Abstract

Cross-country skiing has been proclaimed as one of the best overall aerobic exercises because of the whole body involvement in the activity. Cross-country skiing combines the actions of both arms and legs, so, while skiing a large muscle mass can be utilised with the potential for high energy expenditure. Because of positive effects on maintaining and increasing an individual's cardiovascular fitness and abilities, cross-country skiing has now become a very popular winter sport and recreational activity throughout the world. This sport has gone through significant changes in the last several decades. New materials are used in a manufacture of skis, while the bindings, the boots and the poles are lighter and more functional. Also, the most common classical technique — diagonal striding is now combined with new freestyle techniques (marathon skate, V-skate, etc.) which improved racing velocities. Depending on snow conditions and temperature skating races are 5 to 15 percent faster over the same distance covered. In spite of changes in equipment and technique, the fact that cross-country skiers have some of the highest aerobic capacity values has not changed. This is an aerobic sport although the contribution of anaerobic energy release is enlarged due to the changes in technique and equipment. The aim of this study is to evaluate some physiological characteristics important for cross-country skiing on the sample of top Croatian male cross-country skiers in the laboratory on a treadmill and to compare the results with the data presented in literature. Body composition and morphological characteristics are going to be determined, too. Einleitung (gekürzt)