The 500 meter SkiErg sprint compresses the double-pole technique of Nordic skiing into 90-ish seconds of lats, triceps and trunk violence. Unlike rowing, the power comes from above: a high reach, an aggressive crunch driving the handles down past the hips, and legs that flex in rhythm to add force. It's the upper body's answer to the 500 m row - and the test that reveals whether your pulling power survives when your legs can't be the heroes.
| Level (Time) | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| beginner | 2:00+ | 2:15+ |
| intermediate | 1:45 | 2:00 |
| advanced | 1:35 | 1:48 |
| elite | sub 1:26 | sub 1:38 |
Where does your SkiErg: 500 mt land?
Log it once and the app places you on this table automatically, then tracks the trend.
Whole body, not just arms: reach tall, then drive the handles down with a simultaneous hip hinge and knee bend - the crunch is where the meters live. Stroke rate 45-55 for a sprint, finishing each pull past the thighs. Start with 10 hard strokes to spin the flywheel, settle 2 seconds above goal split, then empty the last 150. Standing tall between strokes wastes time: stay compact and springy. Damper 5-7 for most athletes.
Beginner: 500 m at strong steady effort learning the hinge rhythm, or 5 x 100 m sprints with rest to build the pattern first.
Log every result, see your progress over time, and know exactly where you stand.
Free on iOS and Android. No account needed to start.