If You Want to Improve Your Speed + Agility You Need to Get Stronger First

There are several vital qualities a Cross Athlete (Ski and Boardercross) must possess to consistently be a top performer from race to race.  Strength, balance, endurance, power, quickness/agility, technical skills and mental focus are a few of the more obvious.  Becoming faster and quicker over features on the racecourse is a common result that athletes I train want to gain from their off-season gym work.

PHOTO VAST:: vastaction.com

These athletes at first are a little surprised when I prescribe a steady diet of weight training for strength and size before we come close to doing anything that even remotely resembles traditional speed/agility-style training.

2013 USASA Nationals Review #3 - Finals

Be sure to read Part #1 and Part #2

Race Day morning was clear and calm with relatively warm temperatures.  We got to the staging area super early and were able to secure a good spot for tuning and to stash our gear. The Copper Course was in great condition and super fast to start the day.  Inspections and practice runs went well.  We continued with the ‘Progression’ theme and built up speed from run to run.  Ale and I both felt good and were ready to rock time trials.

Staging Area at the Top of the Copper Course

2013 USASA Nationals Review #2

Be sure to read Part #1

Practice Days #2 and #3 began the same way, course inspection followed by a few start section laps to get loose and in the groove.  On Day #2 we focused on two of the more challenging areas of the course for most of the day to make sure we had the right line and were confident with these features.  The next to last berm and finish section were where we put in the most effort.  The berm was really rutted out and had a washboard-like surface.  You also had a ton of speed hitting this right to left bank which went right into a table, then drop, then left to right bank into a table which gave you even more speed headed into the final section.

Awesome Waxing Set-up at the Condo