SkiErg – Do You Really Need to Think About Technique?

SkiErg. A machine many people love – and just as many hate.
But how important is it really how you pull those handles?
Is it enough to just go hard – or could you get more out of it if you focus on technique?

💭 What do you want from your training?

If your goal is simply to get your heart rate up, rack up some watts, and feel exhausted – then sure, just go for it.
Your heart doesn’t care about posture or timing – it only feels the effort.

But even if your goal is “just” endurance or power output, technique still matters.
As a physiotherapist and coach, I always want to see the body working as efficiently as possible.
When movement is better coordinated, it becomes smoother, more natural – and less stressful on your body.
That means fewer injuries and training that’s more sustainable in the long run.

And if your goal is to become a better skier, then technique is your best friend…

💬 A common question I get:

“How important is it to use ski-like technique on the SkiErg – compared to just building strength and endurance?”

My answer:
✅ If you just want to get your heart rate up – go for it.
✅ If you want to ski better – start with the movement.

When you train smarter, the watts will come naturally. But as a result – not as the main goal.

🎯 Why technique matters

It’s not about pulling harder.
It’s about how you do it.

• Don’t let the power get stuck in your arms.

• Let your core connect the movement.

• Find rhythm – tension and relaxation in the right balance.

• Let the body cooperate, not compensate.

• The motion should feel smooth, not forced.

The more control you have, the less energy you waste.

🧠 Technique is like learning to dance

First you learn the steps – slowly and with focus.
Then it starts to flow.
Eventually, you dance without thinking.

The same goes for the SkiErg:

👀 Common mistakes I often see

When I do SkiErg technique analysis, the same issues come up again and again:

🔸 Too much arm work – the body collapses, turning it into an arm pull instead of a body-driven movement.
🔸 The core “drops out” – the lower back overarches, the abs relax, and the back takes the hit.
🔸 The pace is too high to stay in control – it becomes a race instead of effective training.
🔸 Poor timing – the pull starts with the arms instead of the body, losing power right from the start.
🔸 Tension everywhere – tight shoulders, stiff legs, and that constant “everything at max” feeling.

✅ My top technique tips

💡Want to feel your body working more in sync?
Try this next time you’re on the SkiErg:

1. Start slow – but with good rhythm and drive.
   Feel what’s happening in your body, not just your arms.

2. Let the pull start in your core.
   Feel your abs engage and stabilize – and how the rest of the body follows.

3. Exhale as you pull.
   This helps your core engage automatically, without overthinking it.

4. Find your flow.
   Focus on rhythm and control, not just power and speed.

5. Feel more than you force.
   Small adjustments often make the biggest difference.

6. Record yourself once in a while.
   You’ll often see what feels “off” – even without a formal analysis.

Remember: skiing on snow is all about feeling and control.
If you don’t focus on that when training on the SkiErg, you might get faster on the machine –
but out on the trails, that power gets lost somewhere else.

🔍 How I use the SkiErg in my work

I use the SkiErg both as a training and an analysis tool.
The machine reveals a lot – often more than people realize.

Through video analysis – in person or online – I can see what’s happening in your body:
issues with stability, rhythm, or power transfer.
I help you find the cause, not just the symptoms.

It’s often about giving your body a new movement vocabulary –
getting the right muscles to activate at the right time.
When that clicks, you’ll notice it immediately.

🏁 In summary:

👉 Want to train your endurance? Go for it.
👉 Want to ski better? Start with your movement.

Small changes in stability, timing, and rhythm make a big difference.
And you rarely need to train more – just differently.

📹 Want to see your own technique?

I offer digital technique analysis.
You record a session, send it to me – and get personalized feedback, explanations, and exercises.

It only takes a few minutes – but the effect is immediate.