August. Most
people on Vancouver Island are still in the throes of enjoying a delightful summer,
but I can’t help but notice the anxiety creeping into my mind. Where did the
summer go? Winter is getting closer and I feel I could have done so much more
to prepare for the upcoming Biathlon season!
For winter
athletes, there is no break in training during the summer. Rather, summer is
the time when mistakes are addressed, experimentation with technique is
undertaken, and a solid foundation of fitness is re-built. During this
preparation phase, Nordic athletes commence training by developing a strong
base of strength while also developing a cardiovascular base.
What is this
magical “base” I speak of? An athlete develops base cardiovascular ability
to be able to deliver blood and oxygen to working muscles in the most efficient
way. Base training helps strengthen the heart while building an elaborate
capillary network that will help deliver the blood and oxygen your body needs –
especially under challenging race conditions.
How to Develop a Cardiovascular Base
Base
training is developed mainly through longer cardio sessions at a pace much
easier than you think would be beneficial. This base training, or aerobic
training, usually happens at an intensity of 60-70% of your heart rate (HR)
maximum. Not sure what your heart rate zones are? Find out on this Karvonen
calculator.
Base
training sessions usually last at least 60 minutes but can also last hours.
These are not short training sessions, and they shouldn’t be difficult training
sessions either. The benefit of this reduced intensity is that one often
recovers faster from these sessions. The aerobic base is also the foundation
that allows the athlete to then progress to more challenging workouts later in
the training year.
Having a
solid strength and aerobic base allows athletes to maximize more intense
workouts whilst avoiding injury.
Base and Intensity in the Preparation Phase
The other
day I was listening to this Stephen
Seiler podcast. I hadn’t heard of this chap before, but learned he is a
professor of sports science at the University of Adger in Kristiansand, Norway.
What struck
me about Seiler’s interview was his belief in an adherence to a traditional
training regime guided by the 80/20 rule. This means that 80% of your training
should be easy (50-75% HR max) and only 20% should be at an intensity beyond
this.
It seems that
the modern athlete or individual looking to get fit believes there is some
secret formula or shortcut to successful performance. And so we buy the fitness
magazines offering the latest trendy workout. We go to cross fit classes
because we heard from some friend that high intensity interval training (HIIT) is
the best and only way to train.
Yet with the
Nordic sports, Norwegians consistently get on the podium. Why is this? As
Stephen Seiler points out:
“… They know
what gets you on the podium, and they know that there are no shortcuts. They
don’t fall for the latest trend, the latest trick because they know how you get
there. The magic is there is no magic in Norway.”
I love this
because it’s so true! To excel in Biathlon, one has to stop searching for
shortcuts and realise that one simply has to put in the time. That means firing
thousands of rounds in the off season, and going on those long, easy intensity
sessions.
For me, that means going for two hour hikes on my favourite local trail, or taking my hardtail mountain bike out for a long spin on cycling paths and gravel roads after work. These sessions are provide a great opportunity to organize my thoughts, or just enjoy the pleasure of not thinking at all. It’s immensely relaxing and centering, and provides benefits far beyond the sport itself.
Takeaway Points
You didn’t
want to read this article because it was too long but still want to know what I
wrote. Here it is:
- The preparation phase helps develop foundational strength and a cardiovascular base upon which more intense training is built
- The guiding principle of the preparation phase is the 80/20 rule: 80% of your training should be between 50-75% of your HR max, and only 20% is above this intensity
- There are no shortcuts; stop looking for them
- Long, aerobic sessions can be relaxing and centering; keep an open mind and enjoy them
