Master Your SkiErg Performance For Hyrox & Crossfit with Louisa Sondergaard
In this episode of The Progress Theory, host Dr Phil Price welcomes CrossFit coach and athlete Louise Sondergaard to dive into the world of ergometer training, focusing on the vital yet often overlooked skill development in using ergs, particularly the SkiErg and rower, to enhance athletic performance.
Having first discovered Louise through the Upside Strength podcast with Sean Seale, Dr Phil was intrigued by her passionate discourse on integrating skill learning into erg training within CrossFit and functional fitness, drawing parallels with the detailed technique analysis used in weightlifting. Louise shares insights from her journey as a CrossFit Level 3 coach and her transition from a finance career to coaching full time, with impressive accomplishments like setting world records on the SkiErg during lockdown.
Together, they explore the nuances of erg training, the cultural shift towards recognising its significance in the fitness community, and practical advice for athletes eager to optimise their erg techniques. Whether you're a novice or seasoned athlete, this episode is packed with valuable strategies to elevate your rowing and skiing skill sets and, ultimately, your overall performance.
In this episode, we discuss:
- 00:00 Introduction
- 03:28 Enhancing Monostructural Conditioning Techniques
- 08:59 CrossFit Skill Development Challenges
- 11:28 Coaching Machines: Overcoming Technique Gaps
- 14:46 Rowing vs. Flashy Gym Techniques
- 19:29 Erg Training: Technique and Intervals
- 20:38 Optimising Aerobic Training Methods
- 25:39 Upper and Lower Body Training Balance
- 27:28 Upper Body Skiing Challenges
- 31:54 Transitioning Athletes Struggle in CrossFit
- 37:03 "Ski Erg Skills and Technique"
- 38:35 Microdosing Technique for Athletes
- 43:13 Polarised Training Routine Explained
- 45:50 Online and Custom Fitness Programmes
Takeaways
- Technique Matters: Just like in weightlifting, enhancing your technique on ERGs can lead to better performance. It's about more than just going hard; it's about mastering the skill.
- Complementary Training: Incorporating ERG workouts with other conditioning work can create a well-rounded fitness regime. Using various machines strategically can help manage fatigue and improve overall efficiency.
- Continuous Learning: Coaches need to expand their knowledge base on ERG techniques to effectively incorporate them into training programs. There’s always room to grow and improve!
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Resources Mentioned
- Upside Strength podcast
- Concept 2
- CrossFit
- Hyrox
- SkiErg world records (five kilometers and six kilometers)
For all our other episodes and to get in touch, please visit www.theprogresstheory.com.
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KULT Media 2023
Mentioned in this episode:
The Science of Hybrid Training
It was originally thought that you could not effectively train for both strength and endurance at the same time because they required different adaptations which were not compatible with each other. It was claimed that ‘an interference effect’, blunted the adaptations for strength if you simultaneously trained for endurance. However, recent developments in sports which require both strength and endurance have really challenged this idea, with hybrid athletes producing impressive performances in both strength and endurance sports together. This had led scientists, coaches, and athletes to rethink what is humanly possible and suggests the interference effect is not as influential as originally thought. But what is a hybrid athlete? What is the ‘interference effect’? And how can we maximize our training to improve at the same time our strength and endurance performance? In this book, Dr Phil Price provides insight into the misconceptions surrounding strength and endurance training by distilling the past 50 years of research and drawing on the conversations he had with great scientists, coaches, and athletes on The Progress Theory podcast. This book is essential reading for hybrid athletes and coaches who are looking to understand the key training variables and their effect on the simultaneous development of strength and endurance performance.
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Podcast Produced By KULT Media
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