It is about –15c and I just read the winterlude triathlon article on Xtri. It got me thinking: What is the most transferable cross training for the bike?
I snow shoe for 2-3 hours each day on the weekend, how does that compare to classic skiing / skate skiing / speed skating, If I rollerblade in the spring am I supporting my bike fitness or just enjoying the sun
Thanks in advance CM
Oh, when you said cross-training, I thought you were referring to the Mel Gibson movie…
The last ski instructor I had used to mountain bike in his off-season to keep fit. Thus should work vice-versa.
Skate Skiing most definitely mimics the power movement required in pedaling ie., lots of glute and hip involvment. Also, it is a phenomenal calorie burner and overall strenghtener for both muscles and cardio vascular. There’s a reason the highest Vo2 readings have been recorded in World Class XC Skiiers. Classical technique is also a very effective winter training tool, but probably more akin to running. the combination of the two is pretty hard to beat.
“It’s only crazy if your’e not doing it!”
Too funny!!
Skate skiiing helps biking and swimming. Classic skiinig helps running and swimming. Pierre Lavoie, who has finished top 5 at Lanzarote, and LP goes by the following program in the winter: “No Swim, No Bike, No Run, just cross country”.
Anyway, by definition, triathlon is cross training, but as long as you keep moving your body all winter and build that aerobic engine, the tri specific activities will fall in place. I am yet to hear of someone (in an event half ironman or below) say, "I had to slow down because my legs were burning, but my lungs were fine. Most of the time, the limiter is the cardio engine.
Next year, come up for the winterlude tri !
I am yet to hear of someone (in an event half ironman or below) say, "I had to slow down because my legs were burning, but my lungs were fine. Most of the time, the limiter is the cardio engine.
Well, you can no longer say that! I do exclusively sprint races, and it is invariably my legs that give before the lungs. I think I’m in such good CV shape, that my legs just can’t put out the power to tax my lungs/heart. Same goes in the pool. This year, it may be different, since I feel pretty darned strong in all three disciplines, but I don’t feel very “deep” in any of them (coming off four weeks off due to foot surgery).
Ken Lehner
klehner is correct…in a trained athlete, it isn’t the cardiovascular system that is the limiting factor in continuing at a given pace. It’s local, at the myofibril level.
As a strong runner, the legs have always been the limited factor on the bike - not the CV system. I only wish my legs could keep up . . . I’d be flyin’
JeffJ wrote: As a strong runner, the legs have always been the limited factor on the bike - not the CV system. I only wish my legs could keep up . . . I’d be flyin’
You’re a perfect example of the falacy of HR training. If you biked at a power output sufficient to raise your HR to a calculated Lactate Threshold, you’d be burnt toast in short order…because your LOCAL muscle conditions (NOT your Cardiovascular system output) are THE limiting factors in your biking power output.
HR training has it’s place as a tool, but, you have to know it’s limitations.
It sounds like skate skiing is a good cross over due to the power movements similar to cycling not due to the aerobic load. I would guess that roller balding has a similar movement / cadence?
Snow shoeing (in deep powder) has a much lower cadence and much higher peak force, similar to a hill climb?