No more races for me this year. Not sure yet what I will be doing next year, but I’d like to h e a productive offseason. I have ideas of what I want to do, but not yet how to make a plan:
Swim: lots of technique work to get better catch/pull/body position. Using my underwater camera a lot
Would like to do yoga 1-2x a week
Strength training and mobility. Figure out what exercises are best and how long/often to strength train. Ryan Flaherty says hex bar deadlifts are the best for runners/cyclist types. Dropping the weight at the top. Add squats? Kettlebells? Rowing?
Not sure what kind of run/bike workouts to do and how they should fit in.
My gym also has a “speed school†that is a separate camp run by a guy working with athletes trying to get more “explosiveâ€. I may look at that and see if it would be worthwhile.
What do your offseason plans/workouts/goals look like?
I dunno, but dropping the bar at the top of the movement sets off all kinds of triggers for me.
This is the method described by Ryan Flaherty. He had a performance academy where nfl prospects would come and work out trying to get faster before the combine. And now he’s director of performance at Nike. He said that lifting up is what strengthens the muscle and builds explosiveness. When you de-load, that’s what tears it and promotes it to grow (and add mass). By dropping it at the top, you get the benefit, but aren’t adding additional bulk.
He was a guest on the Tim Ferris podcast a while ago talking about his methodology.
I did something different and bought an offseason plan from Training Peaks
Specifically:
v3.1 - 12-Week BASE BUILDER, High Volume: Structured XTERRA Training Written by Cody Waite
Going to start soon.
I’ve been researching off season quite a bit lately and I’m confused. I see a size-able segment of people suggesting plans like what you just bought, but how is that “off” season? Isn’t this just starting your base early?
I did something different and bought an offseason plan from Training Peaks
Specifically:
v3.1 - 12-Week BASE BUILDER, High Volume: Structured XTERRA Training Written by Cody Waite
Going to start soon.
I’ve been researching off season quite a bit lately and I’m confused. I see a size-able segment of people suggesting plans like what you just bought, but how is that “off” season? Isn’t this just starting your base early?
To me, off-season doesn’t mean “time off”. It’s just the time in-between race seasons. Part of that should be time off to do other things, but it’s also the time for building base.
For me, the triathlon season IS my off season. First swim meet is next month (yikes, that seems like it snuck up fast), but even that is mostly about base training up until early Feb or so when I’ll start prepping seriously for Nationals.
I usually like to get away from specific tri workouts in the Fall. Just enjoy some mountain biking and stand up paddle boarding. I also started to downhill ski a lot more in the past few years. After doing the tri stuff for so long I like the break and to do something different.
Usually in January I’ll start back in the pool and indoor biking. Working more on mileage and strength during the Winter months.
Offseason is fun time. Lots of mountain biking, cross races, occasional road races, trail runs, etc. I also use it as time to improve weakness - i.e. a heavy swim focus this winter.
Plus loads of base miles, centuries, etc. on the bike (both Zwift and outdoor). Off season doesn’t mean any less hours working out for me, they’re just more fun and less tailored at specific peaks
my offseason I move over to more gravel bike events. I would like to add some more yoga/stretching but we will see if that happens. and back to some strength training. If I had more ambitious triathlon goals then I would probably have some more focused goals for the offseason. But since I don’t so I just train for gravel biking which will at least keep me in cycling shape.
I did something different and bought an offseason plan from Training Peaks
Specifically:
v3.1 - 12-Week BASE BUILDER, High Volume: Structured XTERRA Training Written by Cody Waite
Going to start soon.
I’ve been researching off season quite a bit lately and I’m confused. I see a size-able segment of people suggesting plans like what you just bought, but how is that “off” season? Isn’t this just starting your base early?
Not really an “off season” for any more than 4-6 weeks and like Jason said it’s just time between races.
Typically I’ve run a lot in that big gap from October to March but this time I’m trying something different than I have in the last several years. I’m taking more of a break now, breaking my big cycles down to 16(ish) weeks at a time and balancing the 3 sports more. I’m also going to add (gasp!) strength training.
It should probably be called “post” season instead of “off”.
I was thinking about using the time to do strength training and lower volume workouts in all three sports but with a focus on speed and form. Lots of drills and skills training. The kind of things I tend to drop in regular season. To me, that sounds better than simply starting base training early.
I’m still looking for books that spend time talking about post season, especially strength training in post.
