<b>Purpose:</b> To analyze the effects of different training strategies (i.e., mainly intensity distribution) during living high - training low (LHTL) between elite cross-country skiers and Nordic-combined athletes. <b>Methods:</b> 12 cross-country skiers (XC) (7 men, 5 women), and 8 male Nordic combined (NC) of the French national teams were monitored during 15 days of LHTL. The distribution of training at low-intensity (LIT), below the first ventilatory threshold (VT1), was 80% and 55% in XC and NC respectively. Daily, they filled a questionnaire of fatigue, and performed a heart rate variability (HRV) test. Prior (Pre) and immediately after (Post), athletes performed a treadmill incremental running test for determination of <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">
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O _2max and <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">
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O ₂ at the second ventilatory threshold ( <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">
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O _{2V T2} ), a field roller-skiing test with blood lactate ([La-]) assessment. <b>Results:</b> The training volume was in XC and NC, respectively: at LIT: 45.9 ± 6.4 vs. 23.9 ± 2.8 h ( <i>p</i> < 0.001), at moderate intensity: 1.9 ± 0.5 vs. 3.0 ± 0.4 h, ( <i>p</i> < 0.001), at high intensity: 1.2 ± 0.9 vs. 1.4 ± 02 h ( <i>p</i> = 0.05), in strength (and jump in NC): 7.1 ± 1.5 vs. 18.4 ± 2.7 h, ( <i>p</i> < 0.001). Field roller-skiing performance was improved (-2.9 ± 1.6%, <i>p</i> < 0.001) in XC but decreased (4.1 ± 2.6%, <i>p</i> < 0.01) in NC. [La-] was unchanged (-4.1 ± 14.2%, <i>p</i> = 0.3) in XC but decreased (-27.0 ± 11.1%, <i>p</i> < 0.001) in NC. Changes in field roller-skiing performance and in [La-] were correlated ( <i>r</i> = -0.77, <i>p</i> < 0.001). <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">
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O _2max increased in both XC and NC (3.7 ± 4.2%, <i>p</i> = 0.01 vs. 3.7 ± 2.2%, <i>p</i> = 0.002) but <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">
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O _{2V T2} increased only in XC (7.3 ± 5.8%, <i>p</i> = 0.002). HRV analysis showed differences between XC and NC mainly in high spectral frequency in the supine position (HF _SU ). All NC skiers showed some signs of overreaching at Post. <b>Conclusion:</b> During LHTL, despite a higher training volume, XC improved specific performance and aerobic capacities, while NC did not. All NC skiers showed fatigue states. These findings suggest that a large amount of LIT with a moderate volume of strength and speed training is required during LHTL in endurance athletes.