Cross Country Skiing

Reviews

This is an excellent overview of general fitness training concepts with an emphasis on cross country skiing. There are many interesting and knowledgeable experts discussing a wide range of topics on the video. The current and former athletes are inspiring. The exercise physiologist is particularly good. There are no true skiing technique segments, so if you are looking for that, this isn't the video. This video is all about training and preparation. I would have perhaps liked to have had more information on diet and nutrition. Also, in order to get the information I found that I had to watch some segments a few times and take notes. Perhaps a bullet point summary at the end of each segment would have been nice. There is a ton of information covered here. Overall, I would highly recommend this video.

DVD Review: Nordic Ski Training Secrets for High Performance Sport By: Craig Storey, [..](2007/11/30) XCZone.tv studios is a trusted source for instructional and motivational multimedia. They are the producers of many cross-country ski action adventure movies as well as demonstrative videos. Most skiers in the Ottawa area will be familiar with the faces behind the cameras; athletes, coaches and ski enthusiasts Dave McMahon and Lise Meloche. Dave and Lise have been making a unique contribution to our sport by bringing spectacular and innovative footage of all kinds of cross-country skiing and aerobic sports to life on video, helping to promote the sport and modernize its image. I received a copy of the DVD in October and have slowly watched/listened to the entire 9 hours. There's beautiful cinematography and action clips, but what this set of DVDs attempts to do is answer any and all questions about xc ski training. It's an all encompassing look at the requirements and training methods of cross-country skiing. In their own words... "... [it] reveals the most successful methods of World Class athletes, and is guaranteed to streamline your efforts, build sports-specific fitness and deliver tangible results. Begin a deep-dive exploration of applied sports physiology, psychology and pedagogy - a journey that exposes the secrets of elite fitness in high-performance sport. The product is a complete synthesis of the most successful medal winning programs and advice by a pedigree of scientists, coaches and elite athletes." These DVDs definitely provide a lot of in depth knowledge of sports physiology, general training principles, ski training exercises and techniques, as well as looking at the training methodology to other sports. If you can think of any word specific to skiing, I would wager there is a chunk of time devoted to a discussion of the topic in these DVDs someplace. Just have a look at the list of topics - [..] Along with the educational information are candid interviews, discussions and frank advice from athletes that have experienced the theory and application of all the topics. This video brings together not only the ski training knowledge of Dave and Lise, but that of many, many others - athletes, coaches and sports physiologists . Athletes include Thomas Alsgaard, Ole Einar Bjoerndalen and Beckie Scott. Coaches are interviewed from biathlon and skiing as well as other sports like canoe-kayak and running. This is where the "secrets" as mentioned in the title are revealed. Listening to all the interviews you learn that there are no secrets, just fundamental truths that apply to all sports. They start with learning about the sport and training, practice and eventually experience. That's what it takes to succeed. Have a look at the talent and credentials of those making appearances -[..]. So if it's an in-depth study and set of interviews, it's only applicable to elite racers right? Not true. If you're the parent of a child who has joined a ski club or someone just getting started in skiing the DVD can be used to familiarize yourself with ski terminology, training fundamentals and the development path for ski training. You will learn "why" behind the workouts that ski coaches prescribe. This makes it a valuable tool for coaches, parents and young athletes. At the same time the demonstrative nature of a lot of the material will provide insight and inspiration to spice up any training program; useful for intermediate to skiers and coaches alike. There's a lot in there for anyone interested in skiing for fitness or racing. Like all XCZone.tv videos the cinematography was beautiful and fluid. While I'm not usually one for watching talking heads I did really enjoy the athlete and coach interviews. You won't find the cliche filled interviews you get with pro-sports athletes, but rather candid and forthcoming answers and information. For those two reasons alone it is worth purchasing. Add to that the demonstration of all offseason training methods; drills, strength exercises, plyometrics, etc. and it makes the price a real deal. However, I did find the narrator distracting after awhile. I tired of his voice and found that it gave the impression you are watching an infomercial. That's unfortunate, since the actual content is first rate. Don't let this dissuade you from watching the entire DVD though. My advice is to break up your viewing into manageable sittings. Maybe even have it on in the background for several days while you do other things and tune in when something catches your attention. Just like a university lecture you can only absorb so much of this dense information at one time, so pace yourself. This leads me to my second criticism. While the DVD is broken into chapters, it's hard to navigate to the content for reference. It would be nice to have a time line as a reference so that you don't have to search through all 9 hours of video for those drills or exercises you wanted to try. This maybe available in the Coaches Toolkit that provides ipod/mobile videos as a portable reference, but that's a separate purchase. A better indexing system would have been nice. Overall this offering is solid. If you are a skier at any level, beginner to elite, there's something in these DVDs you can benefit from. It will provide coaches with a means to quickly bring athletes and parents up to speed on training plans, help athletes learn to plan for themselves and provide skiers with much to discuss on those long skis. Full disclosure: XCOttawa skiers are featured in this DVD. We don't profit from it's sale. We do strongly support its sale, however, in order to encourage and inform skiers about the sport we love.

