ME for Backcountry Skiing/Ski Mountaineering
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Hi all. This winter I’ve been thinking about muscular endurance training as it relates to backcountry skiing and ski mountaineering. ME is undoubtedly a very important part of those activities. Living in Salt Lake City, I have the good fortune of being able to do much of my base period training on skis, and I was wondering how much of a ME stimulus that provides on its own? It seems like spending so much time walking uphill with a pack ranging from 10-35 pounds would have a significant ME effect. I’m curious to hear peoples’ thoughts on how to alter a more typical ME progression to take this into account. Thanks!
I also live in SLC and have easy access to ski. I used the gym ME block training as part of my prep for a week long ski tour trip and found it very effective. In general, muscle soreness was not too bad on that trip despite 8+ hours each day on the skis. I was very careful during my prep to not overdo ME by realizing that a day backcountry skiing or resort skiing was like an ME workout so I often skipped the gym workout if those were within 5 days or if I noticed muscular DOMS feelings.
Hi Brett,
Thanks for your question. If you are not on a skimo setup with extremely light boots, skis and bindings we suggest being careful with the use of ME during “competition” season or your “specificity” season which for skiers is winter. You are right touring with a freeride or even normal backcountry setup has an ME effect in itself. Often clients with this type of setup can’t even do zone 2 work while skiing at first and need to either get a skimo, Nordic setup or run/treadmill to keep their HR’s low enough until they build enough fitness. As a rule of thumb for ski athletes a lot of the strength work should be done in the summer and especially the fall with maintenance weight training in the winter. Hope this helps!
Thanks Kylee! That’s helpful, and definitely lines up with my experience. Also, I think your fast Rogers to Bugs traverse is so inspiring!
Kylee……so how light a ski/binding/boot set up is light “enough” for for uphill zone 2 training?? …..obviously not a perfect answer in ounces but??? …is just going slow enough with my usual backcountry gear to stay below aerobic threshold for training uphill on skins?? ….touring with my better in shape and younger buddies is a problem staying in zone 2 even later in the season now….touring/ski mountaineering is my winter/spring aerobic sport passion though I am now 68 yrs old and have had one knee replaced (very good/lucky result/healing)…..thanks, Chet
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