Sadie Bjornsen, 2014/2018 Olympian, World Championship Bronze Medalist, 7-year National Team Member, 10-time World Cup Medalist, 5-time National Champion
My SkiErg has been one of the greatest additions to my training as a professional and Olympic cross country skier. My favorite part is that it is so simple to get in a great workout, no matter the time of day, or the time of year. While skiing outdoors is my favorite form of training, there are a lot of days of the year that I can't do my "favorite" for a variety of reasons. Some of these situations include injury, too cold or icy, it is summer, darkness, or you just aren't motivated to get out the door. My own personal SkiErg has meant that I can quite literally roll out of bed, turn on some super loud music, get in my zone, and bang out a fantastic workout! Some of my favorite ways to make workouts effective are to design a "session" beforehand. Set a goal, rather than just SkiErging mindlessly. That can be intervals, speeds, or even just focusing on single arm or technique cues. Other methods include watching a World Cup video or a race while erging. Surge when they surge, rest when they rest. And finally, bring a friend. Maybe someone to talk to, or even a cell phone to connect with someone while you are training. Using the buddy system is never overrated.
Through the course of owning my SkiErg, I feel like I have made a great jump in my upper body fitness, and I can't wait to put it to the test on snow!