Skierg value for Xc Skiers

[Dpoleit89]

Hello to all!

2 months ago i bought a skierg to improve my skiing training for winter marathons.

To xcskiers (and others): Do you see any improvement since implementing skierg into your training routine?

Thanks

[DghSpanishWelsh]

Was discussing this yesterday on a Facebook group, dude on there was saying he found it useful prepping for the Vasaloppet.

[Dpoleit89]

Ok but did he improves times on tracks?

I read an article about ‘24 Vasaloppet winner , torleif syrstad, that he uses a lot the skierg because he works full time so he can’t train that much on rollerskis and skis.

We will see in 2025 at Marcialonga if it will be paid off all the hours on skierg

[DghSpanishWelsh]

Not sure, didn't ask him that - dude wasn't fighting for the win.

[Dpoleit89]

Not sure, didn't ask him that - dude wasn't fighting for the win.

Ok but you should see improvement on the tracks.
Anyway, if many ski classics skiers use it, it has a place and many benefits.

[blazs]

I am wondering the exact same thing. My feeling is that roller skis are a better investment than SkiErg. I believe SkiErg could be most useful for interval training and form check-ins (controller environment with exact measurements).

I feel that it does help me: I can still work out on days when I can't roller ski (time or weather constraints) and it gives me a metric that I can use to understand how I compare to better skiers.

For me it seems that I have a lot of room in skiing technique improvement before performance on SkiErg translates to skiing. E.g. I can sustain decent power outputs on SkiErg but that doesn't carry over directly to skiing: my double poling technique needs work and my classic skin skis are too soft which causes drag when double poling (which prevents me from leaning forward---the foward lean compresses the chamber causing the skins to drag more---so this encourages poor technique in a way).

[Karisma]

I think roller skis are better for training but, when there’s no snow and to cold or ice on the roads it’s very good with SkiErg.
Also it’s easier and faster to do a workout, at least for me who lives with a gravel road outside the door.
For me both hiit and longer workouts on skierg has made me a better doublepouler on skis, I last longer, of course in combination with gym training.

[Dpoleit89]

@blazs: i would suggest to change skis. I did it 2 years ago and it changes from day and night.
I also have many rollerskis but there are many problems to do it in my country (Italy). It is technically illegal, bad roads, asshole drivers and so on.
Also with rollerskis I can't reach high hr like skierg.

@Karisma: it seems the same to me. This year at Marcialonga we had really bad conditions to ski but I went from 1028th in '24 to 995th in '25, so it helped a bit.