Reaction Speeds (game)

It’s a key principle of ski training that we start by building fundamental skills, general fitness, and general strength early on in the training year. As we get closer to the ski season nearly every training approach we use should get more ski specific in some way. In the Fall, strength routines become more ski specific, we should execute our intervals sessions in a more specific mode and pace, and yes even our speed sessions can progress. 

Previous entries have pointed out how speed repetitions and speed durations can progress throughout the training year. It is common to build up from 10 speeds in a session to close to 20 by race season. The duration shouldn’t change much but progressing form the 8-10 second range to the 12 – 14 second range can actually elicit a needed training response in late Fall.  

A slightly different, and really fun, way to progress speed training this time of year is with a workout first introduced to me by the Norwegian National team, known as reaction speeds. We have fine tuned this workout with the US Ski Team and turned it into a fun game. 

GOAL: 

Add a new element to a speed session by varying the deration, recovery time, and even where and when the speeds start. This can all be done by grouping up with 2 – 10 skiers and making a competitive game out of speed training. 

WARM UP:

30 minuntes 

20 minutes easy skiing 

4x accelerations building from 50%

5 minutes dynamic stretching

SESSION: 

15 – 20 reaction speeds

We most often do this session if groups of 5 – 10 people. With than number each person is responsible for starting 2 speeds each. With smaller groups just have each skier initiate enough speeds to have 15 – 20 total speeds. 

Rules: Each skier can start a speed whenever they want without notifying the group. Just go! The rest of the group needs to react to their speed for the next 10 – 14 seconds. If you are in the back, no problem. Skiers get 3 points for passing the athlete who initiates the speed. If you are the athlete to initiates the speed and nobody overtakes you, you get 1 point. The skier at the end of the workout with the most points wins!

Guidelines: I recommend the group ski for at least 1 minute before someone initiates a speed. Be careful that the L1 easy skiing pace between speeds does not creep up as athletes want to jostle for position. Try to keep the speeds under 15 seconds at the longest.

This workout is great for sprinters and distance skiers to practice pack skiing and reacting to changes of pace within a pack. It is also a nice change from the very structured speed repetitions we are used to which incorporate full rest and a known start and finish.