Nordic ski training for high performance sport covers the entire landscape for athletes and coaches. There is nearly 9 hours of run time and over 10,000 video clips. The DVD alternates between interviews with elite athletes, coaches, sports scientists and a superb professionally narrated script. There is so much knowledge on these disks that you will have to plan several sittings to absorb it. The discussion goes very deep into high-performance sports physiology, coaching and mental training. This training course integrates well with the technique DVD Nordic Skiing Technique. What we found amazing was of all the Olympic and World Champions interviewed for this project, over a dozen sports, that there was universal agreement on training. One has to credit xczone.tv and natural fitness labs for for bringing together national sports governing bodies, scientists and some of the greatest athletes alive to share key knowledge on training. The DVD set covers every topic conceivable. If you are serious about any sport then this is something you must have on your shelf, and consult regularly.

Reviews

Whilst this book is aimed primarily at the serious endurance athlete, I wish to widen its appeal after having used the book to good effect at the age of 59. Consequently, I would suggest you do not allow yourself to be restricted by the title because you do not have to be a competitive endurance athlete to gain maximum profit from this work. Nowadays, my own memories of winning the regimental mile (and in a very credible time!) are very distant. Nevertheless, I still go running with a pack on my back (old airborne habits die very hard!) as the battle of mind vs middle age spread enters the hardest phase yet. It is a fact that the older one gets, the harder all physical training becomes. This book, however, proved its worth in the first few pages by showing me an easier way to obtain similar results. After all, the book commences with; "Consider your own objectives." Says it all really. There are many times in life when we all believe we know best and never more so than when it comes to physical training, but, consider this; If such training was as simple as just going for a jog, then why are others obtaining university degrees in the subject with some gaining high paid employment - especially in the field of sports injuries. The reality is, we who go for a run (and often do nothing else!) are not gaining maximum benefit from all that hard work. Whilst the focus of the book remains the serious endurance athlete - and from which all such people will gain enormously from a thorough study of the content, I was particularly impressed by the way in which the book is able to benefit those of a lesser standard. There is no point in boring people with a blow-by-blow account of my own physical condition because no two people are alike. Nevertheless, if this work can be of great assistance to me - in my 60th year!, then there is something here for anyone with a wish to improve their own physical abilities and, therefore, their own appearance and, ultimately, health. It is a simple fact that when you are fit and slim you not only look good but also feel good about yourself. Such results, however, are not obtained through liposuction, pills or other easy solutions - they are obtained through hard graft and physical endurance. What is important, therefore, is for each individual to start at their own level, understand that level and go on to gain maximum profit from their own physical input and this book shows the way. Lesson one; Do not be embarrassed! Nobody is laughing just because you are wearing a tracksuit. Lesson two; Buy a copy of this book and make a start. Lesson three; Enjoy! NM

Well, having ordered two books from you people, and only one has shown up (both shipped by October 31 apparently) the other has no tracking possibilities. Yep, I am supposed to just wait in limbo and hope and pray. So seriously, it would be nice if I actually had the second book to review. As of now you get a 0/10 for delivery service. The first order was trackable, and arrived in two weeks. What gives with the second???? By the way I also emailed you about this, and have received no reply. SO, I'll give it two more weeks, then contact Visa...

Rob Sleadmaker and Ray Browning deliver serious knowledge about athletic training. The writers give you 21 spreadsheets for you to track your program (see appendix). If you want to speed you through the book, follow this reading plan: MUST Chapters (for Knowing, Insight) ------------------------------------- 1) [ch 11] Staying Motivated to Train 2) [ch 6] Fueling the Body for Training and Performance 3) [ch 2] Foundations of Systematic Training 4) [ch 7] Recovering Effectively from Training 5) [ch 4, to page 111] Doing SERIOUS Workouts MUST Chapters (to Follow their System) -------------------------------------- 1) [ch 4, from page 111] Doing SERIOUS Workouts 2) [ch 3] Scheduling Your Training OPTIONAL Chapters ----------------- 1) [ch 1] Determining Your Training and Competition Needs 2) [ch 8] Tracking Your Training 3) [ch 9] Managing Your Training Program 4) [ch 10] Optimizing Your Training for Racing

This is the first book a serious athlete should read on endurance and multisport training. It provides a great foundation for everything you will need to know to develop your own effective training program. The writing team of Sleamaker and Browning work well together. Sleamaker gives you the theory and the facts, and Browning puts them into practice.

It has a lot of good ideas on how to create a training schedule. This isn't the main book I use but I do revert to some of the ideas on occasion.

Reviews

This book is easy to follow and enables the reader to make up a fitness program of one's own. I liked it better than the TAO Method of cross country skiing because it was so hard to follow. Excellent program!

