BIG DIFFERENCES: Birgit Skarstein’s amount of training is clearly different from how much Kjetil Borch trains each week. Photo: Ole Kristian Strøm / VG
She is on Therese Johaug’s level in the number of training hours. Birgit Skarstein (34) trains more than twice as much as former world champion, Kjetil Borch (33).
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Birgit Skarstein (34) trains more than twice as much as former rowing world champion Kjetil Borch (33). Birgit, who is paralyzed in her legs after a diving accident in 2009, says she trains approximately 1200 hours a year, a few weeks before the WC she trained 38 hours a week. In comparison, Therese Johaug states that she trained 1100 to 1200 hours a year when she returned to competitions. Birgit is looking for her fifth straight WC gold in Belgrade this week. Show more
This week, the Trønder is looking for his fifth straight WC gold and tenth title in Belgrade. On Tuesday, she was the best in the attempt.
– She is unique, says Kjetil Borch.
There are an unusually large number of training hours behind the achievements of the PL winner from 2021.
– I train approximately 1,200 hours a year. A few weeks before the WC, I trained 38 hours a week. It’s a lot, says Birgit Skarstein to VG.
For comparison: Cross-country queen Therese Johaug has informed NRK that she trained 1,200 to 1,250 hours when she was banned, but that the annual doses were adjusted down to 1,100 hours when she returned to competitions.
– I am in the upper echelon when it comes to training for the national team. And the others train with their whole body, says the para-rower who became paralyzed in his legs after a swimming accident in 2009.
The number of hours is not the only measure of how well a top athlete trains. But in the capacity sport of rowing, it is absolutely essential for most people to put in a lot of time. Kjetil Borch is one of the exceptions.
WC FAVORITE: Birgit Skarstein. Photo: Håkon Mosvold Larsen / NTB
His muscle fibers and special physique needed far from as much training just before he was in top form during the 2021 Olympics.
– I trained between 13 and 15 hours a week leading up to Tokyo. It is really completely unheard of when it comes to a medal-heavy sport in the Olympics. But it was the right thing for me, says Borch, who won Olympic silver in single sculls.
The double world champion says that he has a goal of “lying for 16-17 hours a week”.
Info
Birgit Skarstein
Born: 10 February 1989.
Paralympics-gull: 2021.
WC gold: 2022, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2014.
EM-gull: 2023, 2022, 2021.
sea view
Birgitte Skarstein passed that number of hours before the toughest training week of the summer was halfway through.
– I am a capacity athlete, and gain a lot from having good endurance. Kjetil is an explosive type and has more power. At the same time, he rows in just under seven minutes, while I compete in under ten. There are also slightly different work requirements in that, she explains.
– The trick is to vary the load so much that I don’t get overloaded anywhere, she believes.
– I have become smarter over the years to recognize when I start to have problems. Then I have to switch to another activity. It’s about being able to withstand all the classes.
She rows in a boat and on a rowing machine. She cycles outside (road/terrain) and indoors (spinning/rolling). In addition, there is some climbing and paddling.
All training also has a psychological element. During the WC precamp, her toughest competitor, Moran Samuel, trained at the same place in Italy. Skarstein three sessions a day triggered reactions.
– I got a question from her trainer “aren’t you sitting still?” and from Samuel “how much do you really train?”, she says and continues:
– I was a little satisfied with that. We have a good plan for what we do. It’s perfectly fine if they get a little “psyched out”.
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Published: 07.09.23 at 07:24
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2023-09-07 05:24:12
#Skarstein #trains #Borch #outstanding
