This week, Canadian National Senior Development Team skier Frédérique Vézina, who trains with the Pierre-Harvey Training Centre in Quebec, writes about her favourite recovery activity – yoga — and explains how it can be cross-country skiing specific.
Ivan Babikov is excited, to say the least, heading into his third Olympic season. At 33, Canada's most-seasoned World Cup veteran knows what to expect and what not to get too stressed about. "[I’m] not trying to reinvent the bicycle," he says.
In the second half of our "ask a psychologist" segment, we talk to Dartmouth sports psychologist Dr. Mark Hiatt about the pressure and stress that comes with qualifying for big races, and what happens once you do. Hiatt expands on suggestions for how to manage expectations, relax, and get in a positive and productive mindset.
Before the start of the 2013/2014 season, 22-year-old Erik Bjornsen recently sat down with Reese Hanneman for a frank discussion about last winter and the one just ahead.
Sovereign Lake boasted "mid-winter conditions" on Saturday, so naturally, FasterSkier contributor Gerry Furseth had to investigate. What he found was 75-plus kilometres of groomed trails and a reason for switching from his rock to his race skis.
Coaches can't help with everything. We talked to Dr. Mark Hiatt, a sports psychologist at Dartmouth College, for how to deal with some common situations: what if your team is taking up too much time and eating into your life? How do you compete against your teammates? What if you hate your coach? His answers, which we hope will help you.
Scrap the box and make the real thing this weekend with Tracy and Lanny Barnes' dark-chocolate-and-walnut brownie recipe.
Kids are at particular risk of sunburn, and possibly later cancer, when they head out for a ski; athletes in weight-sensitive sports like skiing are at risk for developing eating disorders, and the IOC is trying to do something about it; new "designer" drugs for doping; and stop stressing out, coaches! Your job is bad for you!
Traverse City Nordic Fest: America's biggest preseason XC party on a 350-foot loop. How do they do it? Lots of enthusiastic volunteers, long nights, and ice-rink shavings. The event kicks off Saturday.
A former VAMP, Nancy Fiddler takes a close look at one of the country's largest all-female masters nordic groups, Muffy Ritz's VAMPS program in Sun Valley, Idaho, which caps out at 130 participants each year.
Mmm, nothing says delectable-recovery drinks like Noah Hoffman's raw-egg smoothie. In this edition of "The Hungry Skier," the U.S. Ski Team member and his mother, Sharon, share the recipe and explain the importance of quality ingredients, which Sharon drums up in Colorado.
Sometimes you just need a little sugar, apples and oats warmed up in a homemade apple crisp. Whip up this recipe in less than an hour and save in the fridge for days.
Spaghetti Squash is super good for you, being rich in nutrients and low in calories. It also absorbs the flavors of the other ingredients really well. Use in place of pasta. Here are two delicious spaghetti squash recipes for you to enjoy.
Mmm, maple syrup! Ida Sargent shares one of her favorite homemade bread recipes and even the tip that makes it so sweet.
The Barnes twins' simple-yet-savory recipe for Vermont crepes, appropriate for any time of day in any place ... East Coast or not. (Just make sure you've got the real-deal maple syrup!)
Yum! This is the first in a series of heart-healthy and fitness-ready recipes for skiers. The following, "Carne Asada Elk (or Beef) with Grilled Fruit/Corn," was submitted by Olympic biathlete Tracy Barnes, who co-wrote the Twin Biathletes' Cookbook with her sister, Lanny.
Matt Liebsch, like any pro skier, is all about hammering the rollerski training, but this year, he's taken a slightly different approach. "It is important to keep training fun and diverse at times," he writes. That means 2 1/2-mile swims once a week, indoor cycling training and more. Liebsch explains why it works.
Jessie Diggins loves to ski. That's a good thing because it's her full-time job as a World Cup skier training with the Stratton Mountain School T2 and U.S. Ski teams. At the same time, the 21-year-old has learned to step back, have fun and try new activities to keep things light.
Wednesday Workout fans, you're in luck! The following article complements Bill Pierce's recommendations for stretching, agility and self-massage. Not exactly sure how to use a foam roller? Stuart Kremzner, exercise physiologist, owner of E3 Sports Performance, nordic skier and coach, explains.
In this edition of the Wednesday Workout, we talk about tapering and present some conventional wisdom along with endurance-specific tips. Zach Caldwell explains what some of his professional skiers do to rest up for a big event, and explains why there's no sure-fire method of peaking.