Winter miles, summer smiles!
For amateur runners, cyclists, and triathletes, the idea of “taking time off” from regular training might seem counterproductive. After all, if you want to get faster, stronger, and better at your sport, shouldn’t you be out there pushing your limits every day? Not quite. In fact, a well-planned off-season can be one of the most valuable tools in your training arsenal. Taking a step back, strategically, is essential for long-term improvement and injury prevention.
Why Have an Off-Season?
Firstly, let’s get one thing straight: an off-season doesn’t mean sitting on the sofa binge-watching Netflix for months on end while eating chocolate and McDonald’s (though, let’s be honest, a bit of that could be well-earned!).
The purpose of an off-season is twofold:
- Recovery: Training—especially in endurance sports like running, cycling, or triathlon—can take a serious toll on your muscles, joints, and energy levels. Without adequate recovery, you risk overtraining and injury, which can knock you out of action for months.
- Rebuilding: After giving your body a chance to heal, you can focus on building a stronger, more robust foundation for the next season. This is when you address weaknesses, build your “engine” so you can go faster for longer, improve flexibility, and work on building strength.
How Does an Off-Season Make You Faster and Stronger?
Here’s how it works: During the training season, you’re constantly pushing your body to perform at its peak. This can result in accumulated fatigue, which slows you down over time. The off-season allows you to shed that fatigue, repair any micro-damage caused by intense sessions, and recharge your energy stores.
When you return to your more usual training and events after an off-season, your body is better prepared to absorb new training stress. This is known as the “supercompensation” effect, where you return fitter and stronger after a period of rest, recovery and build. It’s a bit like rebooting a computer—it clears out the clutter and allows everything to run more smoothly.
What Does an Off-Season Look Like?
There are many different ways to structure an off-season, but typically the different stages I use are:
- Transition/Recovery Phase
- Maintenance Phase
- Strength & Conditioning Phase
- Base-Building Phase
- Pre-Season or Specific Preparation Phase
How long each of these stages last, and if / how they overlap, varies massively based on how long you have until your new season, fatigue levels, how long you have been doing a sport and your goals. If you need help, I can help you structure and time your perfect off-season.
1. Transition/Recovery Phase
- Duration: 1–4 weeks
- Goal: Rest and recovery after a competitive or intense training season.
- Activities: Complete rest or very light, unstructured activity. This allows the body to recover from accumulated fatigue, heal any minor injuries, and mentally recharge.
- Tips: Avoid intense or structured training. During this time, you can focus on low-intensity activities that keep you moving without adding too much stress to your body. This might include walking, hiking, or yoga and so on. The goal is to stay active but avoid anything too strenuous.
2. Maintenance Phase
- Duration: 4–8 weeks
- Goal: Maintain general fitness without high-intensity training.
- Activities: Light to moderate cross-training (yoga, strength training, other sports even) alongside a reduced intensity and volume of running, swimming and / or cycling. Work on mobility and flexibility.
- Tips: Focus on staying fit without pushing limits. Use this period to introduce strength training or fix biomechanical issues.
3. Strength & Conditioning Phase
- Duration: 6–12 weeks
- Goal: Build strength, address weaknesses, and improve overall athleticism.
- Activities: Core, mobility, and strength training (e.g., bodyweight exercises, gym work) with continued cross-training and light swimming, running, and / or cycling. Limited or no speed work.
- Tips: Focus on areas of strength which can improve performance and prevent injury during the next competitive season. Strength should still be done outside of the off-season though, it is just likely to be structured differently.
4. Base-Building Phase
- Duration: 6–10 weeks
- Goal: Lay the aerobic foundation for the next training cycle.
- Activities: Gradual increase in low-intensity aerobic work (e.g. easy runs or rides). Include long, slow distances to build endurance without stressing the body.
- Tips: Be patient. This phase is about building durability, not speed. Consistency is key, it is what builds your engine.
5. Pre-Season or Specific Preparation Phase
- Duration: 4–6 weeks
- Goal: Prepare the body for more specific, intense training.
- Activities: Begin incorporating some structured workouts (tempo sessions, interval training, hill workouts, swim sets – obviously determined by your sport) along with continued strength training.
- Tips: You may like to start shifting back into more sport-specific or different intensity workouts to transition smoothly into your regular training plan.
In practice, many of the stages in an off-season plan will run in parallel, particularly when it comes to incorporating different types of training or activities. Here’s how they might overlap:
1. Transition/Recovery Phase
- This stage usually stands alone because it’s about total rest or very light activity. However, mental recovery from training pressure and occasional mobility work can overlap with other phases.
2. Maintenance Phase & Strength & Conditioning Phase
- These two phases often run in parallel. During the maintenance phase, athletes can focus on general fitness and low-intensity training while also beginning to work on strength and conditioning.
- Cross-training (e.g., swimming, yoga) can complement strength work, providing both recovery and a way to maintain aerobic fitness.
3. Strength & Conditioning Phase & Base-Building Phase
- Strength and conditioning often continues into the base-building phase, though the focus may gradually shift. Early in base-building, strength work may still be prioritised, but as the phase progresses, more emphasis is placed on increasing aerobic work.
4. Base-Building Phase & Pre-Season Phase
- These two phases also often overlap. As an athlete begins base-building, they will continue working on foundational endurance and strength, but as they approach the pre-season, more specific, higher-intensity workouts (like tempo runs, intervals, or hill work) begin to be incorporated.
- Strength work should still be included in the pre-season (I would argue you still do it all season, but just vary the type and timing so it doesn’t negatively impact your sport), but at a reduced volume as the focus shifts towards sport-specific preparations.
The Mental Benefits of an Off-Season
Beyond the physical perks, there’s a huge mental boost that comes from taking an off-season. Endurance sports can be mentally demanding, and training day in and day out can lead to burnout. An off-season helps you regain motivation and passion for your sport. By stepping away briefly, you’ll return refreshed, more focused, and excited for the challenges ahead.
Don’t Skip the Off-Season!
An off-season is essential for any runner, cyclist, or triathlete looking to improve performance over the long term. By giving your body a chance to recover, addressing any weaknesses, and slowly building a solid base, you’ll come back faster, stronger, and more resilient. It’s easy to feel like every day off is a step backwards, but in reality, an off-season is the secret to unlocking your full potential.
So, as you finish your season, don’t be afraid to change things up.
I can help you…
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