Ways to use Pilates for cross country skiing cross training

Cross country skiing is not only a great way of enjoying the outdoors in the winter but also a nice full body workout. There are three main muscle groups used when cross country skiing, upper body, core and legs. We’ll look at how to use Pilates for cross country skiing training.

Ways to use Pilates for Cross Country Skiing training

Upper Body

In the upper body the swinging action of the poles to push off the snow involves the triceps, back of the upper arm, biceps front of the upper arm and pectoralis major, chest muscles, are used. The triceps and biceps work together when using a diagonal cross country ski stride. When planting both poles in the snow to push off, mostly the biceps are used. When using the skate ski technique, the triceps are mostly used. The pectoralis major muscles are used when using the pole planting technique. The latissimus dorsi muscles are used, mostly in the double pole planting technique.

Lower Body

In the lower body, the gluteus maximus, largest muscles of the buttocks, are used quite a bit in cross country skiing especially in the skate skiing technique, to extend the hip and rotate the leg outwards. The constant pushing off with the legs to gain forward movement involves various muscles of the legs. For example when using the diagonal cross skiing technique the gastrocnemius muscle, calf muscle, is used to both plantar flex the ankle “point your toe” and to flex the knee. This muscle is used quite vigorously in diagonal cross country skiing. The sartorius  muscle, thin muscle running diagonally from the upper part of the outside of the thigh to the lower inside of the thigh, is used in the diagonal and skate skiing techniques to help abduct the leg, i.e. move the leg away from the body. The rectus femoris, one of the four muscles making up the quadriceps, is also used to flex the hip and extend the knee.

Abdominals

The abdominal muscles, the rectus abdominis extending from the ribs to the pelvis, are used quite a bit in cross country skiing, especially in the double pole plant technique. A combination of reformer and matwork will help target all the muscle groups used most when cross country skiing. Matwork targeting the abdominal and the reformer used to target the lower body, arms and chest.