The Role of Exercise-Mode Variation in Daily Load Management Among World-Class Cross-Country Skiers

This study aimed to retrospectively analyze the day-to-day mode periodization of endurance training among world-class cross-country skiers.

Three hundred sixty-five days of self-reported endurance training from 17 (7 female) world-class cross-country skiers (28 [3] y) were retrospectively analyzed. The data included information on session duration, intensity, and modality (eg, skating and classical skiing, roller skiing, running, cycling, kayaking, and others) and was separated into the general preparation (GP) and competition period (CP). Mode monotony was calculated as the proportion of the most applied mode.

Mean weekly mode monotony was 48.3% (4.3%) during GP and 55.0% (5.2%) during CP and correlated negatively with weekly training load (r = -.5, P < .001). The time gaps between sessions with the same mode (0 [same day]/1/2/3/4/5+ d) were distributed as 5/43/25/12/6/10% during GP and 5/47/21/12/11/15% during CP. During GP, 21% of intensive sessions were performed ≥14 days after the previous intensive session in the same mode, while the remaining sessions were spread evenly across 0 to 13 days, with each interval accounting for <10%. This trend reversed during CP, with 18% (6%) of intensive sessions (including races) in the same mode on consecutive days and other time gaps ≤11%.

This study provides new insights into the day-to-day application of different exercise modes by world-class cross-country skiers. The findings indicate high variability in exercise modes, with mode monotony rarely exceeding 50%. While skiers frequently applied the same mode with gaps of 1 to 3 days, intensive sessions using the same mode were typically separated by longer intervals, except for gaps related to competitions.