Now that the season is over, I can more honestly appraise the year and say “wow, I really messed *that *up!” My general issue was I rode way too “hot” all year. So focusing on Zone 2, Zone 2, Zone 2 for the next 3-4 months.
I will also try and add back some running, stretching, strength, foundation.
Post-season would be contained within the entire “off” season.
To me, post season is about rest and recuperation. Don’t touch the bike, get out of the pool, put your running shoes away. Go play with your kids. Watch a movie with your SO.
After that, it’s about pre-season - building base, building strength and durability. This is where I’m at now.
The “on” season starts when you start doing specific work targeted at your main competitions. I.e. the build phase.
It should probably be called “post” season instead of “off”.
I was thinking about using the time to do strength training and lower volume workouts in all three sports but with a focus on speed and form. Lots of drills and skills training. The kind of things I tend to drop in regular season. To me, that sounds better than simply starting base training early.
I’m still looking for books that spend time talking about post season, especially strength training in post.
Complete Conditioning for Swimming (Salo, Riewald) . I’m looking at it right now. Page 217 discusses a year round training program for masters swimmers and triathletes, broken into training phases, along with example workouts.
Last couple of years I’ve raced into November and this has squeezed off season/base aerobic build phases.
Think I paid this year with a succession of niggles and falling back from last 2 years levels.
So:
3 weeks total rest
2 weeks mobilising, easy noodling on bike treadmill and in pool.
Then:
12 weeks:
Trainer Road Tradional base I, II then III on the bike, Barry P runs building from 20mins/40mins/60mins adding 5mins/10mins/15mins every 3 weeks + 3 swims, 2 strength sessions.
My gym also has a “speed school†that is a separate camp run by a guy working with athletes trying to get more “explosiveâ€. I may look at that and see if it would be worthwhile.
Are you talking about the Parisi school at the Edge by any chance? If so my husband and a few swim buddies did a program with Kyle on Mondays for a few weeks. Strength training for swimming and triathlon.
I dunno, but dropping the bar at the top of the movement sets off all kinds of triggers for me.
This is the method described by Ryan Flaherty. He had a performance academy where nfl prospects would come and work out trying to get faster before the combine. And now he’s director of performance at Nike. He said that lifting up is what strengthens the muscle and builds explosiveness. When you de-load, that’s what tears it and promotes it to grow (and add mass). By dropping it at the top, you get the benefit, but aren’t adding additional bulk.
He was a guest on the Tim Ferris podcast a while ago talking about his methodology.
I’ve read and heard this, too, and eliminating the eccentric on certain lifts like deadlifts to avoid any muscle hypotrophy (mass/weigh) may make sense . . . for the less than 1% of truly elite endurance types. Seems silly for most average joes to be dropping the bar to avoid “getting jacked,” though. I’ve seen Triathlon Taren doing this, likely becuase he heard the same interview, and it just seems unecessary. Most people would benefit from both parts of the lift. Besides, dropping the bar may lead to imbalances, and maybe a broke toe.
So, stepping off the meathead soap box, my off or post-season has included, so far, a nice dose of well balanced strength training, some higher intensity lower volume running, mountain biking, lower cadence bike trainer work, and I need to get some swim lessons once I get around to it.
I dunno, but dropping the bar at the top of the movement sets off all kinds of triggers for me.
This is the method described by Ryan Flaherty. He had a performance academy where nfl prospects would come and work out trying to get faster before the combine. And now he’s director of performance at Nike. He said that lifting up is what strengthens the muscle and builds explosiveness. When you de-load, that’s what tears it and promotes it to grow (and add mass). By dropping it at the top, you get the benefit, but aren’t adding additional bulk.
He was a guest on the Tim Ferris podcast a while ago talking about his methodology.
I’ve read and heard this, too, and eliminating the eccentric on certain lifts like deadlifts to avoid any muscle hypotrophy (mass/weigh) may make sense . . . for the less than 1% of truly elite endurance types. Seems silly for most average joes to be dropping the bar to avoid “getting jacked,” though. I’ve seen Triathlon Taren doing this, likely becuase he heard the same interview, and it just seems unecessary. Most people would benefit from both parts of the lift. Besides, dropping the bar may lead to imbalances, and maybe a broke toe.
So, stepping off the meathead soap box, my off or post-season has included, so far, a nice dose of well balanced strength training, some higher intensity lower volume running, mountain biking, lower cadence bike trainer work, and I need to get some swim lessons once I get around to it.
I think he may have actually been on Taren’s podcast too talking about it.