As a running coach, I’m always curious about what the world’s best endurance athletes are doing — and lately, all roads seem to lead to Norway.
At its core, the Norwegian method focuses on training adaptations that boost your cardiovascular system, metabolism, and muscular endurance — all the stuff that helps you go longer, stronger, and faster.
It uses a three-zone intensity model and places a big emphasis on lactate-guided threshold intervals, which sounds intimidating, but don’t worry — I’ll break it down.
What really stands out to me is how this method keeps most of your training easy — which not only supports steady progress, but also helps reduce the risk of burnout or injury. That’s something every runner can appreciate.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through the key principles behind the Norwegian method, why it works, and how you can start applying it to your own training — even if you’re not a pro logging 100-mile weeks.
A Proven Approach Gaining Global Momentum
While the Norwegian method of endurance training has recently seen more widespread adoption by athletes all over the world, it is not a new training methodology.
However, as an increasing number of endurance athletes are beginning to replicate it in their own training routines and seeing impressive success, its popularity is growing.
Some current noteworthy proponents of the Norwegian model of training for endurance athletes include Olympic triathlon champion Kristian Blummenfelt, 2020 Tokyo Olympics 1,500-meter champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen, and Ironman world champion Gustav Iden.
What Are The Key Principles of the Norwegian Training Method?
- Training is separated into three zones: Zone 1 is the low-intensity zone, Zone 2 is the sub-threshold zone, and Zone 3 is above your lactate threshold.
- Zone 2 is the target zone for the key workouts, which involves performing intervals at or slightly below your anaerobic threshold or lactate threshold.
- Ideally, athletes are supposed to take lactate measurements during training to gauge intensity and verify that they are working at the appropriate intensity to support improvement and optimize performance.
- If possible, athletes should get metabolic testing regularly to assess progress and make adjustments to the training program.
While lactate assessments and metabolic testing are highly recommended, and certainly a part of the Norwegian model of training for elite and professional athletes, recreational athletes who do not have access to these services or technology can still apply many of the training principles with a somewhat less precise or scientific approach.
How Does the Norwegian Method of Endurance Training Work?
Ultimately, the hallmark characteristic of the Norwegian model of endurance training is using a high-volume, low-intensity approach while prioritizing lactate-guided threshold interval training.
In this way, the Norwegian method for endurance athletes focuses on increasing the anaerobic threshold within a polarized training model.
The primary differentiating factor between the Norwegian method of training for runners and other endurance athletes is that instead of using pace, heart rate, or some other external marker to gauge the intensity of threshold intervals or Zone 2 workouts, blood lactate levels are repeatedly measured during the workout via finger or ear prick.
This is because this model focuses on the true internal stress on the body imposed by running or exercising, which is information that cannot be garnered by external benchmarks such as pace.
These Norwegian lactate threshold workouts are intended to be run at a higher intensity that falls between the first and second lactate thresholds.
Norwegian model training experts say that this lactate threshold range usually corresponds to lactate levels between 2.0 and 4.5 mmol/L, with the target hovering right around a blood lactate of 3.0 mmol/L.
Therefore, the lactate threshold workouts are done a little below the athlete’s critical speed.
This specific blood lactate level has been selected because it is thought to be hard enough to induce improvement in aerobic fitness, anaerobic fitness, the anaerobic threshold, and the lactate threshold without significantly increasing recovery time.1Burnley, M., Vanhatalo, A., & Jones, A. M. (2012). Distinct profiles of neuromuscular fatigue during muscle contractions below and above the critical torque in humans. Journal of Applied Physiology, 113(2), 215–223. https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.00022.2012
The sessions are typically done on a treadmill instead of outside, not only because this makes blood lactate testing easier, but also because using a treadmill makes it easier to control your pace without having variations in the terrain.
Furthermore, the workouts are interval-based lactate threshold runs rather than continuous tempo runs.
This is because adding rest breaks allows the athlete to push a little closer to that critical speed or second lactate threshold without accumulating too much blood lactate prematurely.
The rest periods allow the body time to buffer and clear some of the acidic buildup, maximizing your training volume done within the lactate threshold zone without crossing over into the anaerobic zone and needing to end the workout early.
How to Apply this Approach
The Norwegian training method can be applied to all endurance sports athletes, such as triathletes, distance runners, and cyclists.
Remember that if you are unable to do all of the testing that is typically integral, you can still replicate the general schema of the training with modifications.
Just bear in mind that your ability to properly assess intensity level and track progress with scientific specificity will be compromised, but there are workarounds.
With that disclaimer covered, here is how to follow the Norwegian training method:
#1: Separate Your Training Into Three Zones
Divide all training into just three zones. The Norwegian method divides the training into specific, distinct training zones to help deliberately target different energy systems.
- Zone 1: Low intensity
- Zone 2: (Sub) threshold
- Zone 3: Above threshold
Ultimately, it focuses on improving the anaerobic threshold for endurance athletes, as this is essentially the maximum pace or exertion level you can sustain before crossing over and drastically accumulating significantly more fatigue and metabolic acidosis.
Zone 1 primarily targets the aerobic energy system, also known as the oxidative energy system, because energy is created in the presence of oxygen. This zone is used on your easy days.
Zones 2 and 3 both target the anaerobic energy systems.
The bulk of the key workouts in the Norwegian approach are done in Zone 2, which is done at or slightly below your anaerobic threshold (AT).
Training in Zone 3 helps improve overall speed and metabolic efficiency for high-intensity performance.
#2: Norwegian Method Workouts
A thorough paper2Casado, A., Foster, C., Bakken, M., & Tjelta, L. I. (2023). Does Lactate-Guided Threshold Interval Training within a High-Volume Low-Intensity Approach Represent the “Next Step” in the Evolution of Distance Running Training?. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(5), 3782. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20053782 detailing the specifics of the Norwegian method of training notes that a typical training load per week involves a total of about 110 miles of running. Therefore, you have to be ready to invest quite a bit of training time.
Note that this is certainly high-volume training, but not wildly more or less than the mileage for most elite athletes.
The bulk of the training week volume with the Norwegian model of endurance training is easy running, done in the Zone 1 intensity.
Tuesdays and Thursdays are threshold days. They include double threshold sessions (Norwegian method Zone 2 work) in the mornings and evenings.
Saturdays involve a Norwegian method Zone 3 workout, a high-intensity effort, such as 20 x 200-meter hill sprints.
Examples3Bakken, M. (2022, January 7). https://www.mariusbakken.com/the-norwegian-model.html. Www.mariusbakken.com. https://www.mariusbakken.com/the-norwegian-model.html of lactate threshold intervals run with this method of training include 5 x 6:00 at 2.5 mmol/L with 60 seconds of recovery in between each in the morning workout and 10 x 1,000 meters at 3.5 mmol/L with 60 seconds of recovery in between each in the evening lactate threshold workout.
Or, you might do 5 x 2,000 meters at 2.5 mmol/L with 60 seconds of recovery between each in the morning workout, followed by 25 x 400 meters at 3.5 mmol/L with just 30 seconds of recovery after each in the evening.
Of course, make sure you warm up before jumping into these intervals.
Generally, the morning lactate threshold workout involves slightly longer intervals at a slightly lower intensity or blood lactate concentration.
In contrast, the evening lactate threshold workout on the same day involves lactate threshold intervals that are shorter and faster while still remaining under the second lactate threshold.
Another metric often used in high-intensity training is your VO2 Max. For more information, check out this next guide:
