Now that we (in the Southern Hemisphere) are currently in our off-season phase it is good to know what to do and how to go about it. Most people think of off-season as gym time. Make me strong… but here’s some useful advice.

Much has been said about weight and strength training for triathletes, yet there are no conclusive studies which could confirm any schools of thought regarding this matter.

Strength is obviously important in any sport, but a big muscle is not necessarily a strong muscle. In endurance, efficiency is key and one of the best ways to develop efficiency is by developing the correct technique and maintaining that technique during fatigue and exhaustion. Once again, some say that there is a correct technique which should be employed by anyone wanting to achieve better results, whilst there are others that say technique differs fairly extensively from individual to individual and there is no one specific technique to be employed.

The only way to find out for yourself is to test the various theories. This is what off season training should be used for. Developing the correct technique by conditioning the correct muscles to perform the required movement is key. Often with a change of technique comes pain. But this is not a bad thing. Pain is there to teach us. (Sounds a bit like something that would be said in a depression session) The reason for the pain could simply be a result some muscle, ligament and/or tendon doing something it has never done before. It is therefore advisable that you target that specific area and develop the muscles involved in the movement as may be required.

Certainly during this technique development phase, or technique perfection phase for the more seasoned athletes, exertion is not advisable. Remember you are performing a movement which you have not done in the past. Even if it is something minor there will still be smaller muscles getting in on the act. Off season is for technique and developing strength in the areas that need it most.

Now I’m not saying that you must ignore your strength training, but as it has been said before (most recognisably by Pirelli Tyres), “power is nothing without control”. Develop your power whilst ensuring that you maintain the correct technique. BUILD SLOWLY. The longer it takes to acquire something, the longer it takes to lose it. Be patient. Avoid injury.

Ensure that you can maintain your perfect technique when you are tired as well as when you are at full throttle. Yes Iroman athletes, speed work is a must for you too; well that is if you want to go faster.

So in summary: use your off season to develop your technique and strength. The two go hand in hand. If you feel pain, stop. Think about what caused it and fix it. It could be poor technique or a weakness in an area which is required to perform whilst employing the correct technique.

Either way technique is vital to the endurance athlete.

Now that my off season strength training has made its way into the archives I open up a new file and in it lies “Pre-Season”. Here’s how my off-season training went.

As always, with training anytime of the season core was, still is and always will be a vital part of my training regime. More specific strength training went as follows:

Maximal Power

Maximal Power refers to nothing more than power development.  Gradually making things heavier and making sets smaller and reps slower this is the real gym junkies training methods. Only difference is triathletes need only do this during the off season which is around 2 to maybe 3 months.

The %1RM refers to the maximum weight I can lift only once and the numbers alongside refer to the percentage thereof. Some of the exercises I was forced to avoid due to a mystery foot injury which is VERY slowly getting better.

Power Endurance

Significantly more aerobic than the maximal power, power endurance uses fast reps and big sets to life lighter weights. By combing maximal power and power endurance over a 3 month period which sees maximal power occupy 2 sessions per week and power endurance 1 session per week for the first half of off season training and then visa versa for the second half, strength is slowly and methodically introduced into your training base. Power Endurance went as follows:

As I did already mention, core was a big part of this and so is cross training. For me, my swimming is my strength so I will not be swimming until September. Running is priority number one with bicycle strength priority number 2. It’s easier to develop endurance than it is speed. Speed comes from power, so basically off season was power-up, pre season is refining technique whilst harnessing and further developing that power all whilst infusing perfect balance and harmony.