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Fitness Components for Cross-Country Skiing

In addition to the high level of skill required to compete in cross-country skiing, to be a successful athlete you need good aerobic endurance, upper body strength, balance and coordination! (see about fitness for cross-country skiiing). However, which of these are more important? Below is a discussion about the fitness requirements for cross-country skiing, based on feedback from visitors to this website, which can help with developing training programs for this sport, and for interpreting fitness testing results and determining the relative strengths and weaknesses of a competitor.

You Need To Have Endurance

We have a poll about the component of fitness most important for success in Cross-Country Skiing. Out of the options of Body Size and Composition, Muscle Strength, Muscular Endurance, Power, Speed / Quickness, Agility, Flexibility, Balance and Coordination, and Cardiovascular Endurance, the factors which are considered most important by the readers of this site are clearly cadiovascular endurance and muscular endurance, accounting for over 60% of the votes in total. You can add your vote too.

You Need To Be Highly Motivated

In a similar poll, we have asked people to rate the 12 factors of success for sports. Visitors to this site have rated each of these factors for the sport of cross-country skiing, and the most important according to them are: Motivation & Self Confidence, Skill and Technique and Balance & Coordination. The component of aerobic fitness was rated very low, despite being rated in the poll discussed above as the most important for success. You can also add your ratings of Which Factors Make Successful Cross-Country Skiers.

cross-country skiier at the Calgary Olympics