Cross-Training with the SkiErg

Just as the indoor rower is used by many people who don't row on the water, the SkiErg is not just for skiers. It’s a great option for anyone wanting an aerobic exercise that uses the arms and core and can be done with or without the legs. When the legs are used, it’s a full body exercise. When the legs are not used, it’s a terrific choice for those who may be dealing with a leg injury or other lower body limitation.

The SkiErg has been quickly adopted by adaptive athletes in a variety of sports. It’s an obvious choice for Para-Nordic skiers and biathletes because the motion is very much like skiing on a sit-ski. We’ve also heard from sled hockey players and wheelchair basketball players. Adaptive CrossFit athletes are also incorporating the SkiErg into their workouts. During this year’s Holiday Challenge, one adaptive CrossFit athlete completed his entire 200k on the SkiErg. We’re pleased that it’s a helpful tool to all of these athletes.

Recently, we read this wonderful story in which a current SkiErg owner donated another SkiErg to a promising high school wrestler who had lost his leg.

As a full body exercise, the SkiErg has appealed to athletes in a wide selection of sports:

• Swimmers: for the similarity in arm movement
• Motocross riders: for the core and aerobic benefits
• Triathletes: provides time-efficient preparation for all three sports
• Runners: simulates aspects of hill running and track speeds without impact and provides measurable and repeatable data
• Mixed martial arts: for core strength as well as cardiovascular, with the ability to measure improvement
• Rowing: the SkiErg provides a motion that is essentially opposite to rowing, and is thus great for maintaining muscle balance

On both the indoor rower and the SkiErg, cross-training is made easier by the fact that you can do such a wide variety of workouts. Need explosive power for sprints and sudden bursts? You can do short intense intervals. Need endurance? You can go for as long as you like. Can’t do a track or road workout due to an injury? Set up the same intervals on the SkiErg. The Performance Monitor will give you immediate feedback and also save your results to memory. It’s a powerful training tool, and it’s not just for skiers.