Periodized Speed Training

The more we learn about speed and power development the more ski coaches are analyzing the way we execute speed training sessions. We continue to learn more about how 'slow twitch' distance racers can benefit greatly from a periodized speed training approach and will improve over time.  

Especially for slow twitch athletes and masters, learning the correct motions first before thinking of it as 'speed training' is hugely important. When we pair a periodized speed training regime with a periodized summer strength plan our goal is to first work on technique, then build power and max strength (increase muscle recruitment), and turn that into velocity (speed on skis).

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Speed training is a crucial part of a training program for sprinters and distance skiers. We ALL need to train speed. But how much? How Often? Should we be doing a 10 second speed? How about 8 or 15 seconds? How much rest should I take?

These are all reasonable questions and it actually amazes me how little most skiers know about training speed and the best ways to improve speed throughout the off-season.  As with all training methods, if we keep doing the same thing week after week, month after month we will stop seeing improvement so the best way we can prevent this is through periodized speed training. 

It is important to point out that ‘speed training’ doesn’t just exist on skis. Having a well-structured strength plan that trains explosive and dynamic movements is the backbone of speed training.  Also incorporating the right running mechanics (See Morning Mechanics) into your skiing and learning to activate powerful muscle groups off the snow is fundamental to improving speed on skis. 

The following progression will focus on the roller-ski and on-snow portion of speed training. 

To answer that question, it makes sense to refer to the most basic, most participated, and most straight forward race in the history of man: The 100-meter dash.  

Usain Bolt can run 100 meters faster than any other human, but a funny thing to think about is this: As he strides past his competitors with 30, 20, 10 meters left in the race he’s actually slowing down. No joke. He’s just slowing down slower than any other runner in the World. It sounds crazy but it’s absolutely true. 

The point I’m trying to make is that even the fastest humans on the planet reach a top speed (in this case it’s usually about a 60-80 meters into a 100 meter race) and despite everyone’s efforts to maintain that max speed its inevitable that everyone will slow down, even in a race that’s less than 10 seconds long! Another funny thing is that elite sprinters all have a relatively similar max speed, but it’s the runners who can hold and maintain that max speed, even if it’s just a second or so longer than their competition, who cross the finish line first. 

The same principle applies to skiing as well. When the gun goes off at the start of a sprint or mass start everyone will accelerate, but the athletes who accelerate quickly and can also maintain their max speed for just a little bit longer,  will find themselves in the lead. Whether it’s bridging a gap to catch the leaders, pushing hard over the top of an up-hill, or drag racing to the finish our max speed becomes a limiting factor in ski racing more often than we think. Furthermore, with the added element of balance while sliding on snow, skiers can be challenged even more than runners when trying to maintain a max velocity which is why speed training for skiing is so important for distance skiers and sprinters. 

Taking some insight from track and field in the 2000’s the US Ski Team tried to learn more about speed training by identifying when skiers reach their max speed and how long we can maintain it for. I was part of a study with sports physiologist Sue Robson where we set up timing lights every 10 meters and recorded velocity data during our speed sessions. We did this for 2 years on all kinds of surfaces from indoor tracks, parking lots, snow and came up with some interesting themes that could be used to build a periodized speed plan. 

We saw that skiers, just like runners, will top out at a max speed on a flat surface. Skiers accelerate slower than runners off the line and because of this we actually don’t reach our max velocity until a 110 – 120 meters. (for most skiers this takes anywhere from 9-12 seconds) Just like runners, skiers can only maintain a max speed for a second or two on a flat surface before decelerating. 

The data also presented us with a unique problem. When a max effort speed is longer than 15 seconds it involves a different physiological demand. (If you want to get sciency it has to do with converting ATP and CP into ADP and the amount of Glycogen and Oxygen involved) . We don’t need to go there but the point is as speeds get into the 15-20+ range, lactic acid becomes a limiting factor and disrupts the adaptation we want to be training through speeds which is the body’s ability to use ATP, CP, and Glycogen as instant fuel and neuromuscular recruitment. 

From the timing light info we realized we needed to modify our approach to speed training and make some new goals. We were never going to improve our ability to maintain max velocity if we were just doing 10 second speeds on flat terrain. We needed ways to decrease the time it takes us to reach maximum velocity, increase our total maximal velocity, and improve our efficiency at maintaining the max velocity. The way to do that, incorporate more assisted speed (downhill, drop-in) and resisted accelerating (uphill) and increase the total number of repetitions and rest between repetitions in order to improve neuromuscular firing and improve ATP/CP storage and replacement. 

Acceleration – (starts, flat terrain) goal is to improve time to max speed

Resisted – (uphill) goal is to improve power and neuromuscular recruitment

Assisted – (gradual downhill or drop-in from downhill to flat) goal is to practice maintaining max velocity for as long as possible 

1 speed session every 7 -10 days. Focus is on technique and training the correct muscle patterning. Think of speed sessions in May more as a technique session than anything else. 

8 -12 speeds at 85% effort. 8 -10 seconds in length. Typically done as part of a distance rollerski session. 

1 speed session every 7-10 days. Focus is on technique and correct muscle recruitment. Each session can include 

Acceleration - 4 starts at 90% effort - 8 seconds in length 

Resisted – 4 uphill V2 or V1 at 90% effort – 8 seconds in length 

Assisted – 4 gradual downhill V2 or V2 alt 90% effort – 10 seconds in length 

1 speed session every week. Focus is on increasing max effort but without thrashing. Increasing total reps and on-time. 

Acceleration - 5 starts at 95% effort - 10 seconds in length 

Resisted – 4 uphill V2 or V1 at 95% effort – 10 seconds in length 

Assisted – 5 gradual downhill V2 or V2 alt 95% effort – 12 seconds in length 

1 speed session every week. Focus is on increasing max effort but without thrashing. Increasing total reps and on-time. 

Acceleration - 5 starts at 100% effort - 10 seconds in length 

Resisted – 5 uphill V2 or V1 at 100% effort – 10 seconds in length 

Assisted – 5 gradual downhill V2 or V2 alt 100% effort – 12 seconds in length 

1 speed session every week. Focus is on increasing max effort but without thrashing. Increasing total reps and on-time. 

Acceleration - 5 starts at 100% effort - 10 seconds in length 

Resisted – 5 uphill V2 or V1 at 100% effort – 10 seconds in length 

Assisted – 5 gradual downhill V2 or V2 alt 100% effort – 12 seconds in length 

1 speed session every week. Focus is on increasing max effort but without thrashing. Increasing total reps and on-time. 

Acceleration - 6 starts at 100% effort - 12 seconds in length 

Resisted – 6 uphill V2 or V1 at 100% effort – 12 seconds in length 

Assisted – 6 gradual downhill V2 or V2 alt 100% effort – 15 seconds in length 

1 speed session every week. Focus is on increasing max effort but without thrashing. Increasing total reps and on-time. 

Acceleration - 6 starts at 100% effort - 12 seconds in length 

Resisted – 6 uphill V2 or V1 at 100%effort – 12seconds in length 

Assisted – 6 gradual downhill V2 or V2 alt 100%effort – 15 seconds in length 

Continue with one speed session per week if race schedule allows. 

Decrease the total number of reps but focus on quality