Centre-of-excellence for nordic skiing - snowshoeing and trail running. Fast reach your skiing this year with technique and training.About this Event
Fast-track your skills, fitness and performance inclusive and friendly environment.
Join a comprehensive Nordic Skiing Training and Technique for adults of all levels and abilities. XC skiing is a power- endurance sport combining cardiovascular fitness with full-body neuromuscular strength (legs, arms, core) speed, agility, balance and coordination. Cross Country Skiers are some of most highly-conditioned athletes on the planet. The low impact quality of the sport will help you build overall fitness that is directly transferable to your summer sport without risk of overuse injuries. Why stay indoors on gyms, treadmills and bike trainers. Cross-country skiing will open up a magical new world of outdoor adventure, discovery, sunlight and fresh air.
Many participants have personal goals ranging from the improved skills, fitness, weight loss, finishing the Ski Marathons, to elite high-performance racing. The program is open for all levels and abilities, from total beginner to racer. Our competitive ski team regularly trains with the adult program and helps mentor developing skiers.
We offer the perfect combination of outdoor sports to build applied core strength, cardiovascular endurance, aerobic power, agility, balance, and confidence in a pragmatic and natural environment. Our program builds power-endurance, core strength, coordination and a high-dynamic range-of-fitness within an inclusive group environment.
All initiatives have a fun social dimension! Join us at natural fitness lab this winter - it will be the most fun that you will ever have in the snow.
Weekly Schedule:
Wed 9am and 6pm high intensity interval ski training
Thu 6pm snowshoe training
Sat 9am tempo-threshold ski training
Sat 1pm immersion ski program (4 weeks)
Sun 9am enduro distance ski
Locations for all practices change. Consult the Practice Schedule
http://goo.gl/5tGXAb
Streams:
We will meet at same place and time and do the warm-up and cool-down together as a club. Folks can choose what stream they wish to join that day.
Race Team — High-Performance Nordic Program
Built for athletes who want to compete at the sharp end, the Race Team stream delivers a fully integrated high-performance pathway grounded in modern endurance science and elite ski-specific development. Training is structured across macro and meso cycles, with precise control of intensity (from aerobic threshold to VO₂max), individualized load management, and terrain-specific session design. Athletes receive technical coaching that reflects World Cup standards—efficient force application, ski-snow interaction, and tactical execution—alongside targeted strength, speed, and race preparation. This is not generic programming; it is a deliberate system designed to convert training into podium-level performance.
X-Training — Nordic for the Complete Endurance Athlete
The X-Training stream is built for serious multi-sport athletes who recognize Nordic skiing as one of the most effective tools for building aerobic capacity, durability, and whole-body power-endurance. Rather than forcing a ski-racer model, this stream integrates skiing intelligently into a broader training ecosystem—running, cycling, trail, or mountain sport—while preserving sport-specific priorities. Sessions emphasize efficient technique, aerobic development around LT1/LT2, and strength-endurance transfer, all adapted to the athlete’s primary discipline and seasonal demands. The result is a highly effective, low-impact way to expand capacity without compromising performance elsewhere.
Adventure & Immersion — Foundations Phase
The opening phase of Adventure & Immersion is a structured four-week progression designed to rapidly elevate how you move on skis—regardless of whether you arrive as a novice, intermediate, or advanced skier. It begins with focused technique and skills development, where fundamental mechanics are assessed and refined to build efficiency, balance, and control. From there, athletes transition into applied technique—taking those skills into real terrain, learning how to execute on climbs, flats, descents, and changing conditions. The phase culminates in “learn to train,” where you’re introduced to the principles behind effective Nordic training—intensity, pacing, and session structure—so you understand not just how to ski better, but how to improve independently. The result is a clear step-change in both skill and confidence, grounded in real capability rather than theory. After four-weeks, the group will be integrated in the main program.
Early Season Training Camp 05-10 Dec 2026 Silverstar Mountain BC
Elevate Your Skiing at the Fitness Lab Altitude Camp. Fast-track your cross-country skiing performance with Fitness Lab’s signature annual altitude training camp. Join our expert coaches for an unforgettable week on the world's finest ski trails. Whether you are looking to crush personal bests or explore breathtaking terrain, choose the stream that fits your goals:
High Performance: Dial in your training methodology and build ski-specific fitness designed to take your racing to the next level.
