by Jay Marschall

Whether you have just finished a long season of racing or are thinking about doing your first triathlon, this winter is a great time to improve as a Triathlete. This can be done by incorporating a schedule of training which includes the building of aerobic base, gaining strength and power and improving efficiency with proper technique. Where a person starts is dependent on many factors including medical history, background and the goals one sets. It is best to seek the help of a certified coach or trainer when laying out your program.

The system most used for energy in endurance sports like triathlon, is the aerobic system. In fact ,95% of an Olympic distance triathlon is done aerobically. This is why during the offseason months(Oct- March), the majority of your training should be done at an aerobic heartrate. The best way to do this is with the use of a heartrate monitor. Depending on your level and experience a formula of 180-age works well to determine your aerobic maximum heartrate. Do all of your training at or below this heartrate during your base phase. This period should last a minimum of 8 weeks and should include a minimum of one workout per sport per week with the duration dependent on your goals and level. In addition , building base should include cross-training other than your 3 sports. Choose cross-training activities that you enjoy.,( I like mountain biking and Hiking ), to enhance your attitude and further build your aerobic engine. If you are much weaker in one of the disciplines, you might want to add workouts or miles to that particular sport. Most people work too much on the sport they excel in and not enough on what they are weak in.

no mystery here ,weight training is the best way to build muscle strength. The off season is a perfect time to build muscle in areas that are specific to each sport. I like to use a 4 month system of strength periodization. The first step is acclimation, 4-6 weeks of easy lifting to acclimate the muscles. Next is strength, another 4-6 weeks where the weight and intensity is increased. And the last phase is Power, where there is more emphasis on sport specific movements and with explosive execution of form and technique. The result of weight training will build a base of strength for the upcoming season , help reduce the risk of injury and enhance performance.

Each sport in triathlon is unique and requires continual work on technique. The off season is a great time to work on these skills. In order to change poor technique one should listen to an experienced instructor. Once the problems are identified , the next step is to practice the new skill. This means going at slower pace at first until the muscle memory has taken. The hard part for most of us is to go slower even when your friends are training fast. While learning new technique don’t watch the clock!!!

The following outlines off season characteristics for a Triatletes training program

Due to the large amount of technique involved in swimming the key here is to work on form.

• long relaxed swimming with fins( body rolls)
• sport specific weight training
• 70% of workout in drills
• masters swim workouts and instruction
• Swim immersion clinics and camps

Cycling requires periodization and during the winter months when riding outdoors is unlikely the following characteristics apply

• easy intensity(aerobic)
• high spin ( spin classes, windtraining, rollers, and lifecycle) Keeping Rpms at 90+ you can improve your efficiency of your pedal stoke
• One leg isolation( pedaling a stationary trainer one leg at a time for 1-5 min at 40-60 rpms. Again, this helps with muscle efficiency
• climbs ( due to the hilly terrain here, one day should be dedicated to hill work)
• Weight training
• Cross-training (Mountain biking, in -line skating, stairmaster , Hiking)
• Flexibility(stretching)
• Bike camps/clinics
• Bike fit/Equipment

Running is the discipline I think can be improved the most during the off season. This because of the cool weather and the lack of bike miles done in the winter months. I like to refer to the winter as run season .

Here are some off season keys to work on

• building of easy aerobic miles (long runs)
• down hill running for turnover and speed
• Road races( 5k, 10k, marathon)
• Flexibility(stretching)
• running drills(technique)
• trail running

Triathletes have a lot to juggle in their schedule. The off season is a time to reflect on the past and plan for the future. It is also a great time to improve on your weaknesses without training long and hard. There is plenty of time for that during the season. Training too hard during the off season will make you feel burnt out when you want to perform your best. This is why it is best to take a fun and learning approach to training during the winter months. The result could mean a sharp improvement in 1997

Jay Marschall is a certified USTAF and USCF coach and is a 3 time all-American Triathlete