Build Your Base: Athleticism Foundation in Mid-Summer

Again, our off-season emphasis is on using simple equipment (or none at all) to create the robust athleticism that will serve you well in your less-predictable roller-ski sessions this summer; and—most importantly—when you finally get back on snow next ski season. As always: the quality of what you do will matter more than the quantity; so if the quality of your movements decline under the added load, reduce things as needed. Feel free to explore using heavier resistances (dumbbells / med-balls / mini-bands) as you begin to feel more comfortable and confident. The third month of off-season training uses the first and second as solid basing. The additions are far fewer; the changes are generally more matters of increased volume, decreased rest-intervals and an overall elevation of training intensity. You will do the same two leg-circuits as in Phase Two; but you do them consecutively and you repeat them (both). You also take shorter rests between each movement and you limit your rest between circuits to one minute. Your legs will love this! If you’re looking for specific guidance on sets and reps, refer to the link in the comments section of the video. ABOUT THE COACH Steve Myrland is a movement coach and a highly respected performance specialist, working with competitive athletes across multiple sports. He began his coaching career at the University of Wisconsin in 1988, contributing to Big Ten and national championship performances in hockey, soccer, cross country running, tennis, and rowing. Steve has also worked at the professional level, including with the National Hockey League’s San Jose Sharks, where he supported the team during a record-setting single-season improvement. His experience extends to Major League Baseball with the Chicago White Sox, as well as Major League Soccer with the Tampa Bay Mutiny. In addition, Steve has been a frequent contributor to CXC coach education workshops, sharing his expertise in movement and athletic development. 👉 Looking for structured training to support your XC ski goals? Explore our training plans at CXC Academy, https://www.cxcacademy.com. *** MINI-BAND (6-7 min) 00:00 / wide, low stance lateral side-steps (toes) 00:31 / kneeling straight-leg flutter-kick (toes) 00:55 / balanced non-alternating backward half-circle sweeps 01:28 / nearly-kneeling non-alternating 1-leg extension (thigh and toe) 02:11 / alternating lateral triple high-knee skip MOVEMENT WARM-UP (15-20 meter loops; 8-10 min) 2:36 / forward - backward skip 3:14 / lateral shuffle + low-high arm-swings 3:39 / forward - backward cross-skip 4:17 / lateral quick-step carioca 4:37 / fwd - bkwd small zig-zag bounds 5:10 / side-skip (no cross-over) 5:34 / fwd - bkwd zig-zag skip 6:01 / 2 + 1 bounds (2 forward + 1 lateral) 6:32 / fwd / bkwd low double diagonal shuffle with forward and reverse pivots 7:06 / fwd HIGH-skip MOVEMENT-PUZZLE AGILITY (7-8 min) 7:30 / alternating lateral-bound + forward hop 8:00 / alternating lateral-bound + INSIDE rotational bound (clockwise & counter-clockwise) 8:37 / alternating lateral-bound + backward hop STRENGTH CIRCUIT: TWO CYCLES THROUGH (20-25 min [total]) 8:56 / MED-BALL: OUT-facing parallel-stance alt side-to-side wall-bounces 9:34 / TWO DUMBBELS: balanced alternating upright row 9:58 / GROUND-SET: prone turtles 10:44 / WALL-CABLES: alternating turn, step & draw-the-bow (elbow to knee) FIRST CYCLE Leg Circuit #1; rest 10 sec between movements 11:24 / parallel-stance squat + toe-raise 11:47 / alt fwd lunge-twist 12:12 / alt fwd step-ups 12:45 / floor-touch jumps REST 1 minute SECOND CYCLE Leg Circuit #2; rest 10 sec between movements 13:07 / non-alternating staggered-stance squat + toe-raise 13:43 / alternating lateral lunge-twist 14:24 / non-alt forward step-up 14:54 / alternating lateral bound + off-side touch 15:19 / GROUND-SET: supine alternating opposed dying-bug 16:03 / TWO DUMBBELLS: balanced alternating overhead press 16:27 / WALL-CABLES: alternating backward lunge & 2-arm Nordic pole swings FINISHING SET (10 min) 17:01 / right / left side frog 18:00 / supine flat straight-leg hip-rolls (point your HEELS) 18:50 / seated 1-hand grab & lean-away 19:45 / prone flat straight-leg hip-rolls (point your TOES) 20:27 / supine figure-4 pulls 21:28 / supine rotational bent-knee extends 22:05 / supine alternating opposed hand & knee rotational pull-over & opposed high reach 22:51 / up, back, over & hips lift-up 23:37 / crow, stand & reach