Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Easy

This is a single, short cardio piece with no complexity. 250 meters on the ski erg takes most athletes 45-60 seconds of moderate effort. There's no skill requirement, no heavy loading, and no fatigue accumulation from other movements. It's essentially a brief warm-up or cool-down piece that any CrossFit athlete can complete without scaling or significant challenge.

Benchmark Times for Ski You Later

• Elite: <1:05
• Advanced: 1:15-1:25
• Intermediate: 1:35-1:45
• Beginner: >3:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Speed (8/10): At 250m, this is essentially a sprint effort requiring high cycling speed and aggressive pace from start to finish.
• Power (7/10): Ski erg rewards explosive pulling power and coordinated full-body power output for maximum efficiency and speed.
• Endurance (4/10): A 250m ski erg is a short distance that will elevate heart rate but won't fully tax cardiovascular endurance capacity.
• Stamina (3/10): Brief muscular endurance demand on upper body and core, but distance is too short for significant stamina challenge.
• Flexibility (3/10): Requires shoulder mobility and hip hinge pattern for proper ski erg technique and full range of motion.
• Strength (2/10): Ski erg requires moderate upper body and core strength but isn't primarily a strength movement.

Movements

• Ski Erg

Scaling Options

Reduce distance to 150-200m for beginners or those with upper body limitations. For athletes with shoulder issues, substitute 300m row or 15 cal assault bike. Focus on maintaining power output rather than completing full distance.

Scaling Explanation

Scale distance if athlete cannot maintain consistent stroke technique throughout or if completion time exceeds 2 minutes. Priority is maintaining high intensity and proper form over completing full 250m. Target effort should feel like an all-out sprint with slight pacing strategy.

Intended Stimulus

Short-duration anaerobic power sprint lasting 45-90 seconds. Primarily targets the phosphagen and glycolytic energy systems with emphasis on upper body power endurance and cardiovascular stress tolerance.

Coach Insight

Start with aggressive, powerful strokes for the first 100m to establish pace, then settle into a sustainable rhythm. Focus on full arm extension and strong lat engagement. Keep stroke rate around 28-32 SPM. Drive with legs first, then pull with arms. Avoid going out too hot - many athletes fade dramatically in the final 75m. Maintain consistent damper setting (4-6 for most athletes).

Benchmark Notes

This is a simple 250m ski erg time trial. Using the classic ski erg anchor of 500m in 90-135 seconds as reference, I can scale proportionally for 250m (exactly half the distance). The 500m anchor suggests: L10: 90-135 sec, L5: ~150-180 sec, L1: ~210-270 sec. For 250m (50% distance), the times should be roughly 50-60% of the 500m times due to the shorter distance allowing for higher intensity throughout. L10 athletes can maintain near-maximal pace for 250m: 65-75 seconds. L5 recreational athletes: 95-105 seconds. L1 beginners/scaled: 150-180 seconds. The 250m distance is short enough that fatigue is minimal and pacing strategy is less critical than raw power output. Transitions are not applicable for this single-movement workout. Final targets: L10: 65-75 sec, L5: 95-105 sec, L1: 150-180 sec.

Modality Profile

Ski Erg is a monostructural cardio movement, representing 100% of the workout modality