Without a doubt the winter, or off-season, is the most important period of training for endurance athletes. It's when the building blocks of peak performance are laid. Show me your training diary in March or April and I [Ben Bright] will be able to tell you what sort of season you have in front of you.
Consistent training with plenty of variability will give you a great base for racing as well as keep you interested and motivated when the weather isn't particularly inviting.
For off-season training aim to keep things simple and realistic with a good weekly routine that works with your lifestyle. From that basis you can then add variety to ensure you're staying physically and mentally stimulated.
The bike and run sessions outlined here (you'll find swim sessions in the next issue) will give you plenty of options to layer different stimulus alongside or on top of your winter base training routine. They can be done as standalone sessions or incorporated into longer sessions.
The majority of the sessions can be done either indoors or outdoors but if there is something that's location or equipment-specific (like a race on Zwift) it will be made clear where and how to do it.
JARGON BUSTER
Confused by some of the terminology used here? Head to 220tri.com and search for the concept in question for a full explanation.
Intensities are based on your functional threshold power (FTP), or percentage of threshold heart rate for the bike and rate or perceived exertion for the run.
So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and make the most of this critical time for training!
BIKE SESSIONS
Former British Triathlon head coach and Olympian Ben Bright shares his top bike sessions for the off-season...
01 MINUTE SPRINTS
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