Brad Culp’s new book offers a detailed analysis of the history and methodology of a fashionable system that has captured the imagination of the distance running world.
Any distance runner worth their salt will be familiar with the “Norwegian Method” of training. It was popularized by the Ingebrigtsen brothers, as well as triathletes Christian Blummenfelt and Gustav Eden. The success of Jakob Ingebrigtsen in particular led to the system being copied by a significant percentage of the world’s top endurance runners.
Ingebrigtsen, for example, won the Olympic 1500m title in 2021 and the last two world 5000m crowns, plus world records in the 2000m, 3000m and two miles, while Blummenfelt won Olympic triathlon gold in 2021, followed by an Ironman world title. and Eden won the world title. Ironman victory in Hawaii 2022
For many, the method revolves around double-threshold tempo sessions, where athletes do long workouts twice a day at an uncomfortable pace, but not so hard that their bodies are shredded. This way the athlete gets a good physiological benefit and can repeat it often without necessarily breaking down.
Brad Culp, however, explains it much better than I can in his new book The Norwegian Method – The culture, science and people behind a breakthrough approach to elite endurance performance.
Culp is from Chicago and now lives in Illinois and was previously the editor-in-chief of Triathlete and Lava magazines. He is also a long-time triathlete with seven iron throws under his belt.
In the book, he visits Bergen in Norway, home of triathlon stars Blummenfelt and Eden, as he digs deep into the history of the Norwegian method.
He not only looks at the modern history of Norwegian endurance sports, such as the exploits of Ingrid Christiansen and Grete Weitz, but also goes much further back in time to see the Viking influence and its essence. Scandinavian culture.
Ingrid Christiansen (Mark Shearman)
There is also the birth of altitude training in the 1960s and the influence of the 1968 Mexico Olympics. Seb Coe’s training under Peter Coe also enjoys a cameo appearance. Very soon in this book you realize that it’s not just about lactate thresholds and two-day sessions, it’s much more.
Culp analyzes Norway’s overall sports system, from how young athletes develop to the support senior elite athletes receive. Of course, there are entire chapters devoted to the Ingebrigtzens, Blummenfelt, and Eden, as well as the “godfather” of the method, Marius Bakken, along with other key figures.
Of course, Culp also looks at the science behind the method. In addition, he claims that the method is much more than high mileage and double-threshold sessions, with a chapter devoted to the effects of core body temperature.
The book is not just informative but an enjoyable and well written read. The last paragraph of the book is a nice ending and made me laugh, although I won’t give any plot spoilers here.
READ MORE. Why should Ingebrigtsen continue for 1500m?
Published 80/20 Publishingit’s an ideal Christmas gift for anyone you know who is interested in training methods for endurance athletes.
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