This book has the basics and more for someone beginning a training program for Cross Country Skiing. It also contains an endurance test, strength tests and stretches specific for Nordic skiing. The wide variety of levels/workout programs will fit anyones needs and desire, with some exercises and training sessions for each level. This book is skiing specific with some equipment selection and skiing technique infromation. There is also some handy tables and forms. *THINK SNOW*

Fitness Cross-Country Skiing by Steve Gaskill is a commendable book for anyone who wants to train seriously. It covers pretty much everything but stops short of integrating technique with fitness. Other books which I found useful in my training were Training for cross-country ski racing by Brian Sharkey and Tao of Skiing cd rom by xczone.

This book is definitely for the cross-country skier who is also a racer, or wants to begin racing. This is not the book for the occasional skier who only wants to slide and glide on the golf course. Steve Gaskill, the author, was coach of the US Ski Team for ten years. Since it was written by a coach, "Fitness,Cross-Country Skiing" is a very highly organized, step by step instructions for getting it top shape to compete in the demanding sport of Nordic racing - everything from 5K sprints up to 50K marathons. Everything a competitor needs to know is here, dry land training, on snow training, exercises in the hills, on the flats, roller blading, stretching, and rest days. There are heart rate charts, calories burned charts, and suggested levels of training for everyone from the out-of-shape weekend racer to the elite world class athlete. This is a wonderful resource of the competitor or one interested in total fitness.

Reviews

This book reports on a year-long exploration of the effects of strenuous exercise. Prior to the study described in this book, McKibben had considered himself endowed with no more than average physical ability. He was in his late-30s, in decent shape, but had never been a competitive athlete. He was curious about the natural physical limits of his body, and decided if he were ever going to discover what those limits were, he needed to act soon, before middle age took its toll. In this book, McKibben relates his experiences while training and competing in his first long distance ski races. At the same time he was monitoring the changes in his own body as he improved his physical conditioning, he was observing the rapid decline of his father's body as he succumbed to a fatal illness. In the book, McKibben provides some interesting details about the science of athletic training, but as he discovers, the more interesting part of the journey is the spiritual aspect. From the outset, McKibben is aware that his chances of becoming a world-class athlete are practically nil, just as his father's chances of surviving brain cancer are practically zero. In such circumstances, what matters is not the final outcome, but one's attitude in facing the inevitable. The book is not meant as an athletic training guide, but rather a description of the mental conditioning one must master in order to successfully negotiate any long-term challenge.

I guess they say real men don't cry, but this book really tests you. It's written from the first-person perspective about a guy's yearlong effort to get in shape through cross-country skiing, and also to enjoy his relationship with his father during the latter's long bout with terminal cancer. Because I enjoy all kinds of outdoor activity (I cycle toured around Australia not too long ago!), I was initially attracted to the book by the sports angle. From that perspective, the book was great. Having down-hill skied since the age of 5 I'm not overly versed about the world of cross-country skiing, but the author delves into different kinds of techniques, skis, waxes, and other equipment, as well as the underlying physiology in a detailed way that shed some light on the sport that I never got riding the lifts. Additionally, I definitely enjoyed gaining greater insight into the subculture (Did you know that the major event in the sport is called the "Birkebeiner"?) What I didn't expect at first was such an emotionally gripping book about family relations during serious illnesses. The author describes the gradual decline of his father's health, and the toll that takes on the whole family. There are some really nice passages where you recognize the moments that all of us enjoy with our families, but the not-so-fun moments are part of the reality portrayed, too. By the end, I was glad for having read this book, because it was a lot more than just a journal of a year spent skiing.

Bill McKibben does a fabulous job of writing about his experience trying to be a better person. He learns, and shares with us, that it is more than just a physical challenge, its an emotional and interpersonal one as well. Beautifully written.

Using a casual tone, the author allows the non-elite athlete to vicariously live the "what-if" scenario we all think of -- what if I REALLY trained...? A good, casual read that offers no answers, but plenty to think about.

This book is disappointing. It purports to chronicle a year of high performance endurance training for a not quite elite athlete. It also, surprisingly, chronicles his father's death from cancer. Neither topic has anything much to do with the science and psychology of world class level compeition in endurance sports. There is no training data, only anecdote; there is no bibliography, but many references to other books which sound like they are better; there are almost no racing experiences in this book - believe it or not, the author only races 8 times in a year. (Why doesn't he enter a few running races in the skiing off season or during the snow drought he whines about ad nauseam?) If nothing else, this book demonstrates that training without competitive drive equates to zero racing results. (If his point is that serious training can only augment genetic capabilities in small ways, serious athletes already know that.) This is really a personal account of the loneliness of the long distance runner - why does the author train for 2-4 hours a day if he isn't really a racer? I don't know what he is looking for, but he is never going to find it on a race course of any kind.