🍂 The Autumn Workout That Gets You Ready for Snow – Hill Bounding, Plyometrics & Endurance in One
Autumn is here – darker evenings, crisp air, and soft forest trails.
Many cross-country skiers head indoors when the days get shorter, but this is when nature offers the best training conditions.
Few things beat that satisfied feeling after a tough outdoor session on a rainy fall evening!
Here’s a complete outdoor workout – one you’ll never fully recreate in a gym.
A session that trains endurance, power, technique, strength, and stability – all in one.
💡 All you need? A pair of poles, some hilly terrain, and the will to challenge your body in a smart way.
🏔️ Why Hill Bounding (“Älghufs”) Is Gold for Skiers
I’m a huge fan of training with poles. It’s not just technically valuable – it engages your body in the same way as skiing.
You train strength, stability, and explosiveness – while also pushing your heart rate high.
💬 Think of älghufs (hill bounding) as a bouncing version of running with poles – a movement that mimics diagonal skiing, but without skis.
The difference from “running with poles” is that in älghufs, you use your whole body as on snow: you push off with your core and legs together, create pressure under your foot, and generate a spring-like motion where your legs work like loaded springs.
🧠 That rhythm – the balance between tension and relaxation – is what makes älghufs so valuable.
You’re not just training your heart and lungs; you’re training your timing, power transfer, and the feeling of proper diagonal skiing.
💬 And for those who mainly double-pole: yes, technique matters here too!
When your core and stabilizers are active and connected, you’ll gain much more control, balance, and “pop” in your movements.
🟩 Tip: Choosing the Right Pole Length
If they’re too short, you’ll “collapse” and lose power.
Aim for poles that reach about mid–upper arm height (roughly 78% of your body height).
They don’t need to be fancy – any simple pair will do just fine.
🧭 Workout Structure: A Complete Autumn Session for Cross-Country Skiers
This is one of my favorite sessions – simple, effective, and complete.
You train heart, muscles, and technique all at once.
Further down you’ll find short videos showing each part of the workout.
🔥 Step 1: Warm-Up
10–15 minutes of easy jogging or walking with poles.
Finish with dynamic mobility exercises for your upper back, shoulders, and hips.
🎯 Goal: get the blood flowing and prepare joints and muscles for the work ahead.
⚡ Step 2: Plyometrics (Jump Training)
Choose 4–5 exercises that wake up the body (2–3 sets of 15–20 m):
Double jumps
Single-leg hops (control + balance)
Explosive double jumps
“Ski bounding” or “skipping” jumps
Lateral ski jumps (side-to-side)
🎯 Focus: keep your core stable on landing – no “sack of potatoes”!
Plyometrics charge your muscles like springs and prep your body for the intervals.
🧗♂️ Step 3: Hill Bounding Intervals (Älghufs)
Do 5 × 5 minutes with 2 minutes rest between each.
If you don’t have one long hill, do älghufs uphill and jog between climbs.
The first interval is your “warm-up interval” – let the body adjust.
Then increase the pace slightly for each set – build progressively.
💡 Goal: high heart rate, but without building up lactic acid.
Train the body to work efficiently, not just hard.
👣 Technique focus:
Keep an active, stable core and push through your forefoot.
Feel your body move forward – not your legs pushing backward.
💪 Step 4: Cool-Down + Strength
5–10 minutes of easy jogging or walking.
Then add 3–4 simple strength exercises, for example:
Single-leg stability (hips and glutes)
Core activation (plank or dead bug)
Push-ups or band pulls for shoulders
🧩 Why This Session Works So Well
You train:
✅ Endurance (heart and lungs)
✅ Power and technique
✅ Strength and stability
✅ Body control and balance
Everything you need to ski more efficiently, technically, and powerfully this winter – without endless monotone training.
And the best part? You get all of it in one time-efficient workout.
💬 “You want lots of heart rate – but little lactic acid. That’s when you’re training smart.”
💬 Ready to Take the Next Step?
Autumn training doesn’t have to be boring.
With a pair of poles and a bit of determination, you can build a stronger body, improve your technique, and make the transition to snow much easier – and a lot more fun.
🎤 Upcoming lecture: “Success on Snow” – November 12 & 26
Want to understand how body mechanics and ski technique connect – and get the keys to more power, control, and flow on snow?
📍 Hälsans Hus, Stockholm – November 12 at 19:00
Limited spots available – register here!
🏢 For companies or clubs:
Want to try älghufs and ski-specific training in practice?
I offer workshops and outdoor training sessions customized for your team.
👉 Contact me here