The impact of the rifle while skiing in biathlon

Biathlon is a winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle marksmanship. During a competition, the athlete carries the rifle on their back (minimum weight 3.5 kg) and today there are still question marks regarding how the rifle affects the skiing component from physiological and biomechanical perspectives (i.e., skiing technique).

The aim of this project is to increase knowledge about how the rifle affects the athlete, in order to develop the sport-specific training and increase performance. It is important to understand the specific demands for biathlon, in order to develop the sport.

Practical use

By increasing our understanding of how the rifle affects biathletes, the training can be more specific and planned in a more effective way. To prepare the athlete for rifle carriage may increase the performance and, in the future, hopefully also decrease the risk of injuries and overload.

Publications

Jonsson Kårström, M. , Staunton, C. A. , McGawley, K. , Björklund, G. & Laaksonen, M. (2022). Rifle carriage affects gear distribution during on-snow skiing in female and male biathletes. Journal of Sports Sciences, vol. 40: 24, ss. 2722-2731.

Jonsson Kårström, M. , Stöggl, T. , Lund Ohlsson, M. , McGawley, K. & Laaksonen, M. S. (2022). Kinematical effects of rifle carriage on roller skiing in well-trained female and male biathletes. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports.

Jonsson Kårström, M. , McGawley, K. & Laaksonen, M. (2021). Effects of Additional Rifle-Carriage Training on Physiological Markers and Roller-Skiing Performance in Well-Trained Biathletes. Journal of Science in Sport and Exercise, vol. 3: 3, ss. 292–302.

Jonsson, M., McGawley, K. & Laaksonen, M. (2019). Physiological Responses to Rifle Carriage During Roller-Skiing in Elite Biathletes. Frontiers in Physiology, vol. 10  
Article in full text via www.frontiersin.org