Training – Page 3 – FasterSkier

Prime the Body for Race Day with a Race-Prep Workout from Jessica Yeaton

Jessica YeatonJanuary 25, 2022

All the athletes are all stripped down to their race suits and zooming around the course with laser focus. They are breathing hard; in fact, some of them seem to be skiing at max effort. If it weren’t for the lack of announcements, race bibs, and cheering from the crowd (pre-COVID, of course) you might actually think it’s race day – but it’s not. It’s actually the day before the race, and many of the...

Feature Resources Training Workouts

The Nationally Shared Workout: A Look at the U.S. Pace Project

Pasha KahnJanuary 12, 2022

Last year, in an effort to create a standardized workout that could be easily replicated and repeated, national team coaches presented the concept of the “U.S. Pace Project.” The concept is straightforward: a shift away from time-based intervals to distance-based, centered around repeated laps of a 5-kilometer course. This familiar distance is key. In a call in July, Matt Whitcomb, U.S. Ski Team Head Coach, and one of the creators of the project explained that:...

Feature Health Resources Training

Quantifying Recovery: An Intro to Heart Rate Variability by Ned Dowling, PT

Ned DowlingDecember 10, 2021

As endurance athletes, and especially as cross country skiers, we like to suffer. We enjoy a sport that takes place in the coldest months of the year and requires both strength and endurance to climb big hills and descend on skinny skis with no edges. We like to breathe hard. Most of us are in it for the suffering and the healthy dose of chemicals that our bodies release when the heart rate goes up...

Community Feature Lifestyle

The Road from Albuquerque to Beijing: A Check-In with Jessica Yeaton

Rachel PerkinsDecember 7, 2021

In the fall of 2018, on the heels of a season that included representing Australia at the PyeongChang Olympics, Jessica Yeaton applied to physical therapy programs. What she did not expect as she focused her lens on a new goal is that the 2018-2019 season would include some of the top results of her career, which reinforced the vision that she was not quite ready to fully hang up her skis. During that season, Yeaton...

Community Feature Lifestyle

Op-Ed: On the Pervasiveness of Eating Disorders and the Faults of University of Oregon Track & Field Program

Rachel PerkinsDecember 2, 2021

CONTENT WARNING: This article includes stories of an individual experience with an eating disorder, including numerical values of weight. If you’re struggling, you can contact the NEDA Helpline, which has options for text, chat, or phone support. INTRODUCTION: This opinion piece is a response to some recently publicized experiences of women of the University of Oregon track and field program who were routinely scrutinized for their body composition, underwent DEXA scans to measure body fat...

Camps Community News

Team Birkie at Altitude: Park City and Canmore for Camp

Ella HallNovember 25, 2021

At the end of October, Team Birkie headed west for three-weeks. Leaving the midwest in search of a higher altitude training venue and snow, they headed first to Park City, UT, then north to Canmore, Alberta, where winter has already settled in. Coach Caitlin Gregg had several objectives for the camp, primarily related to training time above sea-level. Her first goal for the team was to get in a three-week altitude block, in order to...

Community Lifestyle News

What They Bring on the Road: Unique Items from the World Cup Crew Abroad

Ella HallNovember 24, 2021

This World Cup coverage is made possible through the generous support of Marty and Kathy Hall and their A Hall Mark of Excellence Award. To learn more about A Hall Mark of Excellence Award or to learn how you can support FasterSkier’s coverage please contact info@fasterskier.com. In just two days, the World Cup season will be kicking off in Ruka, Finland. For the American squad, this means they have left behind the final throes of...

Feature Lifestyle News Travel

Visit Canmore: Some Off-the-Ski-Trail Suggestions

Ella HallNovember 16, 2021

For those who have yet to experience the beauty of Canmore, Alberta, a Google search for photos of the town alone should provide sufficient motivation to put it on your travel bucket list. A dramatic skyline of rugged and imposing peaks provide a backdrop to main street, the Nordic Centre, and pretty much anywhere else you could visit in the Kananaskis Valley. Smaller than its perhaps better-known neighbor, Banff, the streets of Canmore are lined...

Feature Resources Strength Technique Training

Adding Power to the Push Off: Understanding the Rate of Force Development

Ned DowlingNovember 1, 2021

This article builds upon the four-part “Building a Better Skier” series, which explores how biomechanics and movement patterns affect skiing technique, and more importantly how you can apply these concepts to improve your skiing. Please feel free to email the author with any questions: ned.dowling@hsc.utah.edu. Recently, I overheard one of my Physical Therapy colleagues tell a patient, “We’ve got to get you jumping. If you want to get back to running, you’ll need to do...

Feature Health Resources Training

Wildfires, Smoke, and Air Quality: A Survey of Programmatic Response in the West

Rachel PerkinsOctober 20, 2021

Spinning past the autumnal equinox into fall, the West looks back on a summer marred by wildfire smoke. Here in Colorado, the Aspens have dropped their golden leaves, snow encrusts the high peaks, and I’m struck by the beauty of my backyard, which spent the majority of June, July, and August muted by smoke that — thankfully — blew in from elsewhere. Over the last six weeks, checking AirNow before training has been phased out...

