A warm-up for a Nordic ski sprint race is critical for getting your body ready to perform explosively over a short distance. Here’s a sample warm-up routine designed for a sprint race, which typically lasts between 2-4 minutes, requiring a combination of speed, power, and endurance.

A. Warm-Up Phase (20-30 minutes total)

1. Easy Ski (10-12 minutes)

Start with 10-12 minutes of easy skiing at a low intensity (Zone 1). This allows your muscles to loosen up, your heart rate to gradually rise, and your body temperature to increase. This phase should be comfortable, at a conversational pace, and ideally on flat terrain.

2. Dynamic Stretching (5 minutes)

After the easy ski, perform 5 minutes of dynamic stretching, focusing on the muscles most involved in skiing:

• Leg swings (front to back, side to side)

• Arm circles and shoulder rotations

• Hip rotations and lunges

Dynamic stretches help increase your range of motion and prevent injury by ensuring your joints are ready for intense activity.

3. Gradual Intensity Build (8-10 minutes)

Gradually increase your intensity with short bursts of moderate effort, alternating between skiing at a moderate pace (Zone 2) and short accelerations.

• Ski for 3-5 minutes at a steady Zone 2 pace (about 70-75% effort).

• Include 4-5 short accelerations of about 10-15 seconds at 80-85% effort (Zone 3-4) during this phase.

This will start activating your aerobic and anaerobic systems while engaging the muscles required for sprints without causing fatigue.

B. High-Intensity Phase (10 minutes total)

1. High-Intensity Intervals (5 minutes)

This phase mimics the effort required during the sprint race and ensures your body is ready to perform at its peak.

• Perform 2-3 high-intensity intervals of 30-45 seconds, where you push at or near race pace (Zone 5). These intervals should replicate the demands of the sprint—explosive and fast.

• Follow each interval with 2-3 minutes of easy skiing (Zone 1) to recover.

The goal here is to activate your anaerobic energy systems and get accustomed to the high pace of the sprint race without over-exerting yourself.

2. Explosive Starts (2 minutes)

Practice 2-3 explosive race starts by doing short, hard sprints for 10-15 seconds from a standstill. This will prepare you for the fast start necessary in sprint racing, as the initial speed and power are critical.

C. Final Cool-Down (2-3 minutes)

Finish the warm-up with a short cool-down of easy skiing (Zone 1) to keep your muscles loose and your heart rate elevated but not overworked. This also provides a mental reset before the race.

Race Mindset

After completing the warm-up, take a few minutes to focus mentally on the race. Visualize the course, your pacing strategy, and your key technical movements (e.g., clean transitions, pole plants, and body position).

Total Time: 30-40 minutes

This warm-up routine is designed to ensure your aerobic and anaerobic systems are activated, your muscles are primed for explosive effort, and you are mentally prepared for the race.