Håvard Bogetveit is the head coach of the private Norwegian Team 1.5 (formerly Team Maxim). ProXCskiing.com’s Norwegian sister site Langrenn.com talked with Bågetveit about training on a roller ski treadmill.

Bågetveit sees several advantages in systematically using roller ski treadmills in training. His team recently returned from the first training camp of the season at the Fjordium Performance Institute, where they completed several workouts on a treadmill.

The training center is managed by the former elite skier Roger Aa Djupvik. At Fjordium, Therese Johaug laid the foundation for the Olympic gold in Beijing 2022.

“Fjordium has three treadmills that you can ski on. It is a big advantage that makes it possible to come with a large team, where everyone gets the opportunity for several sessions during the training,” says Bogetveit.

Bogetveit says his athletes use the roller ski treadmills for several workouts, but he highlights three sessions where the equipment gives extra good results.

“We run several types of workouts on the treadmill. The treadmill is unbeatable for technique training, tests, and standard sessions, but we also run easy sessions. At such sessions, you can try different techniques and have the time to practice and master specific technical elements,” he says.

Testing and standard sessions

The most significant advantage of running tests and standard sessions on a roller ski treadmill is that you can control all the parameters.

“We can control everything so that the tests are as similar as possible every time. It is important when we must compare results and measure progression over time,” says Bogetveit and adds:

“Outdoors have many factors, such as temperature, weather, wind, rolling resistance, and surface, which affect the test results, making it more difficult to compare the tests even if the workout is similar.”

Bogetveit says they start the season with a standard session to measure maximum oxygen uptake capacity and map the skiers’ lactate profile. This test is run on the treadmill to make the conditions as similar as possible.

“With testing on a roller ski treadmill, we get a numerical status, a summary of where the body and shape are. It determines how we plan the training to reach the athletes’ goals.”

When the athletes are tested again with the same standard workouts and testing protocol later in the season, Bogetveit sees the skiers’ progress, how they respond to the training, and what adjustments they may need to make to achieve the desired progression.

Technique sessions

The treadmill also has an important function for specific technique sessions, says Bogetveit, and highlights several advantages of running such sessions on the equipment rather than outdoors.

“On the treadmill, the trainer can check everything and make optimal settings to be able to train on the aspects you want. One example is that with constant speed, the athletes notice more easily when they are skiing technically well or not,” he explains.

Mirrors and better opportunities to film are other advantages of training techniques on the treadmill compared to outdoors.

“Direct visual feedback using a mirror or video makes it much easier for the athlete to understand the technique and which muscles to activate. In a training lab, you can set up cameras at different angles, so you can film and show exactly what you want to focus on, while the athlete can also see their technique both in the mirror and on the screen while the coach explains and gives feedback,” says Bogetveit.

Together, it allows the athlete to better understand technique by running several specific sessions on a roller ski treadmill.

“With mirrors and cameras at different angles, constant speed, and incline, the athlete both sees and notices better what they are doing right and what they need to work on, he says.

Furthermore, indoor quality sessions can be a good alternative when the weather makes carrying out planned outside workouts challenging. It is especially relevant late in the season when it is cold, dark, and wet.

It cannot replace traditional training

At the same time, there is no reason to despair if you, as a skier, do not have access to the equipment. While skiing has several benefits, from tests and hard sessions to technique and easy sessions on a treadmill, technology, and training labs cannot replace traditional outdoor roller skiing training.

In some areas, roller skiing is entirely different from skiing.

Outdoors you encounter different terrain and surfaces, different conditions, and hot and cold weather, and you don’t get trained for that on the treadmill.

In addition, a ski race consists of several technical-tactical judgments, such as where and when to switch from one technique to another, how to position yourself in and out of turns to maintain the highest possible speed, and which track provides the best glide. These are moments you are not allowed to practice on the treadmill but are crucial for success in cross-country skiing.

Are you interested in training for long-distance and traditional cross-country skiing? Click here and read more.