The Swedish stars react to the strange move
Published 2024-03-15 08.51
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FALUN. Breath in, breath out.
Through the nose.
Kjersti Buaas will ride 2.8 miles with her mouth taped shut.
The Norwegian Kjersti Buaas, 42, was one of the world’s best snowboarders in her time, as evidenced by the Olympic bronze from 2006.
Now Buaas, who has been doing meditation and mental training in recent years, has a new challenge ahead of him. She will ride the classic cross-country skiing race Halvbirken, which is 28 kilometers long, with tape over her mouth.
– I get more control over the diaphragm and the muscles we use when we breathe. It is a series of muscles that we are not used to actively engaging. I get the breath deeper in my lungs, I feel that I have more control and the heart rate can be lower at higher speeds, she tells NRK.
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fullscreen chevron-rightnextKjersti Buaas.
1 / 2Photo: Vegard Wivestad Grøtt / NTB
The Swedish reaction: “Never had”
The Swedish cross-country stars react with great surprise.
– What, should she have the tape over her mouth? exclaims Jonna Sundling.
Would you have made it?
– I would never have done it.
Norway’s national doctor Ove Feragen tells NRK that he strongly doubts that the move has any performance-enhancing effect in an endurance sport. Emma Ribom is also skeptical.
– I myself enjoy breathing through both my mouth and nose when I ski. But it’s still a cool challenge, says Ribom.
Karlsson: “Enough with lack of oxygen”
For Frida Karlsson, it feels unthinkable to try.
– I have enough of a lack of oxygen when I have my mouth open. So she will probably have lactate in her legs.
Do you also usually ride with your tongue out?
– Haha yeah! It’s also weird. It takes a lot of space to try to breathe with your tongue out. Per (Nilsson, coach) asked: how do you even do it? He had tried on some hill, it was difficult.
You don’t think she’s setting a new trend?
– No, I really don’t think so. It’s not something I follow anyway.
Halvbirken is, as the name suggests, half the distance of the main race Birkebeinerrennet. It has been run since 1932 and is part of the Ski Classics.
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full screen Photo: Simon Eliasson