The following is a translated and summarized version of a presentation given by Svein Tore Samdal at the 2004 Norwegian Coaches’ Seminar. Translation and summary by Inge Scheve exclusively for xcskiworld.com.

This particular presentation summary is provided in outline format only. All comments and findings outlined in this summary are entirely those of the presenter.

Overview of the Norwegian women's team, which is...with one exception...a very young squad.

The 3 major training factors:
• Oxygen uptake
• Anaerobic threshold
• Efficiency

Our working motto to address these three factors is “A good Training Environment.”
• Efficiency: Mostly related to technique issues:
• Efficient movement solutions
• Power in specific movements
• Muscular efficiency developed through specific strength training.

Reasons for adopting a non-traditional block schedule (periods):
• Stagnation in capacity
• “Hungry” athletes
• New research
• Variety, change of focus, motivation

How to distribute more oxygen to the muscles?
• Answer: train your heart muscle. This increases oxygen uptake and thereby performance.
• Heart training at 90-95% of max HR – or 10-20 beats below max HR.

Blocks/Periods:
• May: Basic volume – lots of hours and varied activities
• Development blocks: 4 periods of 12 to 14 days with 9 to 18 intensity sessions (level 5); standard workout is 5x4 minutes.
• Stabilizing blocks: 4 periods of 3 to 5 weeks. Lots of volume, focus on strength, 2 to 4 “capacity workouts” (level 3-4).

Development blocks (as performed in 2003):
• June 14 days - 18 intensity sessions
• Juli 14 days - 9 intensity sessions
• August 12 days - 12 intensity sessions
• September 12 days - 11 intensity sessions

The June-block - “The Capacity Project”
• Period: May 30 – June 12
• 18 effective intensity sessions, each 5x4 minutes with 3 min active recovery. Different activities.
• Testing on treadmill before and after, lactate testing during the experiment
• Focus on diet, hydration, sleep and restitution
• Results:
o Everyone improved maxO2; average 5% increase.
o 10-15 heart beats down on same treadmill intensity.

Important:
• Precision: find their own intensity, hit their own intensity zones.
(NOT: “Hang with the gang” or “win the workout,” but: train at their own intensity).
• Technical effect because we trained at race pace.
• Improvement in practical workouts (time trials, tread mill testing, altitude training).
• 90-95 % of HR max is not as hard as we think. You work close to “slightly stiff” and finish the workout in a fashion where you feel that you could have done more.
• We can handle more than we think (even if you get tired during the intensity block).
• Maintenance: To maintain the new capacity levels, two intensity workouts per week is sufficient.
• The next season, we will do fewer workouts in each intensity block and add more variety in the ways we do them.

XC in Montana!