Endurance Training Philosophy

I've always been interested and fascinated with whatvessel network and an increase in aerobic enzymes.
works and what does not work when it comes toThese long rides also improves the body's ability to
endurance training. I've seen and heard manyutilize fat as an energy, leaving the more fast-burning
different philosophies and methods as to what workscarbohydrate energy for the short bursts of power
and how an endurance athlete should train. Ofin a race.Even with these facts, many modern
course, many roads lead to Rome and there arecoaches are not recommending young athletes to
without a doubt many different ways to succeed. Ifocus on these long rides. A simplified way to look at
would certainly say that the training culture inan effective endurance athlete's weekly training
northern Europe is a bit different maybe then what itprogram, following traditional endurance training is:
is in Southern or Eastern Europe. I will try and sum upHard, easy, easy, Hard, easy, easy. On a weekly
what I've learned, observed and heard with regardsbasis it would be Hard, Harder, Hardest, Easy, in
to the "Norwegian" method vs. Continental Europe.regards to volume.4. Athlete vs. coach / team. I think
Endurance training methodology in Norway consistswe have been successful in treating each athlete as
of some key items:1. As much as possible of thean individual and listening to the athlete. Just because
training is done outside, year round. Irrespective ofyou have a team of top, elite performers, does not
weather conditions. We compete outside, so we trainmean that each one will not have specific individual
outside. We have access to some of the best naturalneeds. And those needs may vary from week to
training terrain in the world and use it well. As aweek or month to month. One training program will
side-benefit, if you are used to training in badonly fit one athlete, you cannot design one program
weather, you compete better in bad weather. Oneand suggest that everyone follows it. Individual
of the reasons for this "obsession" with outdoorvariables such as illness, recovery rates etc will throw
training activities is simply that most citizens from athat whole system off. Eastern European nations on
very young age is taught the joy of being outside,the other hand have notnecessarilyy believed in this.
enjoying nature.2. Cross-training. It is generally moreThey have required all athletes on the national team
accepted that an endurance athlete can improve histo follow the same training program, regardless of
performance by using cross-training. In other words,individual variables. This has in effect, lead to eastern
a cyclist can become better by running, hiking andEuropean countries falling 10-15 years behind the
cross country skiing. He does not necessarily only"curve".A great example is the old Soviet cross
have to ride his bike. This belief also allows us to traincountry ski team and their training program. Between
outside year round in a country that might not haveMay and September everyone on the team had to
100% optimal conditions for cycling in the winter. Infollow this plan: Monday - 35 km rollerski in the
southern Europe the general feeling is that a cyclistmorning and 1.5 hour run in the terrain in the
can only become better by riding his bike. Running orafternoon. Tuesday - 2.5 hour run, uphill in the
skiing is a waste of time.3. Long rides at mediummorning and 1.6 hour rollerski in the afternoon.
intensity vs. shorter rides at high intensity.Wednesday - 2.5 hour rollerski in the morning and 1
Traditionally, endurance training at home has beenhour easy run in the afternoon. Thursday
overwhelmingly dominated by lots and lots of long,-strengtht-training and easy recovery training. Friday -
relatively easy sessions and very few hard, high2.5 hours hard run in the morning and 1.5 hours
intensity sessions. In a nut-shell this would make uprollerski in the afternoon. Saturday - 3 hour run or
the yearly training program for cross country skiers,rollerski Sunday - rest with lots of sleep. In addition,
long distance runners and cyclists. It has becomethey were forced to sleep at certain times. In other
very "hip" recently to discard these long, "easy" rideswords, no consideration for the individual athlete. This
and label them as a waste of time. Some scientistsprogram lead to great success for the athletes that
have gone as far as to say that this type of training"fit" the program and no success for the individual
is entirely wrong. Instead, they suggest more hard,that needed something different. Many
threshold sessions and intervals. This they say,talentedskierss never realized their potential because
regardless of the fact that most successful eliteof this rigidness. I think we have been successful in
endurance athletes, regardless of sport, never trainedNorway, due to the concern for the individual.5. Use
this way.I will defend the traditional method and hereof pharmaceuticals. One of the greatstrengthss we
is why: For an endurance athlete, about 90-98% ofhave in sports at home is the attitude towards taking
the performance is aerobic. The remaining 2-10% areany type of drug, legal or not. The use of any drug,
anaerobic. So, in a 4 hour competition, as much aspill, drink etc that is not natural is very rare. From
3.92 hours would be aerobic and 0.08 hours would bebottom to top, we utilize very, very little products
anaerobic. In other words, you can train to improvethat "aid" athletes. In short, top training consists of
your performance in the 3.92 hours or you can trainrunning, skiing or biking outside combined with an
to improve your performance in the 0.08 hours.afternoon nap and a good night sleep for recovery.
Obviously, the potential for improvement is muchThe diet is a simple, sound composition of wheat
greater in the 3.92 hours that are performedbread, dairy products, potatoes, fish, lean meat and
aerobically. Not to mention that the 0.08 hours oflots of vegetables and fruit. This is VERY different on
anaerobic performance is not that "trainable /the continent where athletes take all sorts of
improvable". So, in short - traditional endurance"recovery enhancing" products etc. I'm glad I got that
training with about 90% of the total training volumeattitude with me now, it makes it easier to make the
per year focused on aerobic capacity (long rides withcorrect choices in modern cycling where team
low-medium intensity) and the remaining 10%doctors etc are always trying to give you something
invested in intervals and tempo rides is moreto "speed up recovery" etc.I'm a full-time endurance
beneficial. The long, easy-moderate intensity ridesathlete (cycling), with the 2012 London Olympics as
(called langkjøring in Norwegian) improves certainmy main goal. I maintain a blog, where I write about
key physical attributes: increase incellularrmy ups and downs in training / racing as I work
mitochondria, improvement of the capillary bloodtowards year 2012.