Abstract

In modern concepts of cross-country (XC) ski racing it is generally accepted, that an increase of the quality of training should be a more successful strategy for a distinct development of the XC skiing performance than an increase in the amount of training. The intensified use of highly XC skiing specific strength training and testing devices in summer training plays an essential role in these strategies. The demands on specific maximum strength, explosive strength and strength endurance increased dramatically, especially through the introduction of the new sprint disciplines. Besides skiing technique, these specific strength abilities might be defined as the nowadays most important reserves of the complex XC skiing performance. Especially the use of double poling (DP) technique is much more frequent today and thus upper body capacity plays an important role. In contrast to the high meaning of upper body capacity stands a non optimal situation regarding upper body diagnostics and training in cross country skiing. The aim of this study was to adapt a in many countries well known, simple upper body testing and training device, the so called rollerboard and to investigate its never proofed validity (biomechanical an performance related) and reliability as a basis for the development of more effective testing and training concepts on this simple and cheap device. Einleitung gekürzt