are higher off the ground when roller skiing BUT your poles don’t sink in the pavement the way they do in the snow…therefore they negate each other. You can even use the same poles if you don’t have roller ski specific poles…just remember to change the pole tips. Pole tips (with baskets) aren’t designed to withstand the pounding of the pavement and the tips will come apart with prolonged use. NOTE: Always use proper rollerski tips (ferrules) and keep them sharp by diamond filing before each outing! |
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Always rollerski with a helmet!! |
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