General Interviews Lifestyle News

Randall, Sargent, and Stephen Take on the 2021 Boston Marathon

Rachel PerkinsOctober 12, 2021

While no one would wish for the circumstances, a fall running of the Boston Marathon is perhaps a skier’s dream. The iconic foot race is on many a bucket list; however, the third Monday in April is early for those who spend the winter strapped to skinny skis rather than pounding pavement. After cancelling the April, 2020, running in light of the descending COVID-19 pandemic, and deciding against an April date for the 2021 event,...

Community Lifestyle News

Photo Essay: Anchorage Skiers Stoked Over Sizeable September Snowfall

Gavin KentchSeptember 28, 2021

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — An autumnal survey of who’s got early snow is somewhere between a trope and a cliché in these pages. Consider, for example, “Early Season at Hatcher Pass: A Photo Essay,” “Early-Season Snow: A Photo Roundup,” or “Alaskans Revel in October Skiing at Hatcher Pass, Birch Hill” (with photos). You may sense a theme here. But the earliest on-snow dates in these articles are October 6, October 14, and October 15. How would...

Feature Health Nutrition Resources Training

Dialing in Performance Fueling: Gus Schumacher Explores Continuous Glucose Monitoring

Rachel PerkinsSeptember 8, 2021

Over the last six months, an increasing number of athletes have posted photos and videos from their training sessions that include a small circular pod attached to the back of their arms, near the triceps. As it turns out, the pod is a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), specifically the Abbott Libre Sense Glucose Sport Biosensor which partnered with a new company, Supersapiens, to design an interface that allows athletes to monitor and optimize their blood...

Feature Health Resources Strength Training

Building a Better Skier Part 4: The Shoulder

Ned DowlingAugust 30, 2021

This is Part 4 of a series delving into how biomechanics and movement patterns affect skiing technique. If you haven’t already, start with the introduction, Part 1 which introduces the concept of a neutral spine posture, Part 2 which describes spine stability and mobility, and Part 3 on single limb stability. ——————————————– Upper body power is a major contributor and perhaps even a determinant of cross country skiing performance. Poling accounts for up to 60%...

General Interviews Lifestyle News Olympics

A Glimpse Inside the Tokyo Olympic Bubble with Peter Graves

Ella HallAugust 20, 2021

Most FasterSkier readers will be familiar with the name Peter Graves, also referred to as the voice of cross country skiing (and incidentally, the author’s uncle). This summer, Graves lent his voice to the cycling venues near Tokyo for the 2020-turned-2021 Olympic Games. For Graves, this marks his twelfth time announcing at the Games, including summer and winter appearances. Needless to say, he has a wealth of experience. FasterSkier connected with Graves on a recent...

Feature Health Resources Strength Technique Training

Building a Better Skier Part 3: Single Limb Stability

Ned DowlingAugust 9, 2021

This is Part 3 of a series delving into how biomechanics and movement patterns affect skiing technique. If you haven’t already, start with the introduction, Part 1 which introduces the concept of a neutral spine posture, and Part 2 which describes spine stability and mobility. The ability to balance and be stable on one leg is where the rubber meets the road (or ski hits the snow). True, we generate propulsion with strength and endurance,...

Feature Lifestyle Resources

World Cup Photography: A How-to with Federico Modica

Julia KernAugust 5, 2021

*This is the last piece of a multi-piece series on photographing skiing, ranging from capturing skiing on your smartphone to taking a deep dive into how professionals capture skiing on the World Cup. Take a look at the last three pieces in case you missed them. Part 1, Part 2, Part 3. From making the most of your smartphone in your pocket to picking the right camera for your photography goals, and to experimenting with...

Feature Lifestyle

Manual Camera Basics Part II with Julia Kern

Julia KernJuly 28, 2021

*This is the third piece in a multi-part series on photographing skiing, ranging from capturing skiing on your smartphone to taking a deep dive into how professionals capture skiing on the World Cup. Take a look at Smartphone Photography and Manual Camera Basics in case you missed them. The first step to manual camera photography is understanding the parts of your manual camera. Once you have a basic understanding of how a manual camera works, the functionality built into...

Feature Health Resources Strength Technique Training

Building a Better Skier Part 2: The Spine, When to Move it, and When to Keep it Still

Ned DowlingJuly 9, 2021

This is Part 2 of a series delving into how biomechanics and movement patterns affect skiing technique. If you haven’t already, start with the introduction and Part 1, which introduces the concept of a neutral spine posture. There are many ways to conceptualize biomechanics, but they all need a starting place. If we think about ski technique, where do we want to start? On the glide leg? With the poles? At the hips? For this...

News Nutrition Resources Training

With Temps Bumping into Triple Digit Territory, some Tips and Tricks for Hot Weather Training

Ella HallJuly 6, 2021

As the Western US experiences unprecedented early summer temperatures FasterSkier reached out to some U.S. Ski Team athletes to get their tips and tricks for training in the heat. (Dehydration is serious. Look out for these signs that your fluids need to be replenished: Extreme thirst, infreqent urination, dark urine, fatique, and lethargy. We reached Kevin Bolger in Bozeman, Montana (the temperature at the time of writing: 94°F) where he was training before heading...

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