Adventure: Build confidence, discover incredible new trails, and share the joy of skiing longer distances with a community of friends.
Special clinics for Nordic skiing
Dryland Training & Skills — Build the Engine Before Snow
This clinic develops the physical and technical foundations that underpin high-level Nordic skiing. Through targeted dryland sessions—ski-specific strength, coordination, balance, and movement patterns—you’ll learn how to generate power efficiently and move with precision before ever stepping on snow. Emphasis is placed on transfer: every drill and session is designed to show up directly in your skiing (classic and skating). Whether you’re preparing for winter or reinforcing weak links, this is where durability, efficiency, and performance begin. Equipment: Running shoes and shorter ski poles.
Beginner–Novice Introduction — Start Right from Day One
Designed for those new to the sport, this clinic removes the guesswork and sets you up for success from the very first session. You’ll learn the essential techniques of Nordic skiing (skate and classic) alongside practical guidance on equipment selection, setup, and use—so you’re not fighting your gear while trying to learn. The focus is on building confidence, control, and a clear understanding of how to move on skis. By the end, you’ll have the skills and knowledge to ski independently and enjoy the sport immediately.
Downhill Skills for Nordic — Control, Confidence, Speed
Downhills are where efficiency is won—or lost. This clinic focuses on the most overlooked and most critical aspect of Nordic skiing: descending with control, safety, and speed. You’ll learn how to manage body position, pressure, and edge control across real terrain—cornering, braking, and carrying speed with intent. The goal is not just to survive descents, but to use them strategically to recover, gain time, and ski with confidence in all conditions.
Advanced Skate Technique — World Cup Level Execution
This clinic is built for experienced skiers looking to refine and modernize their skate technique using the latest developments from the World Cup. Sessions focus on high-speed efficiency, timing, and force application across all gears—translating current elite trends into practical, trainable skills. Expect detailed technical feedback, video-supported analysis, and precise on-snow application. This is about closing the gap between good skiing and truly efficient, race-ready movement.
Cost: $100/yr. if you are a student then it is FREE. Just sign up to the e-mail list and facebook group. And them show up to any practice.
WAIVER By registering for the program or attending any club events, you necessarily agree with the waiver: https://gravity67.wixsite.com/naturalfitnesslab/waiver
Private or Small Group Lessons and Personal Coaching
Contact our head coach Lise Meloche [email protected]
LINKS
Join the Facebook Group to receive information and interact with the group.
Natural Fitness Lab Club
https://www.facebook.com/groups/naturalfitnesslabclub/
Web site
www.naturalfitnesslab.com
Practice Schedule
http://goo.gl/5tGXAb
We ask that everyone register here so we have an accurate e-mail call-out list for important information:
http://xczone.us10.list-manage1.com/subscribe?u=5c72fddc0a49e9315380fb46e&id=2937271a09
ABOUT
Natural Fitness Lab is a centre-of-excellence for outdoor athletes and adventure built around core technical competencies of: trail running, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, and venturing into winter triathlon, mountain running, adventure racing, cycling, ski mountaineering, obstacle racing, and ultra distance running.
A not-for-profit, with over two thousand members, the adult program is the largest and most comprehensive of its kind in Canada. Producing athletes for 30 years… Our roots extend back to the 1920s and the first organized ski programs in the Country.
We champion equality, diversity and inclusivity.
Provide a safe environment and positive experience.
Promote health, fitness and high performance.
It is the most fun you will have in the snow this year.
We also provide Special Clinics, Semi-Private Lessons, Private Lessons, Personal Coaching and Individualized Training Programs as costed options. Contact us directly using the form below if you are interested in more personal coaching or instruction.
OUR MOTIVATION AND ETHOS
We are dedicated to creating significant opportunities for healthy outdoor lifestyle, promoting natural fitness, physical literacy and inspiring long-term athlete development through direct grass-roots community involvement and global campaigns for gender and age equality in sport, multilingual, multiculturalism, accessibility, science education, leadership and coaching.
OBJECTIVES
Support personal goals in health and fitness;
Foster long-term athlete development in the context of sport-for-life through participative coaching, imprinting and mentorship; and
Attract, develop and retain top-talent in high-performance sport
About the leaders - Certified coaches and instructors. Former Olympian, World Cup Gold Medalist and National Champions. World Masters Cross Country Skiing Champions.
Event venue
Camp Fortune, Chelsea, Main Lodge, Canada
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.