MUSCLE +
FITNESSA New Peak of Fitness
The SkiErg ‘can’t vs won’t’ challenge delivers more than a full-body
beasting – it’ll test your power, pacing and, most all, your fortitude
1
STAY DISCIPLINED
Mimicking the movement patterns of
Nordic skiing, this low-impact,
kilojoule-burning machine builds
endurance through your legs, arms
and core. Set an interval timer to
30sec work, 90sec rest. In round one,
aim to hit 140m – no more. Reach up,
shift your weight onto the balls of your
feet and lean forward. Now, pull at a
steady speed.2
KEEP THE PACE
That wasn’t so bad. After your
90sec rest, it’s time for round two.
This time, aim for 141m, then 142m
in round three and so on.
“Advancing by just 1m per round
isn’t easy to judge, so it will train
you to be proficient at pacing,” says
Kowalenko. “And you’ll be aware,
rather than just going at it hard for
30sec intervals without focus.”3
BEAT YOURSELF
As you tire, lengthen your strokes to
earn more metres from fewer pulls.
The aim is to progress for as many
rounds as you can until you fail to
advance twice in a row. “The biggest
challenge in this workout is mental.
How hard are you willing to push? Fail
because you can’t – not because you
won’t,” says Kowalenko.YOUR SCOREBOARD
BEGINNER
Don’t be disheartened: you’ve still burnt
150 calories (628kJ), equal to your
pre-gym apple and PB snack. Try using
your lats more and don’t rely on your
arms to do all the work.INTERMEDIATE
If, like MH’s alpine test dummy, you
skied for 15 rounds, congratulations:
that’s 225 calories (940kJ) burnt or two
big spoonfuls of peanut butter. Reward
yourself and spread it on thick.HOW DID YOUR ROUNDS MEASURE
UP AGAINST OUR RANKINGS?0 -10 Rounds
11-15 Rounds
16 -20 Rounds
21+ rounds
EXPERT
Hitting 20 rounds takes you to over 300
calories (1255kJ), or a chocolate donut.
The Erg also fixes weak hip flexors and
poor spine mobility, for a deeper squat.ELITE
If you can push to 30 rounds you’ve skied
over 5000m and burnt 450 calories (1880kJ)- about three beers. Ideal if you’re
scheduling this workout for a Friday night.
TASKMASTER
Virtus Strength founder
Steve Kowalenko: “Don’t
settle – finish when you
physically can’t do more.”PHOTOGRAPHY:PHILHAYNES