Olympic Winter Sports Need Tailored Training Plans, Not One-Size-Fits-All
Researchers propose a two-track training framework for winter Olympic athletes, with different endurance protocols for pure endurance sports like cross-country skiing versus sports where aerobic fitness plays a secondary role. The finding could reshape how sports organizations allocate training resources and improve athlete performance across disciplines.
Originaltitel: Endurance Training in Olympic Winter Sports: A Narrative Review of the Current Literature and Future Research Priorities
# Träningsmodeller för vinteridrott kräver sportspecifik design Uthållighetsträning inom olympisk vinteridrott följer inte en universell mall. En ny forskningsöversikt från Würzburg, Karolinska Institutet och University of British Columbia presenterar ett tvådelat ramverk som skiljer mellan sportgrenar där aerob kapacitet är prestandabegränsande — såsom längdskidor och biathlon — och grenar där utållighet främst stödjer återhämtning och träningskapacitet, exempelvis freestyle och snowboard. Forskarna analyserar individualiserad volym-intensitetsarkitektur, kombinerad styrketräning och kontrollerad stressbelastning. Framväxande koncept som durabilitet, motståndskraft och repeatability operationaliseras för praktisk tillämpning. Avancerad sensorteknologi och multiomik-analyser möjliggör skiftet från passiv övervakning till aktivt individualiserat beslutstöd. Framtida forskning måste validera fälttestade mätvärden och definiera minimaleffektiva endurancedoser för stödande funktioner — en prioritering som påverkar träningsmetodologi och urvalet av övervakningsverktyg för svenska regionala idrottsprogram.
<p>The Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics present an opportunity to synthesize evolving paradigms in endurance training within the broader context of long-term athlete development. As Olympic winter sports span from endurance-limited events to disciplines in which aerobic fitness primarily serves as a feeder capacity, a single training model is insufficient. In this narrative review, we propose a dual framework: (1) a demand-driven, athlete-centered, data-supported model for Endurance-Limited sports (e.g., cross-country skiing, biathlon) and (2) a Feeder-Function model for sports in which endurance primarily supports recovery, training tolerance, and resilience (e.g., freestyle skiing, snowboarding, sliding sports). Within this framework, we narratively synthesize and critically evaluate the literature across key domains, including individualized volume–intensity architectures, the integration of concurrent strength training, and the strategic use of multimodal stress stacking (e.g., hypoxia, heat). We further address the operationalization of emerging performance constructs such as durability, fatigability, resilience, and repeatability. We also present a heuristic tier framework describing when endurance acts as a primary performance limiter versus a supporting capacity across Olympic winter sports. Subsequently, we examine the role of advanced technologies, from multisensor wearables and analytics to mechanistic approaches (e.g., multiomics), highlighting their potential to shift practice from passive monitoring to active, individualized modeling. Future research priorities include validating field-based operational metrics, defining minimal effective endurance doses for feeder-function sports, and developing interpretable, athlete-centered decision-support tools. By aligning sport-specific demands with individualized, evidence-informed prescription, this dual-framework approach offers a perspective to guide interpretation and future applied work for scientists, coaches, and athletes preparing for Milano-Cortina 2026 and beyond.</p>