How to get better in the ski erg
Get into triple extension where you are all of the way hip extended with your arms as high up overhead as the machine allows (if you’re too tall, you’re out of luck unfortunately), and you’re on your toes.
Drop into the ground, and at the same time flex your knees and hips while driving your arms down toward the ground – That action should try to work all together.
“Lather, rinse, and repeat” – Don’t overcomplicate this movement, it is a concentric movement followed by a reload into the triple extension movement again and again.
Drive the handles downward by engaging your core abdominal muscles and bending your knees. Maintain the bend in your arms to keep the handles fairly close to your face.
Finish the drive with knees slightly bent, and arms extended down alongside your thighs.
Extend your arms upward and straighten your body to return to the start position.
Once you are comfortable with the basic skiing technique, you can add variations such as standing with one foot forward and one foot back, then switching feet. You may also find yourself coming up on your toes at certain parts of the drive, just as you do on your skis.
You can also use the SkiErg without legs to work just the upper body and core. Used this way, the SkiErg provides a high quality workout option for those recovering from leg or foot injuries. This may be done from either a standing position, or seated